'Effects'- Alan Jenkins

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  • 'Effects'- Alan Jenkins
    • STRUCTURE
      • Opening
        • Alternate line rhyme
          • Although somewhat regular line rhymes, a sense of uncertainty grows through the open to the prgoression
          • Helps show the reader how the narrator still struggles underneath
          • His memories of mother are consistent and seem to be constantly within the narrators conscience
          • The memories brings peace and warmth to narrator momentarily
      • Progression
        • Main turning point for the narrator as he realises the effects of death and loss
          • Turning points can be seen with the small, gradual increased use of hyphens in progression
        • Break in consistency could symbolise the memories being lost in the narrators empty emotion due to his guilt
      • Close
        • Ends in couplets
          • Begins to come to terms with her death
          • Things begin to piece together although ends on a tragic note
          • "her face to see" and "her effects to me"
            • "see" and "me" exaggerate the narrator's loss
            • Mirrors how he attempts to cope, but overall knows that his mother will never see the impact of her death on him
              • Could be trying to transfer guilt onto the mother?
              • Wants his mother to know that he still feels empty after his loss?
      • No stanzas, poem in one whole stanza
        • Symbolises that life is a constant, highlighting the importance of carrying on even though effects of events may attempt to stop you
        • Also makes reader feel intimated and overhwelmed, reflecting the huge effects mentoned in the poem
      • Only made up of two sentences
        • First full stop has much significance
          • "Only now that he was dead."
    • IMAGERY
      • Domestic imagery of the mother
        • The prime of her life as she gave love to the narrator
        • Brings comfort to the reader and narrator alike
          • Representative of the mother's class and the era she was from growing up in England
        • Comfort also comes with conflict and pain- the mother with the red knucles and scarred hands
      • The ending of the mother's life in a psych ward
        • Contrast with the imagery in the opening
        • Accentuate her deterioraton and how the narrator lost his mother even before her death
          • Brings sadness to the reader through the idea of hopelessness and helplessness in the narrator
            • The narrator feels helpless, which is transferred to the reader
    • FORM
      • Tone is solemn with hints of guilt running through the progression
        • Intermittent colloquialisms show symbolise his background but most importantly attempt to hide his mourning and grief
          • Colloquialisms make poem more informal, connecting he narrator to the reader
      • No strict form, in one whole stanza
    • LANGUAGE
      • Colloquialisms make poem more informal, connecting he narrator to the reader
      • Repetition-key language technique
        • "night after night" and "drink after drink", "stared", "blinked"
        • Reflect more negative connotations, add sense of seriousness to the poem
        • Represent the debilitating nature of death and loss on the mother with a lack of support

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