Meaning Behind Shooting Stars: From Wishes to Tragedy
Shooting Stars
Annotations
Shooting Stars
by Carol Ann Duffy
Title
Literal meaning = shooting of
Jews who were identified by the
Star of David.
More complex meaning – what is
a shooting star? Transitory burst
of light flying through the sky. It’s
breathtaking, and unique – but it
inevitably fades and dies. All life
is passionate and vibrant – and
important.
6 stanzas represent
the 6 million Jews
who died.
If you see a shooting
star the belief is that
you get to make a
wish. What is Duffy’s
wish?
Stanza 1
After
I
no longer speak they
break
our fingers
to
salvage
my wedding ring.
Rebecca Rachel Ruth
Aaron Emmanuel David
, stars on all our brows
Beneath the gaze of men with guns.
Mourn
for our
daughters
,
First person dramatic
monologue. Speaks from
beyond the grave.
Speaker is nameless
(in
contrast to list of Jewish
names)
– so could be any
one of the 6 million dead.
Present tense – to bring this
horror into our immediate
consciousness.
List of Jewish Biblical
names. No punctuation =
no pause. Deaths are
numerous and relentless.
List goes on and on –
reminds us of mass grave
memorials. No full stop
because many names
have yet to be added.
Reminds us that females
suffered too. War poetry
usually remembers the
heroic deeds of male
soldiers.
Connotations = brutal, greedy.
Salvage implies that things are
sold on for profit. Implies the
Germans have taken the
valuable bits and got rid of the
‘rubbish’.
This is a command
(sentence type).
Stanza 2
upright as
statues
, brave. You would not look at me.
You waited for the bullet.
Fell
. I say,
Remember
.
Remember
those appalling days which make the world
forever bad. One saw I was alive.
Loosened
This is a simile. Connotations are of something
still, silent and strong. Statues show no emotion,
they are made of stone and endure for years.
They are precious and valuable, worthy of
remembering. This image shows Duffy’s immense
respect for these women; she feels their memory
should live on, like statues do.
A dramatic one word
sentence. Suggests a tree
which would fall upright,
and wouldn’t crumble. A
tree is a force of nature,
a living thing; nature is
being destroyed and
violated.
Makes us think of
Remembrance Day. The
speaker thinks this event
should be given the
samesignificance as
remembering soldiers
who died in battle.
Repetition emphasises
one of the poems
themes – that we
should remember
these women and
learn from the
mistakes of the past.
Enjambment. Delay
between ‘loosened’ and
‘belt’ creates suspense.
There is surprise and
shock when we realise
the woman is going to be
raped.
Stanza 3
his belt. My
bowels opened in a ragged gape of fear
.
Between the gap of
corpses
I could see a child.
The soldiers
laughed
. Only
a matter of days
separate
this from acts of torture now. They
shot her in the eye
.
Graphic description of rape is omitted,
but the woman’s fear is not. Shows
there are things worse than death and
she is about to experience them.
Soldiers brutalise and dehumanise her.
‘Ragged’ = pain, torn, hurt.
‘Corpses’, notably not
‘bodies’ or ‘people’. They
no longer have names.
Corpse is a cold, medical
term used by doctors. It
renders the dead Jews
nameless, faceless and
anonymous – just
another of the six million
Shows cruelty and
bloodlust. They have
used this child for target
practice. A grotesque
image. Matter of fact
tone shows how little
emotion the soldier feels.
Shows devilish, evil
enjoyment and
pleasure.
We have not progressed at
all – only a “matter of days”
really separates us from
these terrible acts because
we still permit things like
this to happen.
Stanza 4
How would
you
prepare to die, on a
perfect
April
evening
with young men
gossiping
and smoking by the graves
?
My bare feet felt the earth and urine tri
ck
led
down my legs. I heard the
click
. Not yet. A
trick
.
Addresses the reader.
The connotations of this
season are of baby lambs
and things being born.
This contrasts with the
Jewish people who are
facing death – dying too
soon, before their
autumn/winter when
things traditionally die.
Rhetorical
question
used to
involve the
reader.
Word choice of ‘gossiping’ is far
more effective than ‘talking’. Has a
connotation of idle ‘chit chat’, words
spoken merely to pass time.
Highlights contrast between soldiers
actions and the frivolity with which
they dismiss them.
Internal rhyme. Click =
onomatopoeia. Repetition of ‘ck’
sound mimics gunfire. One
word sentences (“Not yet. A
trick.”) show abruptness/finality.
Ultimate humiliation, they are
toying with her.
Irony: “words that express
something different from
and often
opposite
to their
literal meaning.” Contrast
between ‘perfect’ and ‘die’
to show death can happen
in pleasing environments.
Peaceful, calm
imagery. These soldiers
seem ordinary, with
simple pleasures.
Stanza 5
After
immense suffering someone
takes tea on the lawn
.
After
the terrible moans a
boy
washes his uniform.
After
the
history lesson children run to their toys the world
turns in its
s
leep the
s
pades
s
hovel
s
oil
Sara Ezra…
The world keeps
turning. Events
such as this are
now viewed as
‘history’.
Alliteration of ‘s’ =
repetitive cycle of
misery.
This is deliberately
ironic and implies a
civilised lifestyle,
which we know the
Germans do not lead.
Repetition of “After” shows that the
word simply goes on regardless and
draws our attention to the lack of
guilt felt by the Germans. The word
after suggests the events are in the
past – forgotten about.
Some of the
soldiers are
young, only
children
themselves.
Ellipsis shows
horror and pain
are never-
ending. Also
more names are
to be added.
Stanza 6
Sister
,
if seas part us, do you not consider me
?
Tell them I sang the
ancient psalms
at dusk
inside the wire and strong men wept.
Turn thee
unto me with mercy, for I am desolate and lost
.
Tells us about the strength
of the speaker. She
forgives the men who kill
her and asks us to do the
same. Perhaps links back
to the idea some of them
are just ‘boys’.
Keeps her faith in the
face of death. Does
not question whether
there is a God.
Heroic final stanza.
We don’t care –
no conscience.
Another rhetorical
question. Involves
the reader.
Psalm (25
th
).
Asks us to
forgive our
enemies.
Not about fine deeds and
battles. About one
individual’s struggle in the
face of inhumanity and evil.
Final plea is
addressed
from woman
to woman.
What’s it all about?
•
Not about fine deeds on the battlefield
•
The role of ordinary people, particularly
women, is often ignored as we focus on
the heroism of soldiers
•
Chronicles the struggle of one individual in
the face of evil and inhumanity
•
Shows that love and the belief in God can
overcome evil
Themes
•
War
•
Bravery
•
Love is stronger / more powerful than hate
•
We forget too easily about the horrors of
war
Possible questions
•
Heroic character
•
Evil
•
Powerful message
•
Intense emotional impact
•
A strong character
Your essay question:
•
Choose a poem that makes you feel sad.
Briefly describe what the poem is about
and go on to explain the techniques that
the poet uses to make you feel this way.
Dramatic monologue definition
•
“A single person, who is patently
not
the
poet, utters the speech that makes up the
whole of the poem, in a specific situation
at a critical moment […].”
- M. H. Abrams
•
So, a fictional character ‘speaks’ the whole
poem to the reader at a dramatic moment.
Exploring the dual significance of shooting stars - from being symbols of wishes and hope to representing the tragic fate of millions during the Holocaust. Analysis of Carol Ann Duffy's poem bringing to light the harrowing experiences of Jewish victims. The content dives into the profound themes of remembrance, suffering, and the atrocities of war, shedding light on the importance of honoring and learning from the past.
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Presentation Transcript
Shooting Stars Annotations
Title More complex meaning what is a shooting star? Transitory burst of light flying through the sky. It s breathtaking, and unique but it inevitably fades and dies. All life is passionate and vibrant and important. Literal meaning = shooting of Jews who were identified by the Star of David. Shooting Stars If you see a shooting star the belief is that you get to make a wish. What is Duffy s wish? by Carol Ann Duffy 6 stanzas represent the 6 million Jews who died.
List of Jewish Biblical names. No punctuation = no pause. Deaths are numerous and relentless. List goes on and on reminds us of mass grave memorials. No full stop because many names have yet to be added. Present tense to bring this horror into our immediate consciousness. Stanza 1 First person dramatic monologue. Speaks from beyond the grave. Speaker is nameless (in contrast to list of Jewish names) so could be any one of the 6 million dead. After I no longer speak they break our fingers to salvage my wedding ring. Rebecca Rachel Ruth Aaron Emmanuel David, stars on all our brows Beneath the gaze of men with guns. Mourn for our daughters, Connotations = brutal, greedy. Salvage implies that things are sold on for profit. Implies the Germans have taken the valuable bits and got rid of the rubbish . Reminds us that females suffered too. War poetry usually remembers the heroic deeds of male soldiers. This is a command (sentence type).
A dramatic one word sentence. Suggests a tree which would fall upright, and wouldn t crumble. A tree is a force of nature, a living thing; nature is being destroyed and violated. Stanza 2 This is a simile. Connotations are of something still, silent and strong. Statues show no emotion, they are made of stone and endure for years. They are precious and valuable, worthy of remembering. This image shows Duffy s immense respect for these women; she feels their memory should live on, like statues do. upright as statues, brave. You would not look at me. You waited for the bullet. Fell. I say, Remember. Remember those appalling days which make the world forever bad. One saw I was alive. Loosened Repetition emphasises one of the poems themes that we should remember these women and learn from the mistakes of the past. Makes us think of Remembrance Day. The speaker thinks this event should be given the samesignificance as remembering soldiers who died in battle. Enjambment. Delay between loosened and belt creates suspense. There is surprise and shock when we realise the woman is going to be raped.
Corpses, notably not bodies or people . They no longer have names. Corpse is a cold, medical term used by doctors. It renders the dead Jews nameless, faceless and anonymous just another of the six million Stanza 3 Graphic description of rape is omitted, but the woman s fear is not. Shows there are things worse than death and she is about to experience them. Soldiers brutalise and dehumanise her. Ragged = pain, torn, hurt. his belt. My bowels opened in a ragged gape of fear. Between the gap of corpses I could see a child. The soldiers laughed. Only a matter of days separate this from acts of torture now. They shot her in the eye. Shows cruelty and bloodlust. They have used this child for target practice. A grotesque image. Matter of fact tone shows how little emotion the soldier feels. We have not progressed at all only a matter of days really separates us from these terrible acts because we still permit things like this to happen. Shows devilish, evil enjoyment and pleasure.
The connotations of this season are of baby lambs and things being born. This contrasts with the Jewish people who are facing death dying too soon, before their autumn/winter when things traditionally die. Irony: words that express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning. Contrast between perfect and die to show death can happen in pleasing environments. Stanza 4 Peaceful, calm imagery. These soldiers seem ordinary, with simple pleasures. Addresses the reader. How would you prepare to die, on a perfect April evening with young men gossiping and smoking by the graves? My bare feet felt the earth and urine trickled down my legs. I heard the click. Not yet. A trick. Rhetorical question used to involve the reader. Word choice of gossiping is far more effective than talking . Has a connotation of idle chit chat , words spoken merely to pass time. Highlights contrast between soldiers actions and the frivolity with which they dismiss them. Internal rhyme. Click = onomatopoeia. Repetition of ck sound mimics gunfire. One word sentences ( Not yet. A trick. ) show abruptness/finality. Ultimate humiliation, they are toying with her.
Stanza 5 Some of the soldiers are young, only children themselves. This is deliberately ironic and implies a civilised lifestyle, which we know the Germans do not lead. Repetition of After shows that the word simply goes on regardless and draws our attention to the lack of guilt felt by the Germans. The word after suggests the events are in the past forgotten about. After immense suffering someone takes tea on the lawn. After the terrible moans a boy washes his uniform. After the history lesson children run to their toys the world turns in its sleep the spades shovel soil Sara Ezra Alliteration of s = repetitive cycle of misery. The world keeps turning. Events such as this are now viewed as history . Ellipsis shows horror and pain are never- ending. Also more names are to be added.
Tells us about the strength of the speaker. She forgives the men who kill her and asks us to do the same. Perhaps links back to the idea some of them are just boys . Stanza 6 Another rhetorical question. Involves the reader. Final plea is addressed from woman to woman. We don t care no conscience. Psalm (25th). Asks us to forgive our enemies. Sister, if seas part us, do you not consider me? Tell them I sang the ancient psalms at dusk inside the wire and strong men wept. Turn thee unto me with mercy, for I am desolate and lost. Keeps her faith in the face of death. Does not question whether there is a God. Not about fine deeds and battles. About one individual s struggle in the face of inhumanity and evil. Heroic final stanza.
Whats it all about? Not about fine deeds on the battlefield The role of ordinary people, particularly women, is often ignored as we focus on the heroism of soldiers Chronicles the struggle of one individual in the face of evil and inhumanity Shows that love and the belief in God can overcome evil
Themes War Bravery Love is stronger / more powerful than hate We forget too easily about the horrors of war
Possible questions Heroic character Evil Powerful message Intense emotional impact A strong character
Your essay question: Choose a poem that makes you feel sad. Briefly describe what the poem is about and go on to explain the techniques that the poet uses to make you feel this way.
Dramatic monologue definition A single person, who is patently not the poet, utters the speech that makes up the whole of the poem, in a specific situation at a critical moment [ ]. - M. H. Abrams So, a fictional character speaks the whole poem to the reader at a dramatic moment.
