Figurative Language Word Choice Structure Stance.

Figurative Language Word Choice

Structure Stance

Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.It promises lightlike the careful undressing of love.

Here. It will blind you with tears like a lover.It will make your reflectiona wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.

Not a cute card or a kissogram.

I give you an onion.Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,possessive and faithfulas we are,for as long as we are.

Take it.Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,if you like.

Lethal.Its scent will cling to your fingers,cling to your knife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaRgHQjC1WE

Connotations of hearts/flowers/romance – we all like the idea that someone loves us and cares enough to show it through giving us gifts

The title of the poem suggests that it will deal with fairly conventional notions of love.


Structure StanceValentine by Carol Ann Duffy

‘Valentine’ is written in free verse, seemingly unstructured, rather than any conventional form or pattern, in keeping with idea that love should not be constricted by marriage or possessiveness.


Structure Stance

Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy









Stance

• ‘Valentine’ pragmatically portrays love that is initially mutual, passionate, but shows it can be ruined in time by infidelity or destroyed by possessiveness which becomes dangerous, “Lethal” to relationships.

• ‘Valentine’ suggests that relationships can bring unhappiness, in some cases due to a partner being unfaithful; or danger, in as a result of a partner’s extreme possessiveness, thereby requiring someone to be cut out of another’s life.

• In ‘Valentine’, it is shown that couples can lose fidelity and ultimately relationships.

• In ‘Valentine’, possessiveness and infidelity can destroy relationships. “Lethal” and “knife” suggest violent, wounding, hurtful ends to relationships.

• ‘Valentine’ suggests intense emotional pain, wounding caused by break up of relationship.

• ‘Valentine’ suggests that relationships eventually bring “grief”, are not permanent: fidelity lasts only up to a point, leading to break ups which leave former partners alone


Stanza 1


Structure StanceNot a red rose or a satin heart.

“Not a red rose or a satin heart.”

- Symbols commonly associated with Valentine’s Day, but here they are presented as clichés to be immediately dismissed

“Not a red rose or a satin heart.”

- Short single-sentence stanza conveys the speaker’s defiance

‘Not a red rose or a satin heart.’

-First line is verb-less-Negative assertion


Stanza 2

- Onion is an unconventional gift offered.- Positive aspect of love - optimism at the beginning of a relationship – love has many layers.- Positive aspect of love - optimism at the beginning of a relationship


Stance

‘It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.’ – metaphor: moon is a conventional symbol of love – suggests romance; ‘brown paper’ – no fancy wrappings to disguise the object – truth/honesty. This is very believable.

‘It promises lightlike the careful undressing of love.’ – Love has many layers – deeper emotion may be felt as you peel away the layers. The simile suggests a physical relationship. Word choice of ‘careful’ suggests tenderness/ affection/warmth/ sensitivity. All of above are reasonable suggestions to make.

‘promises/light’ – Positive – words linked with pleasant/enjoyable aspects of love; ‘promises’ also suggests assurance – a guarantee that the relationship will prosper.

The onion represents a relationshipwhich may occasionally cause you pain as well asjoy.

The onion is like a mirror – but the image may be distorted.


Structure

Stance

It will blind you with tears – simile. truth/honesty – suggests love can cause distress; Word choice suggests pain and grief. Believable – in relationships, one partner can often be cruel/ hurtful. Tears of joy & sadness.

“It will make your reflection/A wobbling photo of grief” – Extended metaphor – ‘wobbling photo of grief’ – pain/tears/ distress can be caused by relationships/ truth/honesty; word choice suggests pain and heartache. I am certain that this is the case – relationships are not always completely agreeable.

HereCommands - tone is forceful/aggressive – there is no room for compromise, the speaker is irritated/angered by their partner’s rejection of the gift; each command is on a line on its own – reinforcement - The short, direct statement show the speaker’s insistence, indicating that they are desperate for the lover to accept the gift and understand their feelings. Duffy’s use of the first person narrative helps to communicate strong feelings to the reader, as the reader can imagine a real person speaking and offering the gift of love – of an onion – to a lover.

Speaker is insisting that lover will accept gift of an onion. the speaker is almost challenging the person she is talking to,keeping the emotion controlled yet strongly connected with love:

Central idea of the poem is the central line/stanza


Structure Stance“I am trying to be truthful.”

Central line – brevity helps to support this very direct statement; attitude of speaker before this line is mainly positive/gentle; after, more brutal, threatening. Very personal – note use of first person ‘I’.

Negated symbolism is repeated.


Structure Stance

“Not a cute card or a kissogram.”

- Symbols commonly associated with Valentine’s Day, but here they are presented as clichés to be immediately dismissed / dismisses conventional symbols of love; note that the word ‘not’ starts each sentence so that there can be no doubt that the persona does not wish to show their feelings through overly sentimental conventional symbols. Repetition of similarly structured line reinforces speaker’s sincerity/desire to be truthful/candid. Entirely convincing – Valentines – materialistic/superficial – many people look for a different way to express devotion and the persona has done exactly that.

“cute card.”

- Alliteration – the harshness of these repeated consonants strengthen the speaker’s defiance against accepting the conventional images of romance.

- Short single-sentence stanza conveys the speaker’s defiance

“kissogram”

- Connotations: tacky, outdated, crass and repellent.

Powerful love is very difficult to forget as is a brutal/violent relationship; it is difficult to focus on other things.

Longevity – the strength and power of a relationship is long-lasting.


Structure

Stance

“fierce kiss will stay on your lips.”

-Taste of the onion is strong and difficult to erase just like memory of a passionate relationship lasts after the relationship itself has ended. While this metaphor is truthful and sincere, the tone is forceful/aggressive. The word ‘fierce’ has connotations of anger/brutality/violence. Too often we read about domestic disharmony and I am persuaded by Duffy that this could happen.

“possessive and faithful.”

- ‘possessive’ suggests an element of jealousy, even control – persona’s tone becomes forceful. Many instances in Literature and the Media – therefore convincing argument.

“faithful / as we are”

- ‘Faithful’ suggests loyalty/devotion/ constancy of the lovers. This is what most people want to have in their relationships, therefore the whole idea of such fidelity is very believable. We – the I has been transformed / subsumed into the pair.

“you/your”

- ‘2nd person direct addresses strengthen the reality that the persona is addressing a lover

“fierce”

-angry, dominating, passionate; vivid and energised.

“I give you an onion.”

-Extended metaphor repeated to emphasis the poet’s comparison between love and the onion.

The longer a relationship lasts, it will become more serious and may lead to marriage.

This commitment may be construed as constricting,and that the initial vitality of a relationship will – over time –degrade.


Structure

Stance

Take itCommands - tone is forceful/aggressive – there is no room for compromise, the speaker is irritated/angered by their partner’s rejection of the gift; each command is on a line on its own – reinforcement - The short, direct statement show the speaker’s insistence, indicating that they are desperate for the lover to accept the gift and understand their feelings.

“platinum loops shrink” (-ve) Comparison between the rings of an onion and a wedding ring; platinum – precious metal – wedding rings often made of this; yet ‘shrinks’ may suggest that the relationship may restrict you in some way or is about to end. Believable – marriage is not just about the wedding day – it requires an adjustment to a relationship which may in fact restrict you both emotionally and physically.

(+ve) Comparison between the rings of an onion and a wedding ring; platinum – precious metal – wedding rings often made of this; commitment/ steadfastness/ devotion/ faithfulness of the person offering the unconventional Valentine gift implied in this metaphor. Very convincing – almost anyone can be won over with the promise of marriage and all that it implies.

“shrink” connotes constriction, a lack of freedom; over time, the lustre of the relationship diminishes

Powerful love is very difficult to forget and may lead you into dangerous situations where the final outcome may be brutal/ violent.


Structure

Stance

“cling”- Negative connotations of overly possessive/overly attached (repetition)

“Lethal”- Word choice has connotations of danger –– violence – even death; the speaker resorts to threat because they realise that their partner is unwilling to accept the gift - aggressive/threatening tone of speaker.

“scent”- has feral connotations, lingering primordial smell that has a haunting affect

Final stanza offers a climax to the risingintensity of the poet’s attitude and a completely negative view of powerful love.

“knife”- Smell of the onion is strong and difficult to erase – just like memory of a deep relationship may last after the relationship itself has ended; Duffy’s word choice (‘knife’) indicates that the speaker threatens violence in the final line. Very believable – realistically this could happen when one partner is rebuffed i.e. feels that the other has rejected or slighted them.

Line 1. Minor (verbless) sentence – one word line – aggressive tone – suggests brutality/violence.

Figurative Language Word Choice Structure Stance.

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