Litany

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  • Litany
    • 'Litany' The Proper Noun has a denotation of religion.  The entire poem speaks on how the persona has been stuck in a middle-class background surrounded by social conventions that she becomes rebellious in wonder.
      • 'candlewick bedspread three piece suite display cabinet'  This is an example of listing; the absence of punctuation intends to mimic the monotonous tone of a litany speech.
    • 'Stiff-haired wives balanced their red smiles' This is an example of a metaphor. The pre-modifying adjective, 'stiff' suggests firm, rigid; very much in the case of their hairstyle yet can be interpreted as their falsities. A façade. The Persona sees beyond their appearance.
      • 'Balanced' The material verb shows the struggle of maintaining the 'image'. The adjective, 'red', the colour having symbolism of evil, mischievous and sly.
    • 'A tiny ladder ran up Mrs Barr's American Tanned leg, sly like a rumour.' Adjective 'tiny' reiterates the imagery presented in the simile, 'sly like a rumour', It is minute but it is there. Acknowledged. The personification earlier on also emphasis the deceitful  nature.
    • 'The terrible marriage crackled' Example of a cacophonous sound and the metaphor highlights the tension between the wives.
    • 'bristle with eyes(...)' The personification here again, illiterates the falsities; there are eyes everywhere, no secrets can be kept. The material verb, 'bristle' has connotations of fear; standing on edge. It is anticipated.
    • 'sharp hands poised over biscuits' Adjectives, 'sharp' and 'poised' insinuates the wives' supposedly refined nature.
    • 'a butterfly stammered itself in my curious hands' the possessive pronoun, 'My' and adjective 'curious' shows the persona's sense of wonder; something she has been deprived of.
    • 'thrilled, malicious' The oxymoron insinuates how the persona felt excited she has received attention for her actions but feels evil in doing so.
    • 'My Mother's mute shame' The alliteration and declarative shows how the persona's Mother has high regards over her reputation.

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