Notes created by an A-level English Literature private tutor + A* student.
All topic notes for eat me (poems of the decade)
Edexcel English Literature A-level
- ‘His breadfruit’ - slaves grew breadfruit to eat, a nutritious fruit.
- ‘His desert island after shipwreck’ - connotations of British colonies
- ‘’My globe of a cheek’- speaker can be seen as the women who were colonised and
exploited- lexical choice of ‘globe’ reinforces the idea of post-colonialism.
‘Forbidden fruit’ ‘breadfruit’ ‘desert island’ ‘tidal wave’ ‘globe’
- all suggest a post-colonial viewpoint in which the colonial authority (male protagonist/
feeder) is ultimately overwhelmed by the power of the former colony - moreover ‘roll over
on top’ illustrates the old colonies regaining power.
Key quotes
‘When I hit thirty, he brought me a cake’
- the verb ‘hit’ implies that he sets target weights to achieve, her life is devoted to him-
the verb also has violent connotations- if she doesn’t achieve the goals it could lead to
physical abuse emotionally abusive as at 30st you’re classi ed as clinically obese- this
is a dishonourable thing to celebrate-
‘He brought’ - introduces him as the person in control (higher end of the power imbalance)
this hints and foreshadows the nature of their relationship- the feeder ‘brought’ shows his
dominance in sexual politics
‘EAT ME. And I ate, did what I was told. Didn’t even taste it’
Capitalisation of ‘EAT ME’ emphasises the importance within the relationship, the
imperative is her admitting her submission. A bitter tone is created through repeated
consonant ’t’ sound
Caesura, gets no pleasure though breaking up her dramatic monologue
‘Didn’t even taste it’ relationship has no depth beyond feeder and feedee- eating has
become a chore, she is on auto pilot.
‘So he could watch my broad belly wobble, hips judder like a juggernaut’
Enjambment could emphasise the movement and owing of her esh or even symbolise
her ongoing shame for this activity re ected through the alliteration/ caesura separates
her emotion from the situation, she moves her feelings aside to please him - she is both
objecti ed by him and herself.
A ‘juggernaut’ can be a way of transport- she delivers sexual pleasure, therefore could
we interpret that she has some sort of power? However she has been so objecti ed she is
unable to use her power which could be a comment about women within society,
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