Aunt Julia

'welcoming'

Aunt Julia

Speaker

Accessible language

Form

Free Verse - flows as it is being observed

Autobiographical

First Person Narrative

Norman MacCaig

Subjects

Aunt Julia

Norman MacCaig himself

This poem is in free verse which corresponds with Aunt Julia's eccentricity and unpredictability.

'Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic'

'being friendly'

'wore any'

'He compares her to a series of metaphors - to do with nature and things of a home (clothing and money).'

'I could not - I could not'

Aunt Julia combines the strength nature and the security of a domestic home.

'I can see'

'Gaelic'

'men's Boots'

'absolute darkness'

'Strong'

'with peat'

'marvellously'

'Very loud and Very fast'

'very loud and very fast'

She was different, as Gaelic is not a common language.

Also represents the main barrier between them.

Word Choice - She appears to be extroverted and not shy.

Repetition of very

Repetition emphasises MacCaig's helplessness

Shorter lines with more pauses for thought.
Changes the atmosphere - disappointment and sadness,

STANZA 4

STANZA 2

Suggests a focus on practicality over aesthetics - Connotates strength.

Aunt Julia is quirky and unconventional

Present tense - she is still very vivid in his memory

Strength and independence.

STANZA 1

First link to the natural world and herd work.

He is in awe of her and admires her.

STANZA 3

'lain at night'

Despite the darkness and primitive accommodation he
feels safe and secure - she made him feel this way.

could be negative but seems more factual and comforting here.

The 'darkness' and 'friendly crickets' contrast tells
us this was a happy time with no fear.

She was buckets

water flouncing into them

She was winds pouring wetly

She was brown eggs, black skirts

a keeper of threepennybits

'welcoming'

Relates back to the difficulty in communications and the finality of death.

'absolute black'

'seagull's voice'

'silenced'

Repetition - Establishes tone of regret - it is too late.

Repetition - repeats from the opening - reminds us of the barriers.

'By the time I had learned'

Contrast with 'loud' - her lost energy.

Death = Darkness mirrors the earlier ' absolute darkness' but now is negative.

The thought of her still comforts him.

Her words are incomprehensible.

She lives through nature, as he hears her through the 'seagull's voice'.

'getting angry'

'questions unanswered'