For example, the poet uses the simile, “My parents' anxiety stirred like a loose tooth in my head.” The ‘tooth’ brings a strong sense of uncertainty and worry felt as the wiggly, wobbly and irritating emotions swirl around this young child in a foreign place where even her parents are worried. The family is rattled and struggling to adapt to their new country. This reminds us of when we had loose teeth from when we were young children and the feeling of frustration sometimes a loose tooth can bring. The anxiety is felt strongly for the reader through this simile and delivered with unpredictability in this example. Therefore, simile used by Carol Ann Duffy allows the reader to grasp the idea that leaving a country for a new one creates anxiety and fear in both the parents and the …show more content…
We can see this important idea through similes, vivid verbs and listing. The poet has used these language techniques to convey the struggle of a young child in the face of emigration. We are granted images of the fear, sadness, confusion and anxiety the young child experiences. From her journey to the new land which seems so full of uncertainty, to the raw realisation that she needs to assimilate to what should be her new home, we are able to feel the emotions through the help of these language techniques. These techniques illustrate the struggles present for a young girl moving to a foreign