One Cigarette

One Cigarette In his poem, One Cigarette, Edwin Morgan explores the nature of love using an extended metaphor. In this essay I will look at how effective Edwin Morgan's use of language and imagery are. I will capture the relationship in the poem and also the thoughts and feelings of the voice in the poem. Edwin Morgan has written this poem as a free verse. Meaning there is no rhythm to the poem and it does not rhyme. It seems as Is Morgan has just randomly placed words and thoughts next to one another to create this poem. He has given it no sense of direction just like love has no sense of direction. You never know who you will fall in love with or what may happen when you are in love. Firstly I will look at the extended metaphor of the title, One Cigarette. Secondly I will look at his use of language and imagery. In Edwin Morgan's use of 'One Cigarette,' for the title, he sets the relationship. The title gives me the sense that the relationship is one sided. Morgan puts two singular words together and uses them for the title which implies that the voice is alone, which then leads me to believe that there are problems in this relationship between the voice and the second person. These problems may be due to unrequited love or death, we do not know. I assume that it is due to unrequited love. In my eyes the cigarette represents the relationship and how it all started good,

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Creative Writing - As the prison doors slammed shut the horrific smell of unwashed bodies came over me, almost making me choke in disgust.

Creative Writing As the prison doors slammed shut the horrific smell of unwashed bodies came over me, almost making me choke in disgust. I was being cut off from the beautiful fresh air that I was born to live in. It was rather humid and I was finding it increasingly difficult to suck the oxygen into my body. The walls, the ceiling and the floor were all the same dull colour. My room was extremely dark; there were no windows, just a hole in the wall with black steel bars crossing it which let in absolutely no light. I had a table and a chair made up of compressed cardboard which was attached to the floor with long bent rusted nails. I could only take two large strides before I reached the other side of this foul-smelling cage. I could not even stand on my tiptoes or else my head would hit a centimetre of filth on the ceiling above. My cell stank, my clothes stank, and the whole place stank. My clothes would only get washed once a month and I had a blanket on my bed that had not been washed since the day I got here which was three, long, boring months ago. I had not washed for six whole days and was in a desperate need to feel cool fresh water against my body. There was a horrible small tin pot in the corner that I used as a toilet that would get emptied once a day, if I was lucky. I had a jug of water that was barely enough to quench my thirst for the whole twenty-four

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  • Word count: 1580
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How important are Chapters two and three in establishing characters and tension in Dracula

How important are Chapters two and three in establishing characters and tension in Dracula Dracula was written in 1897 by Irish Novelist Bram Stoker, Other Novels written Pre - 1940 included; The Invisible Man by H.G Wells (1866 - 1966), Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louise Stevenson ( 1850 - 1894), Dr Frankenstein and the Monster by Mary Shelly ( 1797 - 1851) and Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde(1854 - 1900). These Novels covered important issues and theme which were normally not mentioned in other Victorian Novels. Themes covered in Dracula are Science, Life, Death, Evil, Paranormal Creatures, Duality of Human beings (how people are made up of good aspects and evil aspects) and blonde women would often be good and brunette women bad in Victorian Novels. However Bram Stoker uses innuendos like kiss which really mean bite and the way he describes three female vampires at the end of chapter three is quite sexual for example "burning desires", "languorous ecstasy" and "voluptuous lips". This makes Dracula unusual and different from the other Novels as sex was considered rude to mention in Victorian times however Bram Stoker was clever and doesn't directly mention it but allows the reader to think of it. Yet nowadays it has become popular and glamorous for books and films to have "sexy vampires". One book series that has done this very well is the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Describe a person you admire. Though I have lived a colourful and varied life, the event which had the greatest effect on my well-being was the day I came of age, for it was on this day that it had been arranged that I should be told that my father was

English Paper 2, Part B Describe a person you admire. Though I have lived a colourful and varied life, the event which had the greatest effect on my well-being was the day I came of age, for it was on this day that it had been arranged that I should be told that my father was a loaf of bread. It was a shock at the time and I still believe that my mother could have waited until my birthday guests had left before she told me, but looking back on it today I can see that I should really not have been so surprised after all. Dad had always been small in stature and concealed himself with heavy clothing, and sometimes I would find crumbs where he had been sitting. However, in my childish naivety, I attributed this behaviour to eccentricity and never asked him about it. Other clues that I can see with the benefit of hindsight are numerous. Birds were always fond of him, and he would always refuse to sit by the fireside. What a fool I was not to have read the signs. Surely nothing else could account for his love of butter, but in my youthful ignorance I never made the obvious connection. Finally knowing his secret has affected me profoundly. Where as before I could badger him incessantly insisting that he come into the swimming pool instead of staying dry by the side, I now know how better to accommodate for him. It is a tribute to his strength of character that he

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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GCSE Travel Writing The door of the aeroplane opened and we stepped into the humid night air, complimented by a cool Mediterranean breeze

The door of the aeroplane opened and we stepped into the humid night air, complimented by a cool Mediterranean breeze. This was the perfect conclusion to a memorable journey, of which, imprinted in my mind, there are images I can never forget: like flying over the Alps at sunset. The little tram that was patiently waiting for the passengers, shone like a little beacon, creating a warm yellow glow that flooded the runway. We filed onto it, or rather; we packed onto it like cattle into a hold, with each person's space so limited they struggled to stand; everywhere you looked, you could see complete strangers helping each other to keep their balance. Looking back at this memory, although these gestures made me confused at the time, the actions that were made by the people around me almost represented the Maltese community; everybody, although not necessarily knowing each other, were always willing, and happy to help one another. About five minutes later we arrived at the terminal, and were greeted by a buzz of many different languages. After collecting our luggage we made our way outside, again refreshed by the night air; now we were away from the fumes of the aircraft, it was possible to elucidate many different scents, when the wind blew, I detected a faint smell of food cooking: a sign of the typical Maltese habit of continuously throwing barbeques on the beaches at night.

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Write about an occasion when you made a difficult decision and then regretted it afterwards.

Write about an occasion when you made a difficult decision and then regretted it afterwards. "Go on," he taunted, voice laced with utter mockery and malice. I gulped. I had to do this, to prove my worth to the gang and yet... Standing a few meters away was an old lady, whom I gauged to be about 80 years of age. Her back was hunched in an undesirable manner and her frail, wrinkled arms were slowly rummaging the filthy dustbin for empty canned drinks. Just the thought of what I was about to do to her made me nauseous. I wanted to turn away, wanted to tell Jeremy that I could not harm the poor helpless woman, however, I knew the consequences if I did so. It would be a never ending torture of nasty ridicule and dreadful insults and I was not about to let that happen all over again. "What are you waiting for?" There was a hard iciness in his tone now. It became a tough battle between my moral conscience and selfish desires. Images of the torture emerged in my mind, one after another, again and again, faster and faster. I shook my head wildly in frustration. I had to do this. Renewed with determination, I took a deep breath and strode towards the old lady, trying to appear as brave as I could manage. Clenching my right hand into a tight fist, I raised it up slowly, while calming my nerves down. The old woman had noticed me then. A look of sheer horror spread across her face, her

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Creative Writing - A love so true.

English Creative Writing A love so true I had never seen her so depressed. Tears were running down her face as I walked towards her. I would have given my life to stop these tears in her eyes but there was nothing I could do. Nothing can console a person who has lost a loved one. She probably did not know it then, but she meant the whole world to me. I wanted to talk to her and gather her in my arms and tell her that I loved her and that she had me for the rest of her life, even if her mother had left her. Restraining myself because the elders were there, I took her hand and squeezed it gently to let her know that I felt the pain in her heart. She looked into my eyes and then fell into my arms. Then she threw all restrain and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. I could not hold back my tears and started crying too. A few of our friends who had just arrived, threw their arms around her and all of us huddled together and cried. We stayed with Jane the whole time of the wake and the funeral. Next day I sat thinking of the plight my lady was in. I knew that she needed me, so I decided to go to her. When I arrived, her father was glad to see me. He led me in and pointed to her room. I went in and saw Jane sitting in the corner of her room; staring vacantly into space. I managed a weak smile and sat beside her. She looked at me and tears sprang into her eyes. I took out my

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"A Memorable Occasion in my Life"

Personal Writing Non-fiction - Writing to Inform, Explain, Describe Autobiographical Writing "A Memorable Occasion in my Life" Looking around the blacked-out glass door and past the curtains, I caught a glimpse of the school hall. It had been totally transformed from its usual every day state. There were rows and rows of chairs filling the hall with a large carpeted stage at the very front against a backdrop image of a grand castle in the night's sky with twinkling lights acting as stars. I could hear the idle chat of the parents as they began filing into the hall and choosing what they thought to be a good view of the stage, ensuring that they would be able to see their children from the best possible angle. Behind me, a surge of people were rushing around, fiddling with costumes and putting the finishing touches to the girls' makeup. Panic had started to infiltrate the backstage area. Everyone was on tender hooks and extremely nervous. I had never really felt like this before, it was a totally new feeling for me to be experiencing. People would keep asking if I was alright and if I was ready for the events of tonight. All I could do was stand there, nod my head slowly and silently, and look at my shuffling feet whilst my teacher continued smoothing down my dress and brushing my knotty hair off of my make up clogged face. I could feel my revolting, itchy woollen black

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"Cal" by Bernard Maclaverty Critical essay

"Cal" by Bernard MacLaverty Critical essay Task: Choose a novel I which the central character is involved in conflict. Briefly outline the nature of the conflict and then in more detail explain how it helped illustrate the theme(s) of the novel. In your answer you should deal with at least two of the following: setting, characterisation, dialogue, key incident, theme, or any other appropriate feature. Bernard MacLaverty's brilliant novel "Cal" tells the story of a young man's involvement with the IRA and his struggle to cope with the repercussions of his actions. The novel makes the reader contemplate the violence and aggression that infests areas of our society and how religious hatred and bigotry can have devastating effects on people's lives. The protagonist, Cal McLuskey, is involved in many conflicts throughout the text; all of which help to illustrate the key theme of isolation. Our appreciation of this concern is further enhanced by the author's use of setting and characterisation. Set amidst the conflict of 1980's Northern Ireland, "Cal" tells the tale of a nineteen-year-old Catholic, Cal McCluskey. Life is not easy for Cal: he and his father, Shamie, are the only Catholics living a Protestant Estate; he is unemployed; his mother died when he was only eight; his brother was killed while working abroad; his relationship with his father is very strained and he is

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How Are Teenagers Presented In The Magazine Article The Good News About Teenagers?

How Are Teenagers Presented In The Magazine Article "The Good News About Teenagers"? This article is written by Laurie Graham, a writer by profession and a mother of teenagers. The article is featured in a women's magazine and seems to be aimed at parents (or soon to be parents) of teens. Graham's own experience of being a mother means that she draws on personal experience, which means that readers are more likely to believe her and be convinced that there are good things about teens. The main purpose of the article is to explain that teenagers and teen years aren't bad. Graham attempts to explain this through much humor, visual devices, and personal experience. The way in which the article is set out is visually appealing. The Teen Talk headline is smaller than the main headline, but is in bold and capitalised. The main headline contains different sized fonts, to emphasize certain words, especially the words 'Good News'. Also, the first sentence of each paragraph is bolder and underlined; this is to capture the attention of the readers. The cartoon is in the centred in the middle of the article to create a visual break in the text, and it adds an interesting layout to the article. Also, each paragraph is columnised and sentences are presented in a typical article style which keeps attention of the readers. Graham also uses a topic sentence on each paragraph, in a bolder

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  • Word count: 616
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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