Summary In-depth analysis notes of 'Letters from Yorkshire' by Maura Dooley
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Course
English
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GCSE
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New GCSE English Literature AQA Poetry Guide
In-depth analysis of the poem 'Letters from Yorkshire' by Maura Dooley from the AQA Poetry Anthology - Love & Relationships. Other poems from Cluster are available
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Title Analysis - Appears more positive, suggesting
Friendship communication and traditional methods of
exchange. Contrasts with other poems with titles Letters from Yorkshire
suggesting parting or disconnection.
Contrast - The speaker’s friends
is associated with the natural
Maura Dooley
Alliterative - Shows the subject’s purpose and
world throughout the poem how he works in his garden to provide food. The
job seems mundane but is still useful work. Noun - “Yorkshire” represents a
Setting & Contrast - This rural other world that the poet
poem begins with a February gains insight into, through writing.
winter setting; it conveys In February, digging his garden, planting potatoes,
hope of the return of life in Continuous Present Tense Verbs- “digging,
Spring - the subject “plants he saw the first lapwings return and came
planting, singing” are all active verbs associated
potatoes” and acknowledges indoors to write to me, his knuckles singing with action, movement, vitality and productivity
the “return of birds”.
Adjective & Themes - “first” creates a sense of new life and Personification - Creates a joyful atmosphere, despite the poet
hope with the return of spring after winter. He has the descripting the way his hands hurt as they warm up. This possible
opportunity to acknowledge the return of the “lapwings” negative thing is turned into a positive through the excitement of the
emphasising how connected he is to the land & nature. subject to notify the speaker of the coming of the birds in his letter.
Connection - Despite the Shift in Tone - Line 5 seems to mimic the subjects
physical separation, there is a as they reddened in the warmth. voice. Giving connotations of a down-to-earth,
strong sense of connection fiercely practical man. Like the potatoes, his life is
when they write to each other. It’s not romance, simply how things are. simply practical and not anything ‘romantic’ or
Emphasised in line 3, “indoors You out there, in the cold, seeing the seasons exciting. Contrasts with other poems as we get an
to write to me”. Establishes the insight into what the subject sounds like.
“Letters” are an important link
between them. Enjambment - Creates a sense of continuity and connection. Contrast - Comparison between friend’s
Mimics the back-and-forth exchange of letters. Also helps natural life and speaker’s artificial one.
Contrasting Pronouns - “you” create a sense of the natural “turning” of the seasons. Use of play on words, “heartful of
& “me” reflect the gap in both headlines” implies she may be a
distance and lifestyle. Further journalist, perhaps suggesting she lives in
reinforced by the gap the rational world of thought rather
between lines & stanzas. turning, me with my heartful of headlines than a passionate one. She has no
feeding words onto a blank screen. time/space for real emotions and love.
Parallel Sentence Structure -
“feeding” provides a metaphorical Is your life more real because you dig and sow? Central Consideration of Poem - The
use of the verb giving ironic link question on Line 9 demonstrates the
to friend growing real food at Adjective - She views her life and job as empty and meaningless,
speaker’s misgivings about how she
beginning. Adjective “blank” especially when comparing it to subject’s work on the land. lives her life, suggesting she very
reinforces her life is less much agrees that his life is more real
productive and useful. Metaphor - May suggest the channels of
communication between the pair. They are connected and authentic, even if he doesn’t.
Continuous Present Tense Verbs by the words despite living such separate lives.
- Emphasises the friend’s
practical physical activity again. You wouldn’t say so, breaking ice on a waterbutt, Hyperbole - Emphases the distance of
clearing a path through snow. Still, it’s you the pair, how disconnected she feels
from the life her family leads.
who sends me word of that other world
Metaphor - The letters are described as “air” Contrasting Adjectives - Their physical separation and
and “light”. These are essential things for Connection - Poem ends on a more hopeful their attempts to overcome it through letters are
growth and development, further suggesting note that this separation may be possible to captured in penultimate line. The television is another
that she needs this connection to the freshness overcome and that it hasn’t changed the way they remain connected. Also shows how people can
of the outdoors from her stifling indoor world. relationship. This spiritual link is possible live drastically different lives within the same country.
The letters are a literal representation of her despite the “icy miles”.
friend’s love and care for her.
pouring air and light into an envelope. So that
Adjective - Literally, “icy” refers to the
at night, watching the same news in different houses, winter setting but metaphorically, it
Analysing Structure (A02) our souls tap out messages across the icy miles. suggests this vast distance is
somethings she dislikes.
Focus & Movement
.
ms which begin with
Unlike some of other poe representing conflict, or
es,
sterile, wintery landscap on (For example, ‘Walking The structur Structure
Summary 1
dea th of com mu nic ati forth exchane seems to mimic the ba
the with a February winter ge ck The speaker describes her friend’s
Away’), this poem begins vey s the hope of the return these two di of letters, shifting betw-and- life in Yorkshire, gardening and
fferent and
setting. This setting con ject plants potatoes and distant wor een working on the land. He writes to
of life in Spring - the sub return of birds. lds.
acknowledges the Last Lines her, telling her of the natural world
The poem concluded by describing a he experiences, which she contrasts
The sub to her life in an office which seems
communica ject comes indoors in spiritual connection between the two
be associate te with the speaker order to friends, despite their physical separation. pointless in comparison.
s with the in - she seems
and “heartfu d to
is a journalis l of headlin oors, her office settin tition Summary 2
t. es” im p lies per g Contrast and Repe
world consiOn the other hand, the haps she ors The letters are an important way
Yorkshire a sts of the ru
stic outd
subject’s • Outdoors Vs. Indo of the land Vs. The life of of sustaining a connection between
n ic w or ki ng
some lives ad Dooley bring up the q oors of • The rust
nal these separated people, who
re more aut ue
hentic than stion of if an office professio. Light & Warmth & Spring
Vs maintain a close emotional bond
others? • Cold & Winter
despite their physical separation.
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