You, Shiva and My Mum

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  • Created by: sophia.l@
  • Created on: 05-05-16 10:08
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  • You, Shiva and My Mum
    • Title: 'You, Shiva, And My Mum
      • 'You'
        • The intended reader is the 'you', the specific addressee, though we never find out who this is so remains ambiguous
      • 'Shiva'
        • Hindu God, respected. Contrasts with the unidentified 'you' and the casual 'my mum'
        • Only one actually given a name
      • Rule of 3
        • Emphasizes how mismatched this group is
      • 'My Mum'
        • Distinctly British 'mum' is from British dialect
    • 'Shall I tell how she went to India...'
      • 'Shall I...'
        • Rhetorical question to engage reader
      • 'she'
        • Implicit this is the speaker's mother also suggests the reader is familiar with her mother as it doesn't need to specified it's her
      • 'India'
        • Exotic, engages reader. Also implies this is unusual for the 'she' referred to, the speakers mother, and so implying the mother herself is not Indian
    • 'last unmarried son/ was getting married to a girl/ With a mask of yellow turmeric on her face'
      • 'Last unmarried son'
        • Implies the begrudging lost of the woman's 'last unmarried son'. She's not especially pleased at losing him to this other woman
      • 'a girl'
        • Indefinite pronoun: 'a' implies the girl could be any girl. The mother belittles her son's future wife by calling her 'girl'. The mask further shows the 'girl's' lack of identity. All implies the unknown and the mother's unhappiness at this unknown
      • 'mask'
        • Indefinite pronoun: 'a' implies the girl could be any girl. The mother belittles her son's future wife by calling her 'girl'. The mask further shows the 'girl's' lack of identity. All implies the unknown and the mother's unhappiness at this unknown
      • 'yellow turmeric'
        • THEME- CULTURE Tone implies the mother doesn't know or understand Indian traditions.
    • 'this mother of mine rode a motorbike,/ pillion, up a leopard-and-leeches path'
      • 'Pillion'
        • THEME CULTURE- Implies passive participation in culture
      • 'Leopard-and-Leeches'
        • Compound adjective and alliteration
          • Highlights the unfamiliarity of India, these are dangerous animals
        • Almost sounds as if it could be cockney rhyming slang for steep? In which case there's obvious interaction between Indian and English culture
      • 'Motorbike'
        • Modern, shows the difference between the previously mentioned ancient 'human sacrifice' and modern india
        • CONTRAST
          • 'Leopard-and-Leeches'
            • Compound adjective and alliteration
              • Highlights the unfamiliarity of India, these are dangerous animals
            • Almost sounds as if it could be cockney rhyming slang for steep? In which case there's obvious interaction between Indian and English culture
      • 'Mother of mine'
        • Like a legend, suggests pride
    • 'Where God sat/ Cross legged Navy blue'
      • ''God'
        • Imperfect understanding, hinduism is monotheistic
          • Contrasts with the speaker's knowledge of Indian culture shown through the naming of 'Shiva' and the 'Shrine of Maa Markoma'
      • 'Navy Blue'
        • Shiva is actually light blue, again shows an imperfect understanding
          • Contrasts with the speaker's knowledge of Indian culture shown through the naming of 'Shiva' and the 'Shrine of Maa Markoma'
    • 'Shall I tell/ Them? Yes. Tell that.'
      • Ending addresses the reader, seems as if it's a conversation, however one sided, between the speaker and intended listener
      • 'Tell them' 'Tell that'
        • Repetition of sounds and word 'tell' makes the last line rhythmic. This serves to highlight the line and its ambiguity.
    • Structure
      • 12, 3 Line, stanzas
        • 12 is a significant number in Hinduism as it is the number of Jyortilingas (sacred representations of Shiva) perhaps shows respect or knowledge of customs
        • 3 line stanzas perhaps show the steps of the physical journey to the wedding, as they break up the poem. May also show and emotional journey AS IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT BY THE END OF THE POEM THE MOTHER SEEMS MORE ACCEPTING
      • Second Person
        • Makes us question both who is speaking and who is being spoken to. The speaker seems to be quite knowledgeable about India and the audience someone they care for deeply.
          • Personally I think the speaker is the bride who now calls her mother in law 'mum'. My mum calls my grandma mum so its just a guess. Personally think the 'you' is the husband.
          • Could also be genuine daughter of mum talking to brother (the one who is being married)
      • No rhyme scheme
        • Makes the poem somewhat disjointed, perhaps a mimicking how the mother has been taken out of her comfort zone

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