Notes created by an A-level English Literature private tutor + A* student.
All topic notes for an easy passage (POD poetry)
Edexcel English Literature A-level
‘Once she is halfway up there, crouched in her bikini on the porch roof of her family’s
home, trembling’
‘Once’- adverb of time (mimics the style of a fairy tale)
Written in free verse and it it only a single stanza creating a sense of movement and uidity-
transition into adulthood.
‘Halfway’- metaphor for her transition
Sexual imagery ‘crouched in her bikini’ contrasts with ‘crouched’- connotations of the
foetal position- social critique of the societal pressure to grow up- sexualising young
girls.
‘The sharp drop of the stairwell; she must keep her mind on the friend with whom she
is half in love’
‘Sharp’- foreshadows impacts of transitioning/ su ering she will endure.
‘Stairwell’ is the physical representation of her transition.
‘Half in love’ experimenting with sexuality- continued movement- transition/
enjambment combined with the merged clauses via commas show how her thoughts
are uid. Moreover the only love she has experienced in her life so far is parental or familial
love therefore ‘half’ could be representative her experimenting with her sexuality and her
uncertainty/inexperience moving forward into this transition.
‘Whole body leaning in to the warm ank of the house’
‘Leaning’- she still requires support (societal pressures placed on young people to grow
up)
‘Flank’ an animalistic noun, could have possible sexual connotations- reminded of this
transition into womanhood.
‘Body/toes/ nger tips/ tiny breasts’
Lexical eld of body- appreciative of her youthful beauty/ humanising the environment-
makes the poem relatable as it lacks any key identi ers/ vivid image of her body is sexual-
sexualising girls too early.
‘Tiny breasts’ indication that she has not yet nished puberty- links back to ‘crouched’
‘Grains of asphalt hot between her toes and ngers a square of petri ed beach’
‘Hot beneath’- discomfort- metaphor for uncomfortable transition into womanhood
‘Square’ uniform shape- jarring compared to uidity of the poem
‘Petri ed’ - double meaning- petri cation of natural forms into a stone-like material or
emotion felt by the beach seeing the young girl on the roof top. But can also be
representative of the girls fear of getting caught or rather fear for what the future may hold.
1
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