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Carol Ann Duffy Poem Annotations for Higher English: Originally, Valentine, Mrs Midas

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diviney

11/4/2022

English

‘Originally’ by Carol Anne Duffy Higher English Annotations

Carol Ann Duffy Poem Annotations for Higher English: Originally, Valentine, Mrs Midas

Originally by Carol Ann Duffy explores themes of childhood, identity, and belonging through the lens of emigration. The poem reflects on the experience of moving from Scotland to England as a young child, capturing the sense of loss, confusion, and gradual adaptation to a new environment.

• The poem uses vivid imagery and emotive language to convey the child's perspective
• It explores the impact of relocation on family dynamics and personal identity
• Duffy employs various poetic techniques to enhance the emotional resonance of the piece
• The work touches on universal themes of change, growth, and the search for belonging

...

11/4/2022

482

Autobiographical Poem
lanalysis
Originally
6yrs old Imagery/word.
choice
We came from our own country in a red room
> Suggests helplessness

View

Page 2: Adaptation and Questioning Identity

As the poem progresses, Duffy delves deeper into the process of adaptation and the questioning of identity that comes with displacement. The imagery becomes more complex, reflecting the narrator's maturing perspective.

The poet describes "pebble-dashed estates" and "big boys," creating a sense of an unfamiliar and potentially intimidating new environment. The desire to return home is explicitly stated: "I want our own country, I said."

Vocabulary: Pebble-dashed - A type of exterior wall finish common in the UK, consisting of small pebbles embedded in mortar.

Duffy then explores the gradual process of forgetting and changing. The line "But then you forget, or don't recall, or change" suggests a reluctant acceptance of the new situation. The shift to second-person narration "you""you" invites the reader to share in this universal experience of adaptation.

The image of the brother swallowing a slug serves as a turning point, symbolizing the adoption of new, unfamiliar behaviors. This leads to one of the poem's most striking metaphors:

Quote: "my voice / shedding its skin like a snake, my tongue / sounding just like the rest."

This powerful imagery conveys the loss of the original accent and, by extension, a part of the narrator's identity. The use of "shedding its skin" suggests both a natural process and a kind of betrayal or shame.

The poem concludes with a series of poignant questions about identity and belonging. Duffy lists what has been lost: "a river, culture, speech, sense of first space / and the right place." This inventory of loss emphasizes the profound impact of emigration on one's sense of self.

Highlight: The final lines, "Where do you come from? / strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate." encapsulate the central theme of the poem - the complexity of identity for those who have been displaced.

This hesitation in the face of a seemingly simple question reveals the ongoing struggle to reconcile the past with the present, the original self with the adapted one. It leaves the reader with a powerful sense of the lasting impact of childhood displacement on one's sense of identity and belonging.

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English

482

Nov 4, 2022

2 pages

Carol Ann Duffy Poem Annotations for Higher English: Originally, Valentine, Mrs Midas

user profile picture

diviney

@div_vibe

Originally by Carol Ann Duffyexplores themes of childhood, identity, and belonging through the lens of emigration. The poem reflects on the experience of moving from Scotland to England as a young child, capturing the sense of loss, confusion, and... Show more

Autobiographical Poem
lanalysis
Originally
6yrs old Imagery/word.
choice
We came from our own country in a red room
> Suggests helplessness

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Page 2: Adaptation and Questioning Identity

As the poem progresses, Duffy delves deeper into the process of adaptation and the questioning of identity that comes with displacement. The imagery becomes more complex, reflecting the narrator's maturing perspective.

The poet describes "pebble-dashed estates" and "big boys," creating a sense of an unfamiliar and potentially intimidating new environment. The desire to return home is explicitly stated: "I want our own country, I said."

Vocabulary: Pebble-dashed - A type of exterior wall finish common in the UK, consisting of small pebbles embedded in mortar.

Duffy then explores the gradual process of forgetting and changing. The line "But then you forget, or don't recall, or change" suggests a reluctant acceptance of the new situation. The shift to second-person narration "you""you" invites the reader to share in this universal experience of adaptation.

The image of the brother swallowing a slug serves as a turning point, symbolizing the adoption of new, unfamiliar behaviors. This leads to one of the poem's most striking metaphors:

Quote: "my voice / shedding its skin like a snake, my tongue / sounding just like the rest."

This powerful imagery conveys the loss of the original accent and, by extension, a part of the narrator's identity. The use of "shedding its skin" suggests both a natural process and a kind of betrayal or shame.

The poem concludes with a series of poignant questions about identity and belonging. Duffy lists what has been lost: "a river, culture, speech, sense of first space / and the right place." This inventory of loss emphasizes the profound impact of emigration on one's sense of self.

Highlight: The final lines, "Where do you come from? / strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate." encapsulate the central theme of the poem - the complexity of identity for those who have been displaced.

This hesitation in the face of a seemingly simple question reveals the ongoing struggle to reconcile the past with the present, the original self with the adapted one. It leaves the reader with a powerful sense of the lasting impact of childhood displacement on one's sense of identity and belonging.

Autobiographical Poem
lanalysis
Originally
6yrs old Imagery/word.
choice
We came from our own country in a red room
> Suggests helplessness

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Improve your grades

Join milions of students

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Page 1: The Journey and Initial Displacement

Carol Ann Duffy's poem "Originally" begins with a powerful depiction of a family's journey from their homeland. The opening stanza sets the scene with rich imagery and emotional depth.

The poem starts with the line "We came from our own country in a red room," immediately establishing the theme of displacement. The "red room" likely refers to the family car, symbolizing both protection and the means of their uprooting.

Highlight: The use of "our own country" emphasizes the sense of belonging that is being left behind, setting up the conflict of identity that runs throughout the poem.

Duffy employs vivid sensory details to capture the experience of the journey. The mother's singing and the father's name being repeated to "the turn of the wheels" create a rhythmic, almost hypnotic quality that mirrors the motion of travel.

The emotional impact on the children is powerfully conveyed through their reactions. Duffy writes, "My brothers cried, one of them bawling, Home, / Home," repeating the word to emphasize their distress and longing for the familiar.

Quote: "I stared / at the eyes of a blind toy, holding its paw."

This image of the child clinging to a toy serves as a poignant symbol of seeking comfort in the face of uncertainty. It also highlights the innocence and vulnerability of the young narrator.

The poem then shifts to a more reflective tone, with Duffy stating, "All childhood is an emigration." This metaphor expands the personal experience to a universal one, suggesting that growing up itself is a form of leaving behind the familiar.

Definition: Emigration - The act of leaving one's own country to settle permanently in another.

Duffy explores the varying paces of change, contrasting slow changes that leave one "resigned" with sudden shifts that are more jarring. The mention of "Your accent wrong" introduces the theme of linguistic displacement, a key aspect of cultural identity.

The poet's use of simile in "My parents' anxiety stirred like a loose tooth" effectively conveys the unsettling nature of their new situation. This dental imagery suggests a painful but necessary transition, much like losing baby teeth.

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I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️

Thomas R

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Brad T

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Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍

David K

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The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

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Greenlight Bonnie

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Marco B

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