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Summary A dreaming week poem analysis and annotations
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annotated version of a dreaming week with annotations
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Like a continuation of another story of the past. Tallness = religious gift given
She can’t stop growing and she can’t help it to her at her christening?
The birth of her growing
taller
Could be representative of her physically
growing in height as well as being
then, like a christening gift or a wish arriving metaphorical of empowerment,
later in life, the woman had height, grew tall, acceptance and her having a platform to
was taller daily. speak
Polyptoton, show The noun “height” is used as a
the increase or metaphor for the woman’s power or
value of a woman new found importance of her gift
growing and
developing her
gifts
The poem begins with ‘Then,’ suggesting that everything that happened before in this
woman’s life has been forgotten. For her, this was the day her life changed. By only focusing
on during and after the growth, Duffy reveals how the woman is now only identified by her
size. Indeed, everything that came before has been forgotten, lost to history. The woman’s
identity revolves around her height.
Students
, Students
Connotations of a phoenix rising,
symbolising rebirth and the
cyclical nature of life and its
renewal, could link to why the girl
keeps growing despite not being Adjective emphasises that she
recognised has more power than any man
Perhaps reference to genesis- creation
Giving her power and making men
Day one sae her rising at 8 foot seem unmasculine and powerless
Bigger than any man. She knelt in the shower
As if she were praying for rain. Her clothes Vulnerability
Would be curtains and eiderbrows, towels and rugs.
Although it could mean that society doesn’t cater for women that don’t fit into the
norms and so she struggles to find clothing of her own size
However its almost a protective force- ‘All- powerful figure of the mother
Nouns suggest almost a protecting nature keeping them sheltered, warm, dry
The second stanza sees the first day of her new life, ‘Day one’ of growing. At first, she is only slightly taller than
the rest, ‘8 foot taller than any man’. The fact that Duffy defines this with ‘men’ shows that a conversation
around gender will perpetuate this poem.
The noun stooped emphasises the difference
between the two genders not just physically but
mentally. Duffy may be making a statement
about the sexualisation of women. Are women
Emphasises her tallness, but also her destined to be sexualised and submissive.
power
Out. Eye- high with street lamps, she took a walk connotations of sexualization, man trying to
Downtown. Somebody whooped. She stooped, sexualize her
Hands on both knees,
Duffy uses caesuras surrounding the event of catcalling. Indeed, ‘Downtown. Somebody whooped. She’,
the meter of the poem disrupted by this event. Duffy states that women’s lives are interrupted by male
outbursts like these, shaming those who participate in catcalling. In response, now she has height (and
therefore power), the woman of the poem ‘started at his scared face’. She emasculates him, Duffy
infantilising him as ‘a boy’, showing the weakness of those who catcall.
Students
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