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Reciprocities for my mother - Cathal Lagan - Full summary $3.54   Add to cart

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Reciprocities for my mother - Cathal Lagan - Full summary

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This a great summary to prepare for your poems for this exam.

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  • August 15, 2023
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Reciprocities for my mother - Cathal Lagan




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, Reciprocities for my mother - Cathal Lagan

R Line Analysis
Stanza 1 :
➢ The speaker looks at the process of winding the wool into a ball.
➢ His mother would give him skeins to hold with two hands held wide apart (makes him look like a priest)
➢ He would be given strict instructions to follow by his mother / just like in a church by the priest
➢ He would lose concentration and drop his hands, but his mother would put him at ease.
1 She gave me skeins of wool  “skeins”: a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled or
knotted
 Symbolism: "skeins of wool": The skeins of wool symbolize
not only the physical material but also the complexities of
the speaker's emotions and experiences. They serve as a
metaphorical representation of life's intricacies.
 Enjambment - where a line continues onto the next without
punctuation, creating a sense of fluidity and movement
2 To hold out (like a priest at Mass),  “Like a …”: The mass is at once a memorial and a
sacrifice. In the Eucharistic prayer, the church
commemorates Jesus Christ and his redeeming work,
especially his sacrifice for the sake of all humankind through
his crucifixion.
 Simile: To hold out (like a priest at Mass)": The comparison
of holding out the skeins of wool to a priest holding out his
hands during Mass creates a vivid image of the speaker's
posture and the seriousness of the task. The simile also
implies a sense of reverence and solemnity. The poet is
ordered to lift his hands up like a priest would lift his hands
up during a sermon.
 This suggests that the act of knitting is sacred ,imbued with
a sense of ritual and tradition. The poet is compared to a
priest at Mass. "
 Biblical reference – he was a priest
 Enjambment - where a line continues onto the next without
punctuation, creating a sense of fluidity and movement
3 With stern rubrics not to fidget, while she  “Stern rubric”: The mother's instructions not to fidget, and
her gentle tug when the speaker becomes distracted,
highlights the importance of focus and discipline in the
creative process.
 “rubrics”: Instructions on how a church service should be
conducted.
 Contrast: The contrast between "stern rubrics" and "gentle
tug" highlights the difference in approach and attitude of the
person guiding the process. It reflects the balance between
structure and nurturing care.
 Enjambment - where a line continues onto the next without
punctuation, creating a sense of fluidity and movement




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