Read the following poem carefully and and answer the questions which follow it.
| Growing pains | |
| My child-eyes cried for chocolate treats And sticky sweets ‘Twill rot yu’ teet’! |
|
| Tinkly silver wrapper hides | |
| 5 | Germs Worms Decay How can a child-eye see? |
| This child-heart cried for mid-teen love | |
| 10 | A blow, a shove Study yuh’ book! Leather jacket Football boots Are not the most sought-after truths |
| 15 | How can a child-heart know? So watch the young-girl-heart take wing! Watch her groove And watch her swing She’s old enough |
| 20 | She’s strong and tough She’ll see beneath the silver wrapper Beneath the flashy football boots She’ll find the great sought-after truth That child-eye tears are not as sad |
| 25 | And child-heart pain is not as bad As grown-up tears and grown-up pain Oh Christ, what do we have to gain From growing up For throwing up |
| 30 |
Our childlike ways
For dim Disastrous Grown-up days. ANITA
|
Question
(a)(i)Who is likely to have said the following lines:
(a)(i)Who is likely to have said the following lines:
‘Twill rot yu’ teet’! (line 3) and Study yu’ book! (line 11) (ii)What effect is the writer trying to create by using them? (3 marks)
Suggested answer(a) The words would have been spoken by an adult, possibly a parent.
Question(b) In what ways is the content of the first two stanzas (lines 1 – 15) similar?
(3 marks)
(3 marks)
Suggested answer
(b) The content of the first two stanzas is similar in that they show the views/concerns of the adult with regard to the child. Also, both stanzas offer guidance from the adult.
(b) The content of the first two stanzas is similar in that they show the views/concerns of the adult with regard to the child. Also, both stanzas offer guidance from the adult.
Question(c) Why does the poet refer to leather jacket (line 12) and ;football boots (line 13)? (2 marks)
Suggested answer
(c) The poet refers to leather jackets and football boots, items which we associate with the male, to indicate that these attract teenage girls.
(c) The poet refers to leather jackets and football boots, items which we associate with the male, to indicate that these attract teenage girls.
Question(d) Comment on the poet’s choice of the following words:
(i)Tinkly (line 4)(ii)dim (line 31) (2 marks)
Suggested answer
d)(i) Tinkly is an example of the figurative device, ono- matopoeia; hence it appeals to the sense of hearing. Children will be attracted to the sound of the paper.
d)(i) Tinkly is an example of the figurative device, ono- matopoeia; hence it appeals to the sense of hearing. Children will be attracted to the sound of the paper.
(ii) Through the use of dim, the poet maintains the contrast between childhood and adulthood, innocence and experience.
Question
(e) What do the following lines,
(e) What do the following lines,
She’ll see beneath the silver wrapper
Beneath the flashy football boots … (lines 21 – 22) tell us about the young girl?
(2 marks)
(2 marks)
Suggested answer
(e) The lines tell us that the young girl realises later on in life that things are not what they seem to be. She would arrive at this position because of her maturity and experience.
(e) The lines tell us that the young girl realises later on in life that things are not what they seem to be. She would arrive at this position because of her maturity and experience.
Question(f)What is suggested by the poet in the last seven lines (lines 27 – 33) of the poem? (2 marks)
Suggested answer
(f) The poet is saying that it is difficult for anyone to see why adulthood, with all its problems, should be preferred to childhood.
(f) The poet is saying that it is difficult for anyone to see why adulthood, with all its problems, should be preferred to childhood.
Total 14 marks