A Minor Role
,Summary:
Explores adoption of stoicism amidst suffering through speaker’s dutiful care for chronically ill
patients
Key Themes:
Illness, Isolation, Selflessness
Technique Effect
Title Foregrounds notion of inferiority which is explored through central
‘A Minor Role’ conceit of life being tragedy that reflects speaker’s experiences as one
who nurses chronically ill patient
Irregular Stanza Structure Shift from regular to irregular structure reflects volatility of speaker’s
experiences
Dramatic Monologue Centralises speaker’s experiences thereby creating irony as speaker is
required to give attention to patient
Free Verse Lack of rhyme provides plain, conversational tone which befits speaker’s
minor role
Metaphor Indicates speaker’s supportive role
‘I’m best observed on stage, Assonance elongates description conveying tedium of marginal role
propping a spear, or making
endless exits and entrances with
my servant’s patter’
Monosyllables Brevity of speaker’s language, emphasised through caesura and
‘Yes, sir. O no, sir.’ monosyllables, reflects her minimisation
Heteroglossia heightens tension and conveys speaker becoming
overwhelmed by illness
Enjambement Enjambed conditional clause hints at persona’s avoidance of becoming
‘If I get these midget moments self-centred
wrong, the monstrous fabric Alliteration links words through sound thereby highlighting speaker’s
shrinks to unwanted sniggers.’ inferiority
Sibilance evokes sniggers and imagined repercussions of speaker not
fulfilling minor role
Juxtaposition Conjunction indicates personal significance and pride of speaker in
‘But my heart’s in the unobtrusive, minor role irrespective of societal attitudes towards caregiving for chronic
The waiting-room roles: driving to illnesses
hospitals, parking at hospitals.’ Polysyllabic adjective and caesura disrupts flow reflecting disruption
illness causes in persona’s life
Parallelism Alliteration and present participles enhance rhythm of asyndetic list to
‘Holding hands under veteran indicate persona’s selfless commitment to caring
magazines; making sense Semantic field of suffering from (‘veteran’, ‘dosages’ and ‘consultants)
of consultants’ monologues; indicates trauma
asking pointed questions politely;
checking dosage dates; getting on
terms with receptionists;
sustaining the background music
of civility.’
,Oxymorons Contrast accentuates persona’s frustration at requirement for
‘At home in the street you may euphemistic responses due to societal taboo against illnesses
see me walking fast in case Diacope of present participle highlights speaker’s copious polite
anyone stops: getting on, getting responses
better my formula for well-meant
intrusiveness.’
Metaphor Indented line highlights shift from public to private setting thereby
‘At home, thinking ahead: Bed? A elucidating reader on speaker’s continued requirement to stoically
good idea! (Bed solves a lot);’ disregard emotions in privacy of home
Further conveyed through irony of aside
Semantic Field of Courtesy Shows speaker’s obligation to preserve civility and reluctance to accept
‘Answer the phone, be wary what I tedium of role
say to it, but grateful always;
contrive meals for hunger-striker;
track down whimsical soft-centred
happy-all-the-way-through novels;’
Juxtaposition Light-hearted tone of aside conveys speaker’s dismissal of reality of
‘Find the cat (mysteriously tiresome minor role
reassuring); cancel things; Generic connotations of descriptions shows speaker’s avoidance of
pretend all’s well, admit it’s not.’ mundane and lonely reality
Asyndetic List Verb choice ‘conjugate’ reinforces speaker’s characterisation as avoidant
‘Learn to conjugate all the genres b/c connotes systematic, impersonal responses that present falsely
of misery: tears, torpor, boredom, reassuring outlook
lassitude, yearnings for a simpler Primary stress on first syllables emphasises speaker’s misery in
illness, like a broken leg. Enduring providing care for chronically ill patient
ceremonial delays. Being referred
somewhere else. Consultant’s
holiday. Saying thank you, for
anything to everyone’
Rhetorical Question Speaker’s repudiation of suicide, alluding to remark from chorus in Greek
‘Not the star part. And who would tragedy ‘Oedipus Rex’, emphasises speaker’s commitment to serve
want it? I jettison the spear, despite mundanity
the servant’s try, the terrible drone
of Chorus: yet to my thinking this
act was ill advised it would have
been better to die*. No it wouldn’t!
Declarative Statement One line stanza asserts speaker’s adoption of stoic outlook and
I am here to make you believe in embracement of challenge of caregiving
life. Shifts tone from pessimistic to optimistic
, An Easy Passage
,Summary:
Explores adoption of stoicism amidst suffering through speaker’s dutiful care for chronically ill
patients
Key Themes:
Illness, Isolation, Selflessness
Technique Effect
Title Foregrounds notion of inferiority which is explored through central
‘A Minor Role’ conceit of life being tragedy that reflects speaker’s experiences as one
who nurses chronically ill patient
Irregular Stanza Structure Shift from regular to irregular structure reflects volatility of speaker’s
experiences
Dramatic Monologue Centralises speaker’s experiences thereby creating irony as speaker is
required to give attention to patient
Free Verse Lack of rhyme provides plain, conversational tone which befits speaker’s
minor role
Metaphor Indicates speaker’s supportive role
‘I’m best observed on stage, Assonance elongates description conveying tedium of marginal role
propping a spear, or making
endless exits and entrances with
my servant’s patter’
Monosyllables Brevity of speaker’s language, emphasised through caesura and
‘Yes, sir. O no, sir.’ monosyllables, reflects her minimisation
Heteroglossia heightens tension and conveys speaker becoming
overwhelmed by illness
Enjambement Enjambed conditional clause hints at persona’s avoidance of becoming
‘If I get these midget moments self-centred
wrong, the monstrous fabric Alliteration links words through sound thereby highlighting speaker’s
shrinks to unwanted sniggers.’ inferiority
Sibilance evokes sniggers and imagined repercussions of speaker not
fulfilling minor role
Juxtaposition Conjunction indicates personal significance and pride of speaker in
‘But my heart’s in the unobtrusive, minor role irrespective of societal attitudes towards caregiving for chronic
The waiting-room roles: driving to illnesses
hospitals, parking at hospitals.’ Polysyllabic adjective and caesura disrupts flow reflecting disruption
illness causes in persona’s life
Parallelism Alliteration and present participles enhance rhythm of asyndetic list to
‘Holding hands under veteran indicate persona’s selfless commitment to caring
magazines; making sense Semantic field of suffering from (‘veteran’, ‘dosages’ and ‘consultants)
of consultants’ monologues; indicates trauma
asking pointed questions politely;
checking dosage dates; getting on
terms with receptionists;
sustaining the background music
of civility.’
,Oxymorons Contrast accentuates persona’s frustration at requirement for
‘At home in the street you may euphemistic responses due to societal taboo against illnesses
see me walking fast in case Diacope of present participle highlights speaker’s copious polite
anyone stops: getting on, getting responses
better my formula for well-meant
intrusiveness.’
Metaphor Indented line highlights shift from public to private setting thereby
‘At home, thinking ahead: Bed? A elucidating reader on speaker’s continued requirement to stoically
good idea! (Bed solves a lot);’ disregard emotions in privacy of home
Further conveyed through irony of aside
Semantic Field of Courtesy Shows speaker’s obligation to preserve civility and reluctance to accept
‘Answer the phone, be wary what I tedium of role
say to it, but grateful always;
contrive meals for hunger-striker;
track down whimsical soft-centred
happy-all-the-way-through novels;’
Juxtaposition Light-hearted tone of aside conveys speaker’s dismissal of reality of
‘Find the cat (mysteriously tiresome minor role
reassuring); cancel things; Generic connotations of descriptions shows speaker’s avoidance of
pretend all’s well, admit it’s not.’ mundane and lonely reality
Asyndetic List Verb choice ‘conjugate’ reinforces speaker’s characterisation as avoidant
‘Learn to conjugate all the genres b/c connotes systematic, impersonal responses that present falsely
of misery: tears, torpor, boredom, reassuring outlook
lassitude, yearnings for a simpler Primary stress on first syllables emphasises speaker’s misery in
illness, like a broken leg. Enduring providing care for chronically ill patient
ceremonial delays. Being referred
somewhere else. Consultant’s
holiday. Saying thank you, for
anything to everyone’
Rhetorical Question Speaker’s repudiation of suicide, alluding to remark from chorus in Greek
‘Not the star part. And who would tragedy ‘Oedipus Rex’, emphasises speaker’s commitment to serve
want it? I jettison the spear, despite mundanity
the servant’s try, the terrible drone
of Chorus: yet to my thinking this
act was ill advised it would have
been better to die*. No it wouldn’t!
Declarative Statement One line stanza asserts speaker’s adoption of stoic outlook and
I am here to make you believe in embracement of challenge of caregiving
life. Shifts tone from pessimistic to optimistic
, An Easy Passage
