'Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass' - Simon Armitage
- Created by: LegendofZelda
- Created on: 14-03-18 09:08
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- 'Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass' - Simon Armitage
- IMAGERY
- Belligerent, violent imagery of chainsaw
- Used to contrast imagery of the pampas grass
- The "perfect disregard" of the Chainsaw and the "pampas grass with its ludicrous feather and plumes"
- Antagonises the chainsaw as the reader witnesses its "bloody desire"
- Portrayed as belligerent through its brutish force and desire for destruction
- "an instant rage", "lashing out"
- Almost provokes imagery of men - use of personification aids the creation of imagery
- "knocked back a quarter-pint"
- Used to contrast imagery of the pampas grass
- Calm, patient and regal imagery of the grass
- "riding high in its saddle, wearing a new crown"
- Less use of violence allows it to reign free from the spiteful chainsaw
- Portrayal of innocence as it was "sunning itself"
- Grows jealousy within the seething Chainsaw while "stealing the show" and taking the metaphorical and physcial higher ground
- Almost as if it were royalty
- Less use of violence allows it to reign free from the spiteful chainsaw
- Appeals to reader as protagonist ad the victor in the close
- The power of regrowth and development show in the grass, predominating the close of the poem
- "riding high in its saddle, wearing a new crown"
- Dominates the poem and provokes conflicting feelings for the separate entities
- Belligerent, violent imagery of chainsaw
- LANGUAGE
- Personification of the chainsaw and pampas grass
- Exaggerates the conflict as well as disparity between them
- Accentuates their living qualities so readers feel more connected to their symbols
- Tone begins calm with ominous undertones through description of the chainsaw
- "weightless wreckage of wasps and flies"
- Alliteration highlights the desolate weight of the room, exaggerating a sense of foreboding
- "swung nose-down from a hook in the darkroom"
- "Dropped the safety catch and gunned the trigger
- The turning point as the chainsaw is turned on and its power is restored after being unplugged "all winter"
- Its only function is to destroy
- The shift helps establish ominous and hostile tones when the next stanza instantly quickens with aggressive language
- The turning point as the chainsaw is turned on and its power is restored after being unplugged "all winter"
- "weightless wreckage of wasps and flies"
- Tone near close is angered and has a sense of defeat, almost with elements of jealousy
- Reflects the metaphorical thoughts of the chainsaw as its power has been debilitated and cannot defeat nature
- Personification of the chainsaw and pampas grass
- STRUCTURE
- Inconsistency between stanzas
- Varying line lengths symbolise the overwhelming force of the chainsaw
- Chainsaw destroys the structure of the poem through its destructive nature
- Rigid structure of enjambment in each stanza
- Segregates the stanzas
- Controlling nature of man and industry against nature?
- Forceful nature of the chainsaw and its huge disparity between the grass
- Structured to show the chainsaw as possessing the most power initially
- Creates unexpected shift when the pampas grass reigns
- Demonstrates the overall weak force of the chainsaw and its representation of humanity
- Inconsistency between stanzas
- FORM
- Lack of enjambment and rhyme
- Provides very loose structure
- Demonstrates recklessness in the conflict and how torn apart humanity is from nature
- Provides very loose structure
- Lack of enjambment and rhyme
- IMAGERY
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