CAROL ANN DUFFY

1. Originally

1.1. CHANGE 'I remember my tongue shedding its skin like a snake,' Speaker's accent is changing. 'like a snake' simile suggests she has left old accent behind as a skin sheds its skin.

1.2. RELATIONSHIPS 'Seeing your brother eat a slug and feel only a skelf of shame' Her relationship with brother has changed since moving south, they have both become used to the new way of life.

2. The Way My Mother Speaks

2.1. CHANGE 'I am happy and sad like a child who stood at the end of summer' The speaker is reflecting on her time with her mother and feels blessed but is upset as they are only memories now. Simile 'like a child' just as a child is sad at end of summer, so too they are happy at the memories they had.

2.2. RELATIONSHIPS 'I say her Phrases to myself' Speaker is on the train, repeating phrases her mother would say, as a means of comforting herself.

3. Mrs. Midas

3.1. Suffering ' I miss most, even now, his hands, his warm hands on my skin, his touch.' This suggests the speaker is in pain due to her husband's selfishness. The intimacy in relationship has gone.

3.2. INTERESTING CHARACTERS He sat in that chair like a king on a burnished throne. The look on his face was strange, wild, vain.' Mr Midas has fulfilled his wish to turn everything he touches to gold. . This creates an interesting character as he is so selfish. 'like a king' simile suggests Mr Midas is power hungry, greedy and selfish.

3.3. RELATIONSHIPS 'Separate beds.' Couple are forced to sleep separately due to husband's selfishness. The short, sharp expression suggests the relationship is loveless and devoid of passion.

4. War Photographer

4.1. SUFFERING 'All flesh is grass.' Quote from the bible that suggests all life is temporary/limited. 'a half-formed ghost.' Photographer is developing photos of the deceased. The images he develops shows them in pain/suffering

4.2. INTERESTING CHARACTER 'In his dark room he is finally alone with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.' This suggests he is trying to keep the images he has taken neat and tidy. Also shows contrast as the images are chaotic but his desk is tidy. Allliteration of 'spools of suffering'

5. Valentine

5.1. SUFFERING 'Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife.' This suggests the smell of the onion is like love and hard to get rid of. 'Knife' has connotations of violence

5.2. RELATIONSHIPS 'It will blind you with tears like a lover' Just as an onion can make us cry, so too love will hurt us emotionally. Onion is true reflection of love.

6. Mrs. Tilscher's Class

6.1. CHANGE 'Over the Easter term, the inky tadpoles changed from commas into exclamation marks.' This suggests the speaker has grown up physically and emotionally . Exclamation mark suggests loud and abrasive personalities. Metaphor of tadpoles suggests the big changes they are going through as they grow up.

6.2. RELATIONSHIPS 'glowed like a sweet shop' teacher's class was hugely appealing to the young speaker. Just as a sweet shop is bright and a dream come true for children, so too mrsT's class was enchanting. Speaker then grows up and only has memories