John Montague

John Montague

Difficult Chilhood
Emigrated to America at the time of the "The Great Depression"
1. Birth was complicated described in "The Locket"came out feet first instead of head first
Killing the pig
1. Description of slaughtering a pig
2. Opening is abrupt "The Noise"
3. Immediately the poet gives the pig a sense of identity by addressing him as "He was pulled out" making it more dramatic
  1. Then addresses the readers directly and assumes what we are thinking "Don't say they are not intelligent"
    1. uses vivid imagery to evoke our sympathy "They dig in their little trotters"
4. unique sound from the pig " That high pitched final effort" last cry for help embedded in his memory now
  1. "a big plane roaring off a diva soaring towards her last note" trying to compare words can't justify what he has to the horrific noise
    1. "full stop." end of the pigs life
      1. "swiftly" repetion. It is a reoccurring procedure
      2. "A child" Innocence and life
        "walls of the farmyard still hold the scream" Death is common on farms
Unwanted child
The locket
1. Troubled relationship with mother
2. Her death sparks the written of the poem"Sing a last song for the lady who has gone"
3. He feels at fault for mothers pain "the worst birth in the annals of broklyn" guilt- afflicting pain "that was my cue to come only first claim to fame"
4. Second stanza shows cold natured of mother
5. wanted a girl
6. "couldn't excuse my double blunder" blaming himself
  1. "not readily forgiven "his so called sins are not yet forgiven"
    1. 3 stanza"So you" change in conversation. directing conversation towards his mother
      1. no love or affection shown towards son "never nursed me"
        abanded, hurt and pain "Then you gave me away might never have known me"
        efforts of mending broken relationship"to court you like a young man"
        shows admiration for his mother in stanza 5 "lovely Molly, the belle of your small town"
        shows sympathy for her "as the constant rain that lashes it wound into your cocoon of pain"
        "Don't come again you say roughly I start to get fond of you, John and then you are up and gone" spent life alone. emotionally damaged
        understands her "Harsh logic"
7. "You wore an oval locket with an old picture in it of a child in Brooklyn" dispute a strange relationship sense of optimism that mother still loves him.
The Cage
1. relationship with his father
2. Title: sense of imprissonment
3. "My Father" conversation draws us in
  1. "his face retained the pallor" unhealthy appearance
    1. "the lost years in Brooklyn" no time for connection/relationship
      1. "listening to a subway shudder the earth" life dominated by the subway
        "Traditional irish man" suggests alcoholic
        "released from his grille" highlights imprissonment
        drank until he was drunk. "felt at home" suggests only comfort is drink
        4th stanza he returns and there is optimism that things were the same again "when he came back we walked together"
        Relationship was never mended " did not smile in the shared complicity"
        mythical tale of Odysseus and Telemachus
        often sees his father when he returns to the subway through "the bars of the small booth"
        Metaphor for there relationship as it spent most of the time underground
4. Shows admiration
  1. "and yet he picked himself up most mornings"
All Legendary obstacles
1. love poem
2. Realistic view of love
3. Geographical poem
4. gives us an epic tale of the obstacles are the natural barriers of great America plans
5. Can be read on a symbolic level geographical distance = eustional distance physical obstacles represent difficulties in the relationship
6. stanza 2: "By the San Francisco chief or golden gate, water dripping from great flanged wheels" just as the train has to avoid obstacles so does their love
7. "until our chilled hands met" physically and emotionally cold from separation
8. mountains ups and downs
The same Gesture
1. Honest assessment of what love is
2. 1st Stanza: loves appearance "there is a secret room" lovers share "of golden light" richness of love
  1. "love, violence" physical traits
    1. "hatred is possible and again love" love is complex
3. though the world is mundane the memories of romances is never forgotten
4. Title: indicates reoccurring gesture
5. "like court music" elegance of love
  1. "nakedly" highlights intimacy
6. "work, phone, drive" back to reality routine of everyday life

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	Created by David Caprani almost 10 years ago