Discuss the impact of a poem of your choice in which the poet communicates their concerns about a deeper issue in life::'Holiday' by Margaret Atwood

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Discuss the impact of a poem of your choice in which the poet communicates their concerns about a deeper issue in life.

‘Holiday’ by Margaret Atwood has a simple and familiar subject but the real meaning behind the simple story is hard hitting and in many ways it is a warning.

She talks of a holiday and story shows how she is at a barbeque with her family in the countryside. However she interweaves a bleak image of our future within this straightforward story. It starts of with Atwood describing her daughter eating sausages. She uses the words ‘’barbarism’’ and creates an image of ‘’ burst meat dripping down her chin’’ these words create a very primitive and uncivilized image. She describes them standing beneath a large leafed tree with nature as their only protection. This scene uses nature and portrays a primitive scene where meat is being eaten in an uncivilized way with nature as a shelter and a fire burning before of them.

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The next stanza makes the impact of this primordial scene clearer. She says ‘’this could be where we end up’’ and says that we could end up like our ancient ancestors. The rest of the stanza creates a very austere and depressing image of how humankind may end up- Without trees or rain, without shelter or animals for food. She says that language, will only consist of 2 words ‘’hunger’ and ‘none’ as humans will be struggling to live and their will be no food left for us.

Why do we end up like this? This is answered in the ...

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A very well written essay which uses varied syntax and complex vocabulary. Some perceptive comments are made and quotes are selected carefully and analysed accurately using the correct linguistic and literary terminology. Some well researched examples of the way humans are wasting the earth's resources back up the message in the poem. A very good essay. *****5 stars.