Poetic devices and their effects – form

(ballad, sonnet, free verse, dramatic monologue),

alliteration, rhyme, rhythm, onomatopoeia,

Half rhyme – ‘rock’ and ‘jack’Makes the poem sound ‘off-key,’ that something isn’t quite right, and dreamy relaxing tone portraying the atmosphere in heaven.

Dramatic monologue From the sons perspective, nostalgic memories from the past.

Semantic field of water – ‘ drifted stream,’ ‘stream path’

The stream could symbolise the cross over to heaven, as the garden of Eden (in the bible) is boarded by 4 streams. Or it could show the distance between himself and his parents, or the path he must take.

Language and its effects – what sort of words

are in the poem? Violent, loving, colloquial, archaic,

semantic fields, diction, religious, romantic language

Constant of light and dark, ‘the sky whitens as if lit by three suns’

The suns could represent the narrator and his two parents. Or the sky ‘whiten(ing)’ could by the bright light that people are ‘supposed’ to experience when dying and going up to heaven. This is also a turning point in the poem as after this the poem introduces motion into the structure other than a still photo structure.

Repetition – ‘same three plates’, ‘same suit’, ‘still two years old’

This could also show that the narrator is remembering a fond memory; however it could also be implying a new moment that has similarities from the past as things are the ‘same’ as they were before.

Alternative interpretations – Can quotations

be read in two ways for different meanings?

‘his terrier jack......trembling at his feet’ This could simply characterise the personality of his childhood pet, or the dog ‘trembling’ could symbolise the narrator’s fear of death.

‘eden rock’ Eden rock isn’t a real place, so it could be implying that the poem is set in a different place from earth – heaven. Or it could be a place that only his mother and father knew about that was special to him, and he is remembering a fond memory that he had from this place.

‘I had not thought it would be like this’ It could be about the speaker having to cross the stream to become an adult like his parents and how it is simple or it could be that it is about joining his parents when he dies – and the poem is set in heaven – he pictures them at their happiest and most relaxed.

First 2 stanzas are motionless – ‘ Genuine Irish tweed,’ ‘colour of wheat,’

The first two stanzas very clearly describe the two parent figures, just like looking into a picture, or it could also be the narrator pin-pointing a clear nostalgic memory from the past.

Structure and its effects – tonal shifts, pace,

caesura, what rhyme stresses, beginning, middle, end,

repetition, dialogue and where it happens, enjambment Caesura – ‘my father, twenty five, in the same suit.’

Introduces a pause and shift in movement, and draws attention to the fact that the father is ‘twenty five’. This could imply that he is in heaven where he will be forever young, or a photo that the author is looking at.Emphasizes the final thoughts of the poem, it’s

One line stanza at the end. ‘ I had not thought that it would be like this ‘

clear and un poetic which could symbolise the decision that the narrator has made. ‘I had not thought’ is past tense this could be him changing his mind from the past decision that he had made.

Tone and its effects – talking about moods

which are evoked and where, narrative voice

‘they beckon to me’ Encouraging the son to perhaps pass into the afterlife. This has a very calm tone and has a very slow pace dreamy atmosphere, which could be implying that the parents aren’t forcing him to come over and that they are ‘leisurely’ waiting for him whenever he is ready.

‘see where the stream path is!... not as hard as you might think’ This could be the parents encouraging his son not

to give into death as there will always be a ‘path’ to the other side, whatever time he wants, or the sudden change in tone and characterisation of the parents presents a more forceful tone to encourage the child to cross the stream and join them

‘spins a stone along the water’ Could symbolise the narrator being indecisive on his decision to pass over to the ‘other side or not’ or could show how leisurely and attractive the afterlife is

Imagery and its effects - metaphor, simile,

personification, visual sense

‘drifted stream’ Symbolise how the parents and the narrator where separated but they are now coming closer together.

‘sprigged dress’ The intricately patterned dress has flowers and buds woven onto it – suggests nature and a new start to something (growth)

‘pours tea from a thermos,’ same three plates,’ stiff white cloth’

The mother knows that the son is coming, is preparing a meal for him when he comes as she knows they will meet again. There is a homely feel to the imagery here – it is natural and everyday.

Feels like it a normal thing to happen

Context – authorial, social and historicalBorn in 1917, he was a Cornishman and his father died when he was 7. His mother fell ill in his later life and he nursed her for 6 years until she died. Throughout all his poems they show insights to his life and family, and Eden rock is said to be about his mother and father. Poem is perhaps about wanting to be reunited with parents in death or it could be about remembering the specific details of their lives, their dress and their personalities.