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7 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Stanza 1 |
"Not a red rose or a satin heart." -Single line stanza stresses the importance of the message. - the word 'not' is placed at the start of line to suggest her strong disapproval of these gifts. - she disapproves of their lack of originality and the way in which they have lost sight of the true sentiment behind valentine's day. |
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Stanza 2 "I give you an onion It is a moon wrapped in brown paper It promises light like the careful undressing of love." |
1st line- matter of fact statement. -surprised?Shock?disbelief?amusement? 2nd/3rd line- metaphor- suggests that inside the most ordinary object there can be something wonderful inside. The moon is a romantic image - idea of it"promis(ing) light" suggests hope and optimism in early stages of love (before the layers have been removed) 4th line-"careful" links to the way lovers treat each other at the start of a relationship. "undressing" can refer to both physical undressing or emotional undressing of two people revealing their personalities to one another |
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Stanza 3 "Here. It will blind you with tears like a lover. It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief." |
-Stanza now offers a more negative view of love - that is capable of hurt,suggesting that a lover can also easily hurt the person they love. -"here" begins with single word-sounds urgent and forceful.Pay attention. "Blind" reminds us of expression 'Love is blind' "Blind you with tears/like a lover" simile compares a onion to a lover. Both make you cry. "Reflection" ambiguous could refer to person in front of a mirror or phot but also someone looking back on their experiences reflecting on it. "Wobbling photo" metaphor suggests distortion via experience not possible to be objective about such things. "Grief" strong word connotations of death and the strong emotion that causes. Suggests that a broken relationship can be extremely painful and in some ways similar to experiencing a death. |
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Stanza 4 "I'm trying to be truthful." |
-Another single line stanza adds impact to the statement. -"trying" suggests that it isn't particularly easy to b3 truthful. Reminds us of how important and difficult it is to be honest in a relationship. |
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Stanza 5 "Not a cute card or a kissogram" |
Another single line stanza repeats the structure and sentiment of the opening line. the phrase is alliterative repeats the hard c sound and reinforces the writers dislike of such gifts. |
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Stanza 6 "I give you an onion. It's fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are." |
1st line repetition of previous statement confirms that this is her gift and she is serious about it being a token of her love. 2nd line "fierce kiss" oxymoron fierce suggests brute strength and power whilst kiss suggests live and gentleness. Fierce has more sinister connotations as well as suggesting passion. 3rd/4th line suggesting love does not always last. |
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Stanza 7 "Take it. It's platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring, if you like. Lethal. Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife." |
1st line starts with another forceful command. Suggests you haven't taken it yet 2nd line comparison of the loops of the onion to the wedding ring the word "shrink" has negative connotations suggests something becoming less. Perhaps the idea that marriage constrains or reduces love. 3rd line suggests a fear of commitment very unromantic comment 4th perhaps the reason for lack of romance how could. A onion be dangerous. Means deadly love very strong so strong it might kill you or till death do us part. Love is serious. 5th/6th sinister suggests that too much love or rejection can lead to a very serious and desperate consequences. Perhaps a reason for aforementioned reluctance to marry. |
