Originally Carol Anne Duffy Overview In this autobiographical

‘Originally’ Carol Anne Duffy

Overview In this autobiographical poem, Duffy considers and explores the sense of isolation and confusion she felt as a child when her family moved from the Gorbals in Glasgow to England. She describes both the literal details of the journey and the move as well as the deeper, metaphorical journey that she and her family experienced as a result of this decision.

Overview As the title suggests, she considers to what extent our identity is shaped and defined not only by our environment but by changes in dialect and culture. The initial catalyst for the poem, the memories of the move and her gradual assimilation into her new home, provokes a bigger, more philosophical meditation on the subject of childhood itself.

Overview Perhaps the most significant line in the poem comes at the start of stanza two when she asserts that ‘All childhood is an emigration, ’ revealing clearly the universal truth that the process of growing up is always synonymous with change.

Form and structure Like much of Duffy’s work, the poem has a regular structure and the three stanzas of eight lines help to divide the poem into a straightforward chronology: • Stanza one recalls the journey from Glasgow towards her new home; • Stanza two explores her initial sense of not fitting in to this new landscape; • Stanza three considers the larger question about how our sense of identity is formed, shaped and affected by such transitions.

Form and structure However, underneath this apparently ordered structure, the poet’s anxiety and uncertainty is revealed through the lack of a regular rhythm or rhyme scheme which reinforces the lack of order in her own life at this time.

Form and structure The fact that the poem is mainly composed of a series of fragmented memories, occasionally using deliberately childish words or phrases, is reminiscent of the way most of us recall our own childhood and adds to the authenticity of the poem.

Plural pronouns suggest shared experience Red has connotations of passion or anger, perhaps reflecting her own feelings about being forced to leave the city of her birth and early childhood. Ambiguous – is she praying or is the children’s father missing? Or is he there with them? Assonance – Alliteration / metaphor Past highlights sense of – childlike impression of tense ownership / belonging car / train We came from our own country in a red room which fell through the fields, our mother singing our father’s name to the turn of the wheels. My brothers cried, one of them bawling, Home, 5 Home, as the miles rushed back to the city, the street, the house, the vacant rooms where we didn’t live any more. I stared at the eyes of a blind toy, holding its paw. Mother’s optimistic mood contrasts with the obvious negativity of Duffy Word choice and alliteration sense of speed / things happening out-with her control… also conveyed by personification

Enjambment / italics used for emphasis The repetition and capitalisation Effective word reinforces the misery and overwhelming choice to convey sense of loss and separation that she strength of feeling associates with this time. She wants to go back Use of a list to convey how much has been left behind First few lines create an upbeat atmosphere / mood which is contrasted later on when the children’s reactions are described We came from our own country in a red room which fell through the fields, our mother singing our father’s name to the turn of the wheels. My brothers cried, one of them bawling, Home, 5 Home, as the miles rushed back to the city, the street, the house, the vacant rooms where we didn’t live any more. I stared at the eyes of a blind toy, holding its paw. Poet’s reaction contrasts with her brothers’ – they are vocal and obviously upset, while she is quiet/withdrawn Symbolic of the situation they are in – heading into the unknown

Metaphor – idea of journey / different changes and stages of life Sentence structure relates to idea of slow change Short abrupt sentences relate to this type of change Key idea explored by Duffy in this poem: childhood is equated with changes and transitions that are often beyond our control. All childhood is an emigration. Some are slow, 10 leaving you standing, resigned, up an avenue where no one you know stays. Others are sudden. Your accent wrong. Corners, which seem familiar, leading to unimagined pebble-dashed estates, big boys eating worms and shouting words you don’t understand. 15 My parents’ anxiety stirred like a loose tooth in my head. I want our own country, I said. ‘Your accent wrong’ communication and acceptance is much more complex than merely speaking the same language. Her sense of confusion and not belonging is again reinforced

However, her parents’ fears are not enough to provoke a strong reaction- Simile conveys idea of something irritating – always there and you can’t ignore it; her whole family are affected by the move All childhood is an emigration. Some are slow, a loose tooth can 10 leaving you standing, resigned, up an avenue easily fall where no one you know stays. Others are sudden. out of its Your accent wrong. Corners, which seem familiar, own accord or be leading to unimagined pebble-dashed estates, big boys quickly eating worms and shouting words you don’t understand. extracted 15 My parents’ anxiety stirred like a loose tooth Aggressive impression of the strange boys in my head. I want our own country, I said. She is confronted by behaviour and language that is alien to her Word choice conveys sense of confusion / uncertainty / not knowing and not fitting in – she cannot negotiate her way successfully through this new, strange and unfamiliar landscape

Repeats idea from the opening line, emphasising the idea of belonging / origins Italics again used to indicate direct speech All childhood is an emigration. Some are slow, 10 leaving you standing, resigned, up an avenue Reminds where no one you know stays. Others are sudden. us again of Your accent wrong. Corners, which seem familiar, the autobioleading to unimagined pebble-dashed estates, big boys graphical eating worms and shouting words you don’t understand. nature of the poem 15 My parents’ anxiety stirred like a loose tooth in my head. I want our own country, I said. It acts almost as a childish lament, perhaps one that was constantly repeated during this upsetting transition and reminds us, like the words ‘big boys’ used earlier, how young Duffy was when this event occurred

Conjunction she meditates on the The speaker in this stanza is older inevitability of change and more reflective as she considers starts the and adaptation stanza and her own gradual transition. indicates a change in But then you forget, or don’t recall, or change, line of and, seeing your brother swallow a slug, feel only thought - a skelf of shame. I remember my tongue Second 20 shedding its skin like a snake, my voice person directly in the classroom sounding just like the rest. Do I only think exposes I lost a river, culture, speech, sense of first space the often fragile and the right place? Now, Where do you come from? nature of strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate. childhood memory Lists same idea Echoes the idea of Simple alliteration for emphasis of actions of ‘big boys’ indicating that this change being in previous stanza, was an easy process difficult to showing the brothers for him pinpoint/define now fit in well

Scottish dialect – it is still with her, just like a splinter, something small but it sticks under your skin, just as… memories of her former life continue to trouble her Enjambment – emphasises sense of uncertainty But then you forget, or don’t recall, or change, Simile to and, seeing your brother swallow a slug, feel only convey the idea a skelf of shame. I remember my tongue of change 20 shedding its skin like a snake, my voice again, in the classroom sounding just like the rest. Do I only think leaving the old I lost a river, culture, speech, sense of first space behind and the right place? Now, Where do you come from? and strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate. adapting to suit the Despite these outward Lists all the things she thinks she new signs she has adapted, it may have lost – but poses it as a is implied that she question again highlighting continues to feel out of uncertainty place.

It is this question that the poet has been attempting to answer throughout the entire poem and yet still by the end she is nowhere nearer to a resolution. But then you forget, or don’t recall, or change, In asking this, she and, seeing your brother swallow a slug, feel only challenges a skelf of shame. I remember my tongue both 20 shedding its skin like a snake, my voice herself and us to in the classroom sounding just like the rest. Do I only think consider I lost a river, culture, speech, sense of first space our own and the right place? Now, Where do you come from? notions of self and strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate. identity. The deliberate inversion of ‘I Two very different questions only’ again emphasises her – is where you come from feelings of isolation and the same as your original separateness from her family home?

By the end of the poem it is clear that the poet is no closer to defining her identity. When asked the question ‘Where do you come from? ’ she still has to qualify and clarify this simple query with the response ‘Originally? ’ Final abrupt sentence again emphasises the poet’s uncertainty about her identity and where she belongs But then you forget, or don’t recall, or change, and, seeing your brother swallow a slug, feel only a skelf of shame. I remember my tongue shedding its skin like a snake, my voice in the classroom sounding just like the rest. Do I only think I lost a river, culture, speech, sense of first space and the right place? Now, Where do you come from? strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate. This momentary hesitation reveals that even though she is older, the speaker continues to have mixed feeling about her true origins.

Themes In this poem, Duffy reveals the importance of early childhood memories and experiences in shaping identity and also considers the impact of significant domestic changes during the formative years. It is clear that even though Duffy was only six when she moved to England, her sense of Scottishness has stayed with her.

Themes However, this affinity has resulted in a sense of confusion about her own identity and where she belongs and the poem is her own attempt to define more precisely where her true origins lie. Although asserting that all childhoods involve change and transition, she feels a distinct pull towards this country that she left so young and there is a definite feeling of loss running through the poem. In recalling how easily her brothers were able to adapt she emphasises her own sense of separateness.