Nuetral tones

Question 1

What interpretations can you get towards their relationship from the title?

Answer 1

• That there relationship has become bleak and emotion less (“neutral”)
• Reflecting the greyish tones of the scenery also reflecting their relationship
• Nature is indifferent and uninterested in their relationship, (“neutral”) and that he is misinterpreting nature, as he is so consumed by the end of the relationship, that his mind linking everything back to her.

Question 2

How Is pathetic fallacy and colour imagery used in the opening stanza?

Answer 2

“we stood by the pond that winter day, and the sun was white as though chidden of god”

• Cold connotation of the relationship freezing, slowing down or dying (dead body)
  -“winter” - lat season (of relationship)
  lack of colour in the “White” sun suggests a lifeless relationship

Question 3

How does the poem present the narrator as unable to move on?

Answer 3

• Using romanticism conventions like natural and biblical imagery, which is an old style of writing
• cyclical nature, starting with talking about “a pond” ending talking about the same “pond” but in the present tense which shows how the event had scarred him and he is still feeling the effect now
• cyclical nature of ABBA showing that the first line rhymes with last line
• enjambment linking each line, only four sentences
• old vocabulary “chidden”

Question 4

How does the poet present the relationship as flawed?

Answer 4

• juxtaposition “the smile on your face was the deadest thing” showing to that perhaps they two ex lovers should never be with each other

Question 5

How does the poet present the narrators feelings?

Answer 5

• Appears similar to a syndetic listing, showing that his emotional out burst
• however natural imager and colour symbolism could suggest he is emotionless