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0
Tyra-Angel
10/05/2023
English
Higher English - Poetry Themes - The Way My Mother Speaks
889
•
10 May 2023
•
Carol Ann Duffy Higher English Poems: The Way My Mother Speaks Themes and Quotes
Tyra-Angel
@xt_ang_studyx
Analyzing Imagery and Language in "The Way My Mother Speaks"
This page delves deeper into the poetic devices and language used by Carol Ann Duffy in "The Way My Mother Speaks" to convey the themes of change, nostalgia, and growing up.
Imagery and Symbolism
-
Train Journey: The train ride serves as a metaphor for the speaker's journey from childhood to adulthood. "The train this slow evening goes down to England" symbolizes this transition.
-
Changing Sky: The shift from "too blue" to "a cool grey" represents the move from the brightness of childhood to the more subdued tones of adulthood.
-
Seasons: The reference to "a child who stood at the end of summer" evokes the end of childhood and the beginning of a new phase of life.
Language and Poetic Devices
-
Repetition: Phrases like "The day and ever. The day and ever" create a rhythmic quality that mimics the motion of the train and the cyclical nature of life.
-
Contrasts: The poem is full of contrasting images and emotions, such as "I am happy and sad," reflecting the complex feelings associated with growing up.
-
Double Negatives: "Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent" creates ambiguity, mirroring the speaker's conflicted state of mind.
Vocabulary: Pathetic fallacy - The use of weather or nature to reflect the mood or emotions of the characters. In this poem, the changing sky mirrors the speaker's emotional state.
Example: The line "too blue swapped for a cool grey" uses pathetic fallacy to suggest the transition from the brightness of childhood to the more muted tones of adulthood.
Exploring Relationships and Identity in "The Way My Mother Speaks"
This page examines how Carol Ann Duffy portrays relationships, particularly between mother and daughter, and the development of identity in the poem "The Way My Mother Speaks."
Mother-Daughter Relationship
-
Influence: The mother's phrases and way of speaking have a profound impact on the speaker, providing comfort and a link to home.
-
Love and Attachment: The speaker's deep affection for her mother is evident in lines like "I am in love with the way my mother speaks."
-
Separation: The poem explores the emotional impact of physical separation as the speaker moves away from home.
Identity Formation
-
Independence: The journey represents the speaker's move towards independence and self-reliance.
-
Continuity: Despite the physical separation, the speaker carries her mother's words with her, suggesting a continuity of identity even as she changes.
-
Ambivalence: The speaker's conflicted feelings ("I am homesick, free") reflect the complex process of forming an adult identity.
Quote: "I say her phrases to myself in my head" - This line demonstrates how the speaker internalizes her mother's words as part of her own identity.
Analysis: The repetition of the mother's phrases throughout the poem suggests that while the speaker is physically moving away, she carries her mother's influence with her. This reflects the complex process of identity formation, where we both separate from and remain connected to our origins.
Highlight: The poem's exploration of identity and relationships makes it a valuable text for studying themes of growing up and family dynamics in Higher English and GCSE curricula.
Page 3: Emotional Complexity and Loss
This page examines the dualities present in the poem - happiness versus sadness, freedom versus homesickness, and childhood versus adulthood.
Quote: "I am homesick, free" encapsulates the paradoxical nature of growing up.
Highlight: The train journey serves as a metaphor for the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Example: Pathetic fallacy is employed through weather imagery to reflect emotional states.
Definition: Nostalgia manifests through repeated phrases like "The day and ever"
Carol Ann Duffy's "The Way My Mother Speaks": Themes and Analysis
This page provides an overview of the key themes in Carol Ann Duffy's poem "The Way My Mother Speaks," which is often studied in Higher English and GCSE curricula. The poem explores the complex emotions associated with growing up and leaving home, using the speaker's journey on a train as a metaphor for this transition.
Major Themes
-
Change: The poem depicts changes in location, life stages (from child to adult), and the shift from dependence to independence. This is exemplified in lines such as "The train this slow evening goes down to England," indicating a physical and metaphorical journey.
-
Influence of Past: The speaker reflects on her mother's words as a source of comfort and guidance during this transition. This is evident in the line "I say her phrases to myself in my head."
-
Conflict and Pain: The poem expresses the apprehension about the future and the pain of leaving home. This is reflected in phrases like "under the shallows of my breath," suggesting anxiety.
-
Loss and Nostalgia: There's a sense of loss of childhood and closeness to the mother, coupled with nostalgia for the past.
-
Self-realization: The speaker comes to terms with adulthood and independence throughout the journey.
Quote: "I am homesick, free" - This line encapsulates the conflicting emotions of leaving home, feeling both the pull of the familiar and the excitement of independence.
Highlight: The use of contrasts throughout the poem, such as "restful shapes moving" and "Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent," emphasizes the speaker's ambivalent feelings about this life transition.
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Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
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Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
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The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
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In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
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very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Carol Ann Duffy Higher English Poems: The Way My Mother Speaks Themes and Quotes
Tyra-Angel
@xt_ang_studyx
Carol Ann Duffy's "The Way My Mother Speaks" explores themes of growing up, maternal bonds, and the transition from childhood to adulthood through poetic reflection.
• The poem centers on the speaker's journey away from home, using her mother's phrases... Show more
Analyzing Imagery and Language in "The Way My Mother Speaks"
This page delves deeper into the poetic devices and language used by Carol Ann Duffy in "The Way My Mother Speaks" to convey the themes of change, nostalgia, and growing up.
Imagery and Symbolism
-
Train Journey: The train ride serves as a metaphor for the speaker's journey from childhood to adulthood. "The train this slow evening goes down to England" symbolizes this transition.
-
Changing Sky: The shift from "too blue" to "a cool grey" represents the move from the brightness of childhood to the more subdued tones of adulthood.
-
Seasons: The reference to "a child who stood at the end of summer" evokes the end of childhood and the beginning of a new phase of life.
Language and Poetic Devices
-
Repetition: Phrases like "The day and ever. The day and ever" create a rhythmic quality that mimics the motion of the train and the cyclical nature of life.
-
Contrasts: The poem is full of contrasting images and emotions, such as "I am happy and sad," reflecting the complex feelings associated with growing up.
-
Double Negatives: "Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent" creates ambiguity, mirroring the speaker's conflicted state of mind.
Vocabulary: Pathetic fallacy - The use of weather or nature to reflect the mood or emotions of the characters. In this poem, the changing sky mirrors the speaker's emotional state.
Example: The line "too blue swapped for a cool grey" uses pathetic fallacy to suggest the transition from the brightness of childhood to the more muted tones of adulthood.
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Access to all documents
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Join milions of students
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Exploring Relationships and Identity in "The Way My Mother Speaks"
This page examines how Carol Ann Duffy portrays relationships, particularly between mother and daughter, and the development of identity in the poem "The Way My Mother Speaks."
Mother-Daughter Relationship
-
Influence: The mother's phrases and way of speaking have a profound impact on the speaker, providing comfort and a link to home.
-
Love and Attachment: The speaker's deep affection for her mother is evident in lines like "I am in love with the way my mother speaks."
-
Separation: The poem explores the emotional impact of physical separation as the speaker moves away from home.
Identity Formation
-
Independence: The journey represents the speaker's move towards independence and self-reliance.
-
Continuity: Despite the physical separation, the speaker carries her mother's words with her, suggesting a continuity of identity even as she changes.
-
Ambivalence: The speaker's conflicted feelings ("I am homesick, free") reflect the complex process of forming an adult identity.
Quote: "I say her phrases to myself in my head" - This line demonstrates how the speaker internalizes her mother's words as part of her own identity.
Analysis: The repetition of the mother's phrases throughout the poem suggests that while the speaker is physically moving away, she carries her mother's influence with her. This reflects the complex process of identity formation, where we both separate from and remain connected to our origins.
Highlight: The poem's exploration of identity and relationships makes it a valuable text for studying themes of growing up and family dynamics in Higher English and GCSE curricula.
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Improve your grades
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Page 3: Emotional Complexity and Loss
This page examines the dualities present in the poem - happiness versus sadness, freedom versus homesickness, and childhood versus adulthood.
Quote: "I am homesick, free" encapsulates the paradoxical nature of growing up.
Highlight: The train journey serves as a metaphor for the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Example: Pathetic fallacy is employed through weather imagery to reflect emotional states.
Definition: Nostalgia manifests through repeated phrases like "The day and ever"
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Carol Ann Duffy's "The Way My Mother Speaks": Themes and Analysis
This page provides an overview of the key themes in Carol Ann Duffy's poem "The Way My Mother Speaks," which is often studied in Higher English and GCSE curricula. The poem explores the complex emotions associated with growing up and leaving home, using the speaker's journey on a train as a metaphor for this transition.
Major Themes
-
Change: The poem depicts changes in location, life stages (from child to adult), and the shift from dependence to independence. This is exemplified in lines such as "The train this slow evening goes down to England," indicating a physical and metaphorical journey.
-
Influence of Past: The speaker reflects on her mother's words as a source of comfort and guidance during this transition. This is evident in the line "I say her phrases to myself in my head."
-
Conflict and Pain: The poem expresses the apprehension about the future and the pain of leaving home. This is reflected in phrases like "under the shallows of my breath," suggesting anxiety.
-
Loss and Nostalgia: There's a sense of loss of childhood and closeness to the mother, coupled with nostalgia for the past.
-
Self-realization: The speaker comes to terms with adulthood and independence throughout the journey.
Quote: "I am homesick, free" - This line encapsulates the conflicting emotions of leaving home, feeling both the pull of the familiar and the excitement of independence.
Highlight: The use of contrasts throughout the poem, such as "restful shapes moving" and "Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent," emphasizes the speaker's ambivalent feelings about this life transition.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user