Essay
Example comparision of 'look we have coming to dover' and 'An easy passage'
- Course
- Institution
Example essay achieving 23/30 from the Edexcel mark scheme. Feel free to message me with any questions about the content :)
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
niaburkinshaw
Reviews received
Content preview
Compare the way in which the poets use setting in ‘Look we have coming to dover’ and ‘An easypassage’
The use of setting in ‘Look We Have Coming To Dover’ by Daljit Nagra is more obvious than
in Julia Copus’s ‘An easy Passage,’ as one of the major themes in the poem is the adjustment
to new environments and the subsequent effect on identity. Nagra utilises setting to reflect
the stability and emotional states of the speaker over time. In contrast ‘An Easy Passage’
begins in media res, rather than with description, and the poem follows the girls
treacherous climb back into her house. Nevertheless, Copus employs setting more subtly,
reflecting the conflict between childhood and adulthood. Furthermore both poems feature
a variety of settings in time, and the way that the future is presented mirrors the poets
attitudes’ to progress in life.
The setting in the poems differ greatly; ‘An easy passage’ is an urban plain environment,
whereas ‘Look We Have Coming To Dover’ focuses on the more natural and recognisable
landscape of the white cliffs of Dover. However, contrary to what the reader expects,
Nagra’s opening can be considered a parody of the often romanticised perspective of the
cliffs, contrasting to the sublime elements of the epigraphs referring to the cliffs with the
triplet, “so various, so beautiful, so new.” In contrast the disconcerting imagery of the “vast
crumble of scummed cliffs” surrounded by “mulch,” connotes decay and hostility which is
further marked by the use of the harsh guttural ‘c’ sound. Additionally, “scummed” is often
a word associated with class and is an example of type of verbal abuse that an immigrant
may face. Conversely, Copus’s description focuses on seemingly mundane and every-day
objects, reflecting the tenuous position of the girl. The “flimsy, hole-punched, aluminium
leaver” highlights the girls unstable and insecure position, both physically as she is climbing
into the house, with the threat of falling, but equally as a teenager “halfway” through her
journey to adulthood, drawing back to the irony of the title.
Despite their clear differences, the environments in both poems are presented as somewhat
oppressive and hostile, this is most obvious in ‘Look We Have Come To Dover.’ Nagra’s use
of pathetic fallacy gives the rain qualities that we may attribute to stereotypical white
nationalist hooligans, as the “thunder unbladders yobbish rain and wind.” The
uncomfortable image of the rain urinating on the migrants, furthers their discomfort in the
unfriendly and unfamiliar new environment. Although it is more subtle, the girls’
surroundings in ‘An Easy Passage’ similarly come across as uncomfortable and unpleasant.
The metaphor of the “square of petrified beach,” juxtaposes the natural world of
imagination and discovery, with the artificial “grains of asphalt” unpleasantly “hot between
her fingers and toes,” illustrating the false appearances of adulthood and the increasing
pressure to grow up.
Yet, there is a sense that both of the characters manage to escape their oppressive
environments. Both poems use the image of the eye to reflect the intrusive nature of their
surroundings, that both characters appear to evade. The house in ‘An Easy Passage’ “exists
only for them, set back from the long grey eyes of the street,” similarly the migrants remain
“unclocked by the national eye.” The verb unclocked referring both to the potential illegal
nature of their work not having to clock in or out, as well as being hidden from the majority
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller niaburkinshaw. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.04. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
77764 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now