Close Textual Analysis Worksheet printable pdf download

Homework Sheet 4:

Close Textual Analysis

Task 1: Select a quotation from the poem. This can be a word, a line but no more than 2 lines. Name the

techniques used. Write comments on how and why these techniques have been used.

Must I give up another night

SELECT

IDENTIFY

COMMENT

To hear you whinge and whine

a quotation

technique

on how and why

About how terribly grim you feel

And what a dreadful swine

You are? You say you’ll never leave

“(...) You say youʼll never

-repetition of “you” emphasizes she is

Your wife and children. Fine;

leave

caesura

having a rant - accusing

Your wife and children.

repetition

- the full stop makes the word “ﬁne”

Fine;”

sound harsh

When have I ever asked you to?

- the way its written sounds

I’d settle for a kiss.

conversational

Couldn’t you, for an hour or so,

Just leave them out of this?

A rare ten minutes off from guilty

Diatribes – what bliss.

Yes, I’m aware you’re sensitive:

A tortured, wounded soul.

I’m after passion, thrills and fun.

You say fun takes its toll,

So what are we doing here? I fear

We’ve lost our common goal.

You’re rubbish at adultery.

I think you ought to quit.

Trouble is, though, ﬁdelity?

You’re just as crap at it.

Choose one and do it properly,

You stupid, stupid git

Task 2:

Write each row of the table up into sentences. Each row should be a paragraph. The more how and

why comments you make the better your grade would be.

e.g.

Sophie Hannah uses the repetition of “you” to effectively make this poem sound like a rant from the

mistress to her lover. The voice of the poem is directing her comments at the man who has upset her.

Particularly effective is the caesura in the ﬁnal line of the ﬁrst stanza, leaving “Fine;” isolated. This

makes the word sound indignant and stroppy, as the pause before and after gives it much greater

emphasis. This suggests to the reader that the mistress feels much more emotional about this

relationship that her comment suggests.

Task 3:

Complete a Select, Identify, Comment grid for each of the poems in the Relationships cluster from the

anthology.

Choose the best ideas you have come up with and write these into paragraphs.

Close Textual Analysis Worksheet

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