Technique/idea Key Quotes and analysis
Key themes: What does
this poem explore?Labour Purpose Manhood The poem starts off with the theme of labour, when the men are ‘driving a new pile into the pier’. There is also the listing of ‘chains, pulleys, cranes and ropes’.The speaker notes that ‘for all their strength and experience, these men were up against a great difficulty.’ The men are stereotyped as traditional ideals of masculinity, with their ‘strength’, ‘silence’ and ‘massive’ physique.
Language: Any patterns
of language? Poetic
techniques? Eg: similes,
metaphors, verbs, etc.Metaphors Juxtaposition Repetition of plosive sound Listing Extended metaphor Monster imagery The feelings of the speaker are highlighted through metaphors such as ‘monsters’, ‘mystic’, ‘original thinker’ and ‘majesty’.The physical strength and activity of the workmen ‘driving a new pile into the pier, juxtapose the passive observer who is just ‘left’ there.Repetition of the ‘p’ sound, such as ‘pier’, ‘paraphernalia’ and ‘pulley’ gives a sense of power and effort, highlighting how these men are hard at work.‘A wooden pile, a massive, swinging’, the asyndetic list highlighting the greatness of it all.The pier is used as an extended metaphor for life’s fruitless efforts and the fact that a pier goes nowhere. In addition, a pier symbolises wealth and luxury, which is heavily ironic as those building it are likely to not be the ones enjoying it.The speaker uses words like ‘silent’ and ‘powerful’, which have connotations of machinery, which is often thought to be monstrous. He also explicitly calls them ‘monsters’.
Ideas: What is the poem
about? What are the main ideas here? What does the poet want you to feel?Is there a message here?The poem explores ideas of masculinity and what manhood means. It also explores ideas of the working class.The poem juxtaposes stereotypical ideals of masculinity such as ‘powerful’, talking in ‘monosyllables’ and ‘smok[ing] a cigarette’ to the speaker who is noting his ideas down in a ‘journal’, whilst expressing how he is ‘disappointed’.
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