7. The second stanza begins with the word ‘Or’. Do you think this indicates a change in thought?
8. List the things the mother might not want to ‘give up’. Compare these with the descriptions of the washing-up in the fi rst stanza.
9. Can you fi nd an example of alliteration in the fourth line of the second stanza? What effect does it have?
10. The mail truck might deliver ‘a note, a card, the least bit of news’. Does this lead us to believe that the mother’s life might be dull and boring? Comment on the phrase ‘the least bit of news’. Does it make the mother appear desperate for any little bit of information from the outside world?
11. What did you like about this poem? Try to give as many details as possible about the poetic techniques used.
Leaving Certifi cate Questions and Sample Answers:
1. From your reading of stanza one, do you think that the words used by the poet make the task of washing dishes seem attractive or unattractive? Refer to the fi rst stanza in support of your answer.
Note:
This question clearly asks you to focus on the fi rst stanza of the poem only. Make sure you confi ne your comments to the fi rst eight lines.
Plan:
• Mother seems trapped: ‘end up’, ‘stuck’ and ‘every meal’. Daughters do not want this life for themselves.
• Language highlights unappealing nature of task: rag, greasy water with fl oating food, etc. Sample answer:
I believe the poet’s language in the fi rst stanza makes the task of washing dishes seem unattractive. The poet says that she and her sister plan not to ‘end up’ like their mother, who they see as ‘stuck’ in a world where she has to perform the same dull job after ‘every meal’. It is as if the mother is trapped and must go through the same routine each day. The fact that her daughters do not want to follow in her footsteps and plan to ‘train’ their children to do the job in their place highlights how unappealing the task is.
(10)
TIP
Your fi rst sentence should refl ect the wording of the question and make your point of view clear.
