You can watch the video where I annotate the poem and write the answer live. Find it here.
I hand wrote it, while talking to camera, which made my handwriting even messier than normal. I reproduce it here to show you how messy you can afford to be in the exam. Speed matters. (Don’t worry, it will be typed up underneath!)
I could have written much more in the time, but I needed to plan, explain my planning and explain my writing, as I wrote to make the video.
Still, this took 27 minutes. You have 36 minutes for this question in the exam. And you ought to be able to write at least as much as me, as I was writing for only a part of those 27 minutes.
Tilf.io gives you a transcript of your hand written work, and then marks it. In my case, the handwriting led to a few mistakes. I corrected them and pasted it back in, which improved my mark and feedback!
Essay and Feedback
Heaney portrays the speaker’s views of a relationship which appears to be long-standing but has altered over time. The title of the poem "Scaffolding" implies that the couple have decided to repair and strengthen their love and relationship. This is explained by the reference to being "careful". This suggests that they are careful to maintain their love. It further implies that their relationship has suffered - that they are being "careful” with each other.
(Good understanding of the poem's title and its implications on the relationship. You've effectively linked the title to the theme of repair and maintenance in the relationship.)
The speaker imagines that their relationship was not a normal one. He symbolises their past as having "old bridges". This suggests they are not just a "building" but part of a whole landscape. This implies that their relationship can be both special and all-encompassing. However, Heaney uses alliteration of the "b" sounds to emphasise the horror that the speaker's lover must feel as these “old "bridges" are “breaking between” them.
(You've made a thoughtful connection between the 'old bridges' and the landscape, which suggests a broader significance of the relationship. The analysis of alliteration is insightful, but try to link it more explicitly to the presentation of the relationship.)
Next, Heaney uses enjambment to surprise us and the lover, to calm their anxiety with "Never fear." This introduces the volta where the speaker asks their lover to see their relationship in a different light.
(You've identified the use of enjambment and its effect on the poem's rhythm and the reader's experience. However, expand on how this technique specifically relates to the presentation of the relationship.)
Consequently, they dismiss the feeling "scaffolds" as unimportant. What remains is their love, symbolised by "Confident that we have built our wall." This symbolises how they have built a strong wall of love together. The word "our" emphasises their joint effort in putting in a lifetime of effort into their relationship. This “wall” is symbolically stronger than the breaking "old bridges."
(You've effectively analyzed the symbolism of the 'wall' and how it represents the strength of the relationship. The focus on the word 'our' is a good observation, highlighting the collaborative nature of their bond.)
The speaker emphasises the strength and harmony of their relationship through the use of rhyming couplets. These symbolise how well-matched the couple are, both in the description of the past and the present.
(Good analysis of the form of the poem and how the rhyming couplets reflect the relationship's harmony. Try to delve deeper into how this form enhances the meaning of the poem.)
However, we might not be able to trust the speaker's viewpoint. Their confidence may be misplaced. Where once their love was great enough to link two parts of a landscape, we are now left with only a “wall". This might suggest that what remains of the relationship and their love is still strong, but insignificantly small. It is not even as great as a "building," it is only a small part of one. We might imagine that the building, like the relationship, is not worth leaving.
(Interesting interpretation of the speaker's reliability and the potential diminishing of the relationship's grandeur. This critical perspective adds depth to your analysis, but ensure you balance it with evidence from the text.)
Level: 5
Overall feedback: Your response demonstrates a thoughtful and developed consideration of the poem 'Scaffolding' and how Heaney presents the relationship. You have provided apt references and integrated them well into your interpretations. To improve, ensure that your analysis of poetic techniques is consistently linked back to the question, focusing on how they present the relationship. Additionally, consider exploring alternative interpretations to add further depth to your analysis.
What went well: You have shown a clear understanding of the poem's themes and have used effective references to support your explanations. Your analysis of the poem's form and the symbolism of the 'wall' is particularly strong.
Even better if: To achieve a higher level, you could explore the implications of the poetic techniques more thoroughly in relation to the presentation of the relationship. Also, consider the significance of the poem's structure and how it might reflect the stages or development of the relationship.
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