Poem Analysis: In Mrs Tilscher's Class by Carol Ann Duffy
The poem shows the safety and security that Mrs Tilscher’s classroom provides for the children, but hints the dangers that one would confront if one were to leave the classroom. Comment on how the narrator does this by close reference to the poem.
‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ by Carol Ann Duffy is a poem about a young person entering the transition from childhood to adolescence. She shows the safety and security of the class through the use of techniques such as simile, listing and diction. However, she also hints at the dangers one will confront if they were to leave the classroom through the use of diction.
One way Duffy shows the safety and security in Mrs Tilscher’s class is by comparing it to a sweet shop. This is shown through the simile “The classroom glowed like a sweet shop”. This emphasises that the colours and shapes within the classroom can be compared to the colourful range of lollies available at a sweet shop. It also suggests that the classroom is so enjoyable it can be related to the joy and fun that is experienced when picking lollies at a sweet shop. They are both interesting and exciting. The listing of “Sugar paper. Coloured shapes” also suggest the memorable images of the colourful classroom and further compare the classroom to a sweet shop. These show the safety felt by the children when in Mrs Tilscher’s classroom as it takes there mind off the outside world and lets them be innocent and childish.
Duffy also shows the safety and security of the classroom through the use of diction. She uses positive diction such as “glowed”, “loved” and “better than home” to show how enjoyable and safe the persona feels in Mrs Tilscher’s class. “Glowed” suggests the bright and cheerful feel of the classroom which is experienced by the students. “Loved” emphasises the true passion Mrs Tilscher had in making sure all of her students felt safe and free while in her class and the effort she put in to distracting her students from the outside world. “Better than
‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ by Carol Ann Duffy is a poem about a young person entering the transition from childhood to adolescence. She shows the safety and security of the class through the use of techniques such as simile, listing and diction. However, she also hints at the dangers one will confront if they were to leave the classroom through the use of diction.
One way Duffy shows the safety and security in Mrs Tilscher’s class is by comparing it to a sweet shop. This is shown through the simile “The classroom glowed like a sweet shop”. This emphasises that the colours and shapes within the classroom can be compared to the colourful range of lollies available at a sweet shop. It also suggests that the classroom is so enjoyable it can be related to the joy and fun that is experienced when picking lollies at a sweet shop. They are both interesting and exciting. The listing of “Sugar paper. Coloured shapes” also suggest the memorable images of the colourful classroom and further compare the classroom to a sweet shop. These show the safety felt by the children when in Mrs Tilscher’s classroom as it takes there mind off the outside world and lets them be innocent and childish.
Duffy also shows the safety and security of the classroom through the use of diction. She uses positive diction such as “glowed”, “loved” and “better than home” to show how enjoyable and safe the persona feels in Mrs Tilscher’s class. “Glowed” suggests the bright and cheerful feel of the classroom which is experienced by the students. “Loved” emphasises the true passion Mrs Tilscher had in making sure all of her students felt safe and free while in her class and the effort she put in to distracting her students from the outside world. “Better than