An Analysis Of Whare By Glenn Colquhoun And The Old Place

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Analyse how language features were used to shape your reaction to one or more ideas in the written text(s).

The poems Whare by Glenn Colquhoun and The Old Place by Hone Tuwhare used language features to . Both poets used repetition and personification in their poems to allow the reader to see the value of old houses as they do. These helped me understand the cultural and historical significance old houses have.

Both poets appeal to the reader's imagination through the use of repetition. Colquhoun repeats “If I fix..” at the start of five of his stanzas, “If I fix the step outside, it will creak or bulge like an armful of groceries ready to drop.” This allowed me to imagine him fixing his house and the benefits it will have but also the …show more content…

Colquhoun used the metaphor, “rough stitches,” in “ Let it leave a rough scar/ the rough stitches placed me/ through the slants of light in this ceiling/ where nails use to cling.” This metaphor is used to represent the healing power of the house. The stitches refers to the light that shines in on his body from where nails use to be, Colquhoun is comparing this light to stitches as it looks similar. This helps the reader appeal to their imagination of the light beaming in, providing a emotional and spiritual healing. Colquhoun also compares his house to an old shell, “And when I leave this old shell.” The shell represents the protection the house gives the poet as a shell gives an animal protection. Eventually the shell is left and outgrown, similar to the poets house but in this case it's not time. The reader's imagination is sparked in the metaphor as they imagine the old house living peacefully on the beach, much like the house does. Tuwhare uses the metaphor, “ the golden city,” in “ for no one will ever leave/ the golden city.” This refers to the previous homeowner abandoning their home for the city that's considered to be filled with opportunities and wealth. This allows the reader to imagine the contrast between the abandoned house compared to the great golden city. Another metaphor Tuwhare uses is “the doughy track,” to describe the train track near the house. The doughy track refers to the sticky pale track made of clay. Tuwhare uses this to help the reader imagine the setting and have a feeling of nostalgia as they remember the clay tracks from the past. In both poems the poets use metaphors to enhancing the setting in the reader's mind to better imagine

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