,MEMO
October/November 2023
ENG1501
Foundations in English Literary Studies
100 Marks
Duration 4 Hours
QUESTION 1
Narrative Perspective and Relation to Title
There is a third-person narrative perspective employed by the poet in the poem
"Point of View." This choice is exemplified in lines such as "In the kitchen, she
reaches for the nutmeg grater" and "Her mail follows her like outstretched hands,"
where the poet describes the actions and experiences of her subject, "she," from an
outside viewpoint.
The title "Point of View" is particularly appropriate when it comes to this choice of
narrative perspective. It is with the third-person perspective that the poet is able to
explore the subject's experiences and emotions without being restricted to a first-
person narrative, which would be limited by the subject's own awareness of the
events. A third-person point of view provides a deeper insight into the subject's
actions and emotions from a more detached, but insightful perspective, thus
allowing the reader to gain a better understanding of the subject's actions and
emotions from a different perspective.
There is also an invitation in the title for the reader to consider their own "point of
view" from which to interpret the experiences of the subject. The poem serves as a
meta-commentary on the process of reading and interpreting poetry itself, urging
the reader to be aware of their own perspective as they engage with the text.
,It can be seen that the narrative perspective and the title are intricately intertwined,
and each of them enriches the understanding of the other to the reader.
QN2
The poem "Point of View" addresses the dislocation and emotional upheaval that
accompany change or transition. A clear example of this can be seen in the subject's
actions and experiences as described in the poem. For instance, the lines "In the
kitchen she reaches for the nutmeg grater and remembers it is in another cupboard,
another place" and "In the post office she fills in the address she has left behind"
highlight the subject's struggle with adapting to new circumstances. A sense of loss
or disorientation is conveyed by these lines, as the subject is caught between the
past and the present, unable to fully inhabit either.
This theme is further emphasized by the metaphor "Her mail follows her like
outstretched hands," which portrays the subject's past as something that continues
to reach out to her despite her attempts to move forward. In this line, the emotions
of undergoing change are encapsulated, as the past coexists with the present in a
state of tension.
Consequently, the theme of the poem focuses on the emotional and psychological
challenges of change, as evidenced by the subject's experiences and the poet's use
of imagery and metaphor in the poem.
QN3
This poem can be described as contemplative as well as melancholic in tone.
Through the subject's actions and the poet's choice of words, this tone is established,
conveying a sense of introspection and emotional complexity.
, As an example, the line "In the kitchen she reaches for the nutmeg grater and
remembers that it is in another cupboard, another place" provides evidence to
support this tone. As the subject is reminded of a past setting or life that she has left
behind, the phrase "another place" evokes a sense of loss and nostalgia. As a result,
the poem is characterized by a contemplative and somewhat melancholic tone.
Secondly, the line "On the way home, a hawk hangs "motionless", "moving", yet still,
pinning the sky" adds a layer of complexity to the subject's emotional state,
reflecting the contemplative tone of the poem. The juxtaposition of "motionless"
with "moving, yet still" enhances its emotional intensity. This hawk, which hangs
motionless yet moving, is a metaphor for the subject's own emotional state—caught
between the past and the present, motion and stillness.
Accordingly, the poem's tone is contemplative as well as melancholy, as evidenced
by these examples.
QN4
4.1
Alliteration - "hawk hangs"
Simile - "Her mail follows her like outstretched hands."
Metaphor - "Her mail follows her like outstretched hands."
4.2 Effectiveness of Each Figure of Speech
Alliteration
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