In Mrs Tilchers Class

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‘In Mrs Tilcher’s Class’ by Carol Duffy Essay ‘In Mrs. Tilcher’s Class’ is a poem written by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. This poem is based on Duffy’s experience of her school and her teacher as a child growing up into an adult, and how she changes as she grows up. This essay will explain what changes take place and how the writer makes this clear to the reader, using imagery, word choice and sound techniques. In the beginning of the poem, the poet describes how she feels towards her school and her teacher (Mrs. Tilcher). The writer creates an image of safety and warmth by using the senses, word choice and similes. Using word choice, Duffy says that Mrs. Tilcher “chanted” – this creates the feeling of warmth and safety, and a mystical feeling as well. She uses her senses describing the “chalky pyramids” and “the smell of a pencil slowly, carefully shaved.” Showing how vividly she remembers the classroom. The simile “the classroom glowed like a sweet shop” gives a very positive image to the reader and shows how the writer continues to remember the classroom in a loving way. The word ‘glowed’ shows warmth and comfort as well. Duffys’ memory of the gold stars left next to her name by Mrs. Tilcher shows that she was working well and behaved well at school, this is evidence of Duffy being happy there, which earlier is proven to be true when the poet states “This was better than home” showing that as a child she loved being there. Another statement made by the poet is “Mrs. Tilcher loved you.” In having a sentence on its own it gains more significance, because it draws the readers’ eye to it, it stands out and shows that it is something she believes to be utterly true. Duffy also mentions the shocking and cruel acts of Brady and Hindly in the same stanza; “Brady and Hindly faded, like the faint uneasy smudge of a mistake” for her it went away almost entirely

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