In the poem Belfast confetti the author Ciaran Carson, portrays a sense of frustration through a variety of devices, including layout, language, structure and punctuation. The author’s most obvious portrayal of frustration in this poem is the choice of language, echoing sense of aggravation throughout. For example, the authors use the word “labyrinth” to describe the streets of Belfast. The word labyrinth has strong links to ancient Greek mythology, a large intricate and complicated maze, within which a Minotaur was said to be trapped. The connotations of the word labyrinth suggest that the subject is lost in his own home, or that he feels he is trying to be trapped, this could show he feels that his situation traps him as well as the conflict around him has cut off all his exits. The term labyrinth also suggests a hellish or nightmarish situation adding to the tone of frustration and the sense that he is trapped.
The author also uses structure in order to add to the tone of frustration in the poem. To do this Ciaran Carson uses short and simple sentences in the second half of the poem. This gives the poem a distinctive “joltyness” when read out loud which makes it sound as though the subject is constantly hitting dead ends, as though they were running through a “labyrinth”. This could be interoperated many ways; it could be argued the author does this to show his mental or physical frustration. Mental, as though his thoughts and ideas are cut short and blocked by the constant conflict. Or physical as though he is lost in the streets he knows so well, panicked by the conflict he keeps hitting dead ends unable to escape, the writer also backs this up with his language, “Crimea street. Dead end again”.
It could also be argues that the author uses rhetorical questions to show the subjects frustration. By using lots of questions throughout the poem we are able to see that he is frustrated as there are no answers in this poem, and he continues to ask more questions. The question marks also create the same “joltyness” as the short sentences, adding to the sense of frustration about the lack of movement, both physically and politically.
Ciaran Carson uses many devices to show a sense of frustration. One devises is the use of structure in this poem, as the sentences are spread out, and broken. This could relate to his broken series of thoughts conveying frustration, as he is not in control of his destiny. This could also be related to him feeling trapped as it says ‘All the alleyways and side streets blocked with stops and colons’. This emphasizes the sense of frustration, as he feels trapped between the only punctuation available to him ‘stops’ and ‘colons’. He is also frustrated as he cannot form complex sentences/thoughts as he as been described to be ‘stuttering’, which was caused by the chaos.
Ciaran Carson also uses rhetorical questions to convey frustration, a they are not being answered, the author also shows us that he is suffering from the human condition as he is asking ‘my name? Where am I coming from? Where am I going?’. This emphasises the sense of frustration as he does not know the answers to these questions, and has no way of finding out.
Another technique that is being use is short sentences, as they are increased throughout the poem, meaning that the amount of stops grows. This shows us that his thoughts and sentences are getting less complicated, and there is more time for him to think. This results in a sense of frustration. His frustration has a rapid escalation as within the first 4 lines there is an ‘explosion’.
The poet, Ciaran Carson, uses many techniques in his poem Belfast Confetti to convey a sense of frustration. The lines, for example, are each spread over two lines, e.g. 'suddenly as the riot squad moved in it was raining exclamation / marks,' this could be because the events are frustrating the sentences, and that the speaker has to pause to concentrate on what he is saying, and that the fight going on is disrupting his thoughts. This point is backed by the line 'I was trying to complete a sentence in my head, but it kept / stuttering,' this stuttering is also reflected by the breakages in the line.
The questions 'what is / my name? Where am I coming from? Where am I going?' Could also convey a sense of frustration as the 'alleyways and side streets [are] blocked with stops and / colons,' which can be seen as them frustrating the speaker from answering these questions, and that they have no way of finding out the answers to them.
The writer of 'Belfast Confetti' uses metaphors to convey a sense of frustration. The character is frustrated as he isn't able to form complex sentences or thoughts which is shown by his stuttering and is slowed down by the "stops and colons" which show that there are so many obstacles getting in his way and he is getting frustrated about them.
The poet also uses rhetorical questions to convey a sense of frustration. Because the character asks the most simple questions such as "what is / my name?" it shows that he is confused asnd by asking three rhetorical questions after each other implies that he is frustrated at not knowing the answers because he doesnt wait for a reply.
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ReplyDeleteIn the poem Belfast confetti the author Ciaran Carson, portrays a sense of frustration through a variety of devices, including layout, language, structure and punctuation. The author’s most obvious portrayal of frustration in this poem is the choice of language, echoing sense of aggravation throughout. For example, the authors use the word “labyrinth” to describe the streets of Belfast. The word labyrinth has strong links to ancient Greek mythology, a large intricate and complicated maze, within which a Minotaur was said to be trapped. The connotations of the word labyrinth suggest that the subject is lost in his own home, or that he feels he is trying to be trapped, this could show he feels that his situation traps him as well as the conflict around him has cut off all his exits. The term labyrinth also suggests a hellish or nightmarish situation adding to the tone of frustration and the sense that he is trapped.
ReplyDeleteThe author also uses structure in order to add to the tone of frustration in the poem. To do this Ciaran Carson uses short and simple sentences in the second half of the poem. This gives the poem a distinctive “joltyness” when read out loud which makes it sound as though the subject is constantly hitting dead ends, as though they were running through a “labyrinth”. This could be interoperated many ways; it could be argued the author does this to show his mental or physical frustration. Mental, as though his thoughts and ideas are cut short and blocked by the constant conflict. Or physical as though he is lost in the streets he knows so well, panicked by the conflict he keeps hitting dead ends unable to escape, the writer also backs this up with his language, “Crimea street. Dead end again”.
It could also be argues that the author uses rhetorical questions to show the subjects frustration. By using lots of questions throughout the poem we are able to see that he is frustrated as there are no answers in this poem, and he continues to ask more questions. The question marks also create the same “joltyness” as the short sentences, adding to the sense of frustration about the lack of movement, both physically and politically.
Ciaran Carson uses many devices to show a sense of frustration. One devises is the use of structure in this poem, as the sentences are spread out, and broken. This could relate to his broken series of thoughts conveying frustration, as he is not in control of his destiny. This could also be related to him feeling trapped as it says ‘All the alleyways and side streets blocked with stops and colons’. This emphasizes the sense of frustration, as he feels trapped between the only punctuation available to him ‘stops’ and ‘colons’. He is also frustrated as he cannot form complex sentences/thoughts as he as been described to be ‘stuttering’, which was caused by the chaos.
ReplyDeleteCiaran Carson also uses rhetorical questions to convey frustration, a they are not being answered, the author also shows us that he is suffering from the human condition as he is asking ‘my name? Where am I coming from? Where am I going?’. This emphasises the sense of frustration as he does not know the answers to these questions, and has no way of finding out.
Another technique that is being use is short sentences, as they are increased throughout the poem, meaning that the amount of stops grows. This shows us that his thoughts and sentences are getting less complicated, and there is more time for him to think. This results in a sense of frustration. His frustration has a rapid escalation as within the first 4 lines there is an ‘explosion’.
The poet, Ciaran Carson, uses many techniques in his poem Belfast Confetti to convey a sense of frustration. The lines, for example, are each spread over two lines, e.g. 'suddenly as the riot squad moved in it was raining exclamation / marks,' this could be because the events are frustrating the sentences, and that the speaker has to pause to concentrate on what he is saying, and that the fight going on is disrupting his thoughts. This point is backed by the line 'I was trying to complete a sentence in my head, but it kept / stuttering,' this stuttering is also reflected by the breakages in the line.
ReplyDeleteThe questions 'what is / my name? Where am I coming from? Where am I going?' Could also convey a sense of frustration as the 'alleyways and side streets [are] blocked with stops and / colons,' which can be seen as them frustrating the speaker from answering these questions, and that they have no way of finding out the answers to them.
The writer of 'Belfast Confetti' uses metaphors to convey a sense of frustration. The character is frustrated as he isn't able to form complex sentences or thoughts which is shown by his stuttering and is slowed down by the "stops and colons" which show that there are so many obstacles getting in his way and he is getting frustrated about them.
ReplyDeleteThe poet also uses rhetorical questions to convey a sense of frustration. Because the character asks the most simple questions such as "what is / my name?" it shows that he is confused asnd by asking three rhetorical questions after each other implies that he is frustrated at not knowing the answers because he doesnt wait for a reply.