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Introduction

An Essay on Liz Lochead's "The Choosing" Liz lochead's "The Choosing" is the reflection of a young woman on her past. She includes many events of her life in this poem which we can relate to in our own lives. This makes us realize how our past is so very similar to hers. The aim of this essay is to explore how Liz Lochead does this and also what lies beneath the surface of "The Choosing". The poem begins by detailing one of the narrator's fondest memories of her friend: "We were first equal Mary and I With the same coloured ribbons in mouse coloured-hair And with equal shyness, We curtseyed to the lady councillor For copies of Collins' Children's Classics. First equal, equally proud." Notice how right at the start we feel as if we are hearing a story from the narrator. The first verse also shows us how close Mary and the narrator really are. There are also alliterations of the "c" sound. This may suggest repeated actions as the Lady Councillor piled them with books. ...read more.

Middle

We are also told the reason for their move is for a "cheaper rent". The narrator is unsure and confused about this, as the phrases "I don't know exactly" and "something about" are used. However this is starkly contrasted with the second half of the verse, which the narrator described in detail, thus showing that she remembered it clearly: "Mary's father, mufflered, contrasting strangely With the elegant greyhounds by his side, He didn't believe in high school education, especially for girls, Or in forking out for uniforms." By "mufflered" and "elegant greyhounds" we can see that Mary's father does not hesitate to spend money on himself. However he is much less forthcoming when asked to invest on others, even his own daughter. The greyhounds also give Mary's father a powerful and regal image. From this point on in the poem, the narrator brings us into the present and a different approach is used in her description. Verse five is when the narrator meets Mary again after they have both grown up into adulthood: "Ten years later on a Saturday- I am coming from the library- Sitting near me on the bus, Mary With a husband who is tall, Curly haired, has eyes For no one else but Mary. ...read more.

Conclusion

This is the question that she asked us: Do we really make our own decisions? Or is it that actually our parents shape our future? Mary's father, for example, disagreed with letting her going to high school, and this led her onto a path different from the narrator's. We are drawn into thinking whether we have chosen to become what we are now through our own decisions or are there people who exert more influence on us even more than ourselves. So how does Liz Lochead makes us reflect on both her memories and our own? By retelling her past we start to think back into our own past as well, and unavoidably we pick out similar experiences. Also her descriptions are clear, detailed and create vivid images, further aiding us in recollection. Lastly she leaves us with a question and in our quest to find the solution, we explore deeply into our past. ?? ?? ?? ?? An Essay On Liz Lochead's "The Choosing" Page 3 of 3 Page 1 of 3 ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Other Poets section.