Dear Readers,
We have to read a book from the 2013 leaving cert. list for English. Then we have to write a blog book report for homework. I have desided to read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I've always wanted to read it so I'm taking the plunge. I've only started to read so bare with me...
Talk soon,
Roisin.P.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Poetry. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" by Adrienne Rich
Dear Readers,
In English we have been studying Adrienne Rich poems from our Leaving Cert. course. Here is the next one on the list, Aunt Jennifer's Tigers.
This poem was another of her earlier ones. It is very structured compared to her latter poems. There are three verses each with four lines and every two rhyming; "Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool, Find even the ivory needle hard to pull". It tells to me the story of her aunt and uncles relationship. She tells it though as though she has only realised the truth of their relationship, now that her aunt has died, she looks back on her memories with a different insight. She looks at the tigers on the canvas as if they're the tigers her aunt wanted to be.
"Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen, Bright topaz denizens of a world of green...They do not fear the men beneath the tree,....Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid." This is her description of the tigers she sees. She makes them sound like big, bright, proud animals, almost regal. They are on the top, not afraid of the world around them ("men beneath the tree"). They are everything her aunt wasn't on the outside, but this is what her aunt made to almost personify her inner feelings.
The reasons for her not been able to be like this is because her husband or Adrienne's Uncle; "...the men beneath the tree...the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band, Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand...her terrified hands will lie, Still ringed with the ordeals she was mastered by." These lines effectively discibe their relationship. The adjectives used are strong and hold a certain toward her Uncle, like "massive", "terrified", "heavily" and especially "mastered". It suggests that her aunt was in an abusive relationship, that the marriage was unbreakable for some reason another; "still ringed with ordeals...". That hate to her Uncle is also shown by the fact that she doesn't give him a name throughout the whole poem, unlike "Aunt Jennifer". He is just seen as the poacher beneath the trees or simply as Uncle.
But I can fell that Rich admired her Aunt Jennifer for going through with it till the end, staying strong. "Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool, Find even the ivory needle hard to pull." These lines so that her aunt still "fluttered" through life though it was hard; "ivory needle hard to pull". So despite all the troubles in her life Rich's aunt still kept going and dreamt of being like her tigers.
The last two lines "The tigers in the panel that she made, Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid", say to me her Aunt will go on prancing and unafraid in her own memories, so matter the still ringed terrified hands that rest now.
This poem was a good one because it told a message of hidden abuse that goes on in everyday lives. It's almost like she is trying to give out a message to two different sets of people; one being people like her aunt, the ones that suffer in silence, telling them to keep believing in those "tigers", be a tiger.; and two the people like her, that don't leave it to late to notice these situations, help. I like those messages, ones of hope and reality.
Roisin.P.
In English we have been studying Adrienne Rich poems from our Leaving Cert. course. Here is the next one on the list, Aunt Jennifer's Tigers.
This poem was another of her earlier ones. It is very structured compared to her latter poems. There are three verses each with four lines and every two rhyming; "Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool, Find even the ivory needle hard to pull". It tells to me the story of her aunt and uncles relationship. She tells it though as though she has only realised the truth of their relationship, now that her aunt has died, she looks back on her memories with a different insight. She looks at the tigers on the canvas as if they're the tigers her aunt wanted to be.
"Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen, Bright topaz denizens of a world of green...They do not fear the men beneath the tree,....Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid." This is her description of the tigers she sees. She makes them sound like big, bright, proud animals, almost regal. They are on the top, not afraid of the world around them ("men beneath the tree"). They are everything her aunt wasn't on the outside, but this is what her aunt made to almost personify her inner feelings.
The reasons for her not been able to be like this is because her husband or Adrienne's Uncle; "...the men beneath the tree...the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band, Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand...her terrified hands will lie, Still ringed with the ordeals she was mastered by." These lines effectively discibe their relationship. The adjectives used are strong and hold a certain toward her Uncle, like "massive", "terrified", "heavily" and especially "mastered". It suggests that her aunt was in an abusive relationship, that the marriage was unbreakable for some reason another; "still ringed with ordeals...". That hate to her Uncle is also shown by the fact that she doesn't give him a name throughout the whole poem, unlike "Aunt Jennifer". He is just seen as the poacher beneath the trees or simply as Uncle.
But I can fell that Rich admired her Aunt Jennifer for going through with it till the end, staying strong. "Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool, Find even the ivory needle hard to pull." These lines so that her aunt still "fluttered" through life though it was hard; "ivory needle hard to pull". So despite all the troubles in her life Rich's aunt still kept going and dreamt of being like her tigers.
The last two lines "The tigers in the panel that she made, Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid", say to me her Aunt will go on prancing and unafraid in her own memories, so matter the still ringed terrified hands that rest now.
This poem was a good one because it told a message of hidden abuse that goes on in everyday lives. It's almost like she is trying to give out a message to two different sets of people; one being people like her aunt, the ones that suffer in silence, telling them to keep believing in those "tigers", be a tiger.; and two the people like her, that don't leave it to late to notice these situations, help. I like those messages, ones of hope and reality.
Thank you,Roisin.P.
Swim A Mile!
Dear Readers,
Friday before we broke for Easter Holidays we went to the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin so we could swim for charity! It was for the Ian Daly Swim a Mile foundation. Basically our year (and some 5th yrs) have to try swim as many miles as possible, collectively or individually, to raise money for charity! All the money we raised was to go toward Barretstown Children's centre and Our Ladies Children's Hospital and all the work they do for children suffering for serious illnesses.
The inspiration behind the whole event is from Brian and Laura Daly's son Ian, who died of cancer in 2003. They realised that these two places needed funds and support. They had helped their son when he was ill so that's why they set this up. They have been running this event for several years now and our school has participated every year. We are now raising the money for them.
We swam really well! I did better that I anticipated and had a great day. We all did really well, but we won't know how many we swam until we go back after Easter Holidays. I sure we beat last years TY's but it's all for charity so as long as we raise money for Ian Daly Swim a Mile then it will all be worth it!
After we swam they opened up the slides in the play zone and we had a great time on those! Then in was down t Blanchstown for food and a bit of shopping.
Overall I'd say we had a great day and was worth the muscle ache! Well done to all the girls who swam a mile on their own!
Thanks and please support by visiting http://swimamile.webnode.com/,
Roisin.P.
Friday before we broke for Easter Holidays we went to the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin so we could swim for charity! It was for the Ian Daly Swim a Mile foundation. Basically our year (and some 5th yrs) have to try swim as many miles as possible, collectively or individually, to raise money for charity! All the money we raised was to go toward Barretstown Children's centre and Our Ladies Children's Hospital and all the work they do for children suffering for serious illnesses.
The inspiration behind the whole event is from Brian and Laura Daly's son Ian, who died of cancer in 2003. They realised that these two places needed funds and support. They had helped their son when he was ill so that's why they set this up. They have been running this event for several years now and our school has participated every year. We are now raising the money for them.
We swam really well! I did better that I anticipated and had a great day. We all did really well, but we won't know how many we swam until we go back after Easter Holidays. I sure we beat last years TY's but it's all for charity so as long as we raise money for Ian Daly Swim a Mile then it will all be worth it!
After we swam they opened up the slides in the play zone and we had a great time on those! Then in was down t Blanchstown for food and a bit of shopping.
Overall I'd say we had a great day and was worth the muscle ache! Well done to all the girls who swam a mile on their own!
Thanks and please support by visiting http://swimamile.webnode.com/,
Roisin.P.
Music Night!
Dear Readers,
Every year in our school we hold a fundraising music night. The music teachers put the whole thing together organising acts and such! They pick solos from 3rd and 6th year, who are preparing for their practicals anyway and they year music class/year, puts together a piece to preform!
Us TY's had been working on a song called 'Mama Said' by Dionne Bromfield for the night! Myself, Leah and Roisin were on guitar for the piece. It was s much fun preforming and practising the piece, and we all really enjoyed ourselves back stage watching movies, singing and just general fun!
It went down well and sounded great! It's such an energetic and happy song with that great motown feel! And such a great young singer, who I wish her luck in her great future a head.
Thanking You,
Roisin.P.
Every year in our school we hold a fundraising music night. The music teachers put the whole thing together organising acts and such! They pick solos from 3rd and 6th year, who are preparing for their practicals anyway and they year music class/year, puts together a piece to preform!
Us TY's had been working on a song called 'Mama Said' by Dionne Bromfield for the night! Myself, Leah and Roisin were on guitar for the piece. It was s much fun preforming and practising the piece, and we all really enjoyed ourselves back stage watching movies, singing and just general fun!
It went down well and sounded great! It's such an energetic and happy song with that great motown feel! And such a great young singer, who I wish her luck in her great future a head.
Thanking You,
Roisin.P.
Ballet
Dear Readers,
On Wednesday, before the break, we headed into Dublin to see a Ballet! We were going to support a very talented girl in our year Hayley! There were three different stories/performances and she was in two of them.
The first was a performance by the the younger dancers was The Ugly Duckling. They were so cute and really good!
Then is was a performances called the South Pacific (I think, sorry!). It was a more modern piece and it was really good. In it Hayley had solo part and see did fantastic! We were so proud of her!
Then there was a more classical piece, which I can't remember the name of. It was like an old folk story, which was interesting all the same. The music in it was lovely and the dancing was great to! Hayley did another fantastic job in this piece too.
Hope all turns out well for you Hayley, good luck. Your a wonderful dancer!
Thank you,
Roisin.P.
On Wednesday, before the break, we headed into Dublin to see a Ballet! We were going to support a very talented girl in our year Hayley! There were three different stories/performances and she was in two of them.
The first was a performance by the the younger dancers was The Ugly Duckling. They were so cute and really good!
Then is was a performances called the South Pacific (I think, sorry!). It was a more modern piece and it was really good. In it Hayley had solo part and see did fantastic! We were so proud of her!
Then there was a more classical piece, which I can't remember the name of. It was like an old folk story, which was interesting all the same. The music in it was lovely and the dancing was great to! Hayley did another fantastic job in this piece too.
Hope all turns out well for you Hayley, good luck. Your a wonderful dancer!
Thank you,
Roisin.P.
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