Patrick Kavanagh (Leaving Cert English): Model Answers
Patrick Kavanagh: Transforming the Ordinary into the Extraordinary
‘Kavanagh, in his poetry, transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary via contrasting imagery and a unique style.’ Discuss.
In stark contrast to the rampant materialism of today's Hollywood defined age, Patrick Kavanagh's poetry constantly reminds us of the beauty and spiritual richness of the ordinary and the everyday. He celebrates that which goes unnoticed by drawing our attention to the wonder of the world as seen by a child, to the healing power of nature for a world weary soul, and even manages to transcend ordinary feelings of human isolation and unrequited love to something more mysterious and remarkable. His fresh, striking imagery and memorable imagery elevate the local to the universal. In terms of style, he is renowned for his use of symbolism, personification, paradox and the intensely personal nature of his work. Finally, his colloquial and figurative language, neologisms as well as sound effects assist in highlighting the sheer natural beauty of his themes, and the sentimental and confessional style with which he writes shows now he too is affected by this transformation of the mundane into something spectacular.
Childhood Wonder and Innocence
Kavanagh's themes often centre round elevating the local to the universal in a way that can appeal to readers of all backgrounds. The poem 'A Christmas Childhood' epitomises the transformation of the ordinary to the extraordinary, as Kavanagh explores the awe of a child when presented with a world unknown. From the very outset, Kavanagh catapults us into the world of Christmas, seen through the eyes of a child. 'One -side of the potato- pits was white with frost - / how wonderful that was, how wonderful!' The modest potato bed is instantly elevated to something astonishing. The child's excitement was palpable - the repetition of 'wonder' conveyed the child's exhilaration. A child's ability to find joy in the simple things- that is extraordinary in itself. Childhood is precious but fleeting, 'now and then / I can remember some of the gay / Garden that was childhood's'. Kavanagh beautifully illustrates how the innocence of childhood is as pure and divine as Adam and Eve's garden. Along with age comes knowledge and subsequently our innocence dissipates. I found that the enjambment in these lines beautifully captured the sense of wonder and excitement that children find in everyday life. Kavanagh further explores now how children elevate the mundane to the memorable in 'Advent'. He again remarks on how knowledge can poison the imagination. 'Through a chink too wide there comes in no wonder.' The more we experience, the less we are stimulated by the world. As Kavanagh grew and learned about the world, his wonder was dampened. He reflects on how saturation can lead to staleness, 'And the newness that was in every stale thing /when we looked at it as children'. What bores us adults is nothing short of extraordinary through the fresh eyes of children. Along with Karanagh, I long to regain this sense of astonishment. In both poems, it is apparent that Kavanagh longs for the days where he could be amazed and astonished by the extraordinary qualities of ordinary life.
Nature's Transformative Power
Likewise, with Karanagh's fixation about recapturing his zeal for life, he often manages to transfigure the habitual and unexceptional in to a thing of great beauty. This is evident in his canal poems. 'Canal bank walk' is a poem full of joy and vitality as Kavanagh rejoices in the spiritually rejuvenating power of nature. He takes immense pleasure in the ordinary everyday things. 'Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal/pouring redemption for me.' He expertly captures the vibrant setting of the canal. His choice of the verb 'pouring' effectively immersed me in the poem. The neglected canal transformed into a lively flow of water. He further analyses the restorative powers of nature. 'Grow with nature again as before I grew.' It is evident that Kavanagh believes that the simplicity of nature is the foundation for all wonder. Equally, in 'Lines Written on a Seat on the Grand Canal Dublin', Kavanagh romanticises the Canal. He eludes to nature's springs being interlinked with Holy water. 'O commemorate me where there is water, / Canal water preferably.' This insignificant canal has been elevated to great importance. He suggests that water is a symbol of purification and renewal, like baptismal water. He further explores the beauty of the ordinary canal by looking at it from the perspective of a child, 'so stilly, / Greeny at the heart of summer'. I was reminded of the sense of awe that 'A Christmas Childhood' and 'Advent' evoked in me. That childlike wonder and appreciation was poignantly captured through the use of childlike language. It is fascinating for a reader to witness these revelations. Kavanagh truly has a great capacity and talent for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Literary Techniques and Language
Moreover, Kavanagh's simple yet memorable imagery is highly effective in supporting this metamorphosis of the ordinary into the extraordinary. 'A Christmas Childhood' is replete with cinematic, evocative images. Kavanagh's innate ability to manipulate the banal into the revitalising, is perfectly encompassed through a series of seemingly insignificant images. 'The tracks of cattle to a drinking place / a green stone lying sideways in a ditch, /or any common sight, the transfigured face/of a beauty that the world did not touch.' These basic, everyday images became inspiring and striking. I came to the realisation that children are experiencing life and nature for the first time. Everything is unique and fascinating. Furthermore, I experienced an immense feeling of appreciation upon reading 'Advent'. Again, Kavanagh takes a simple image and saturates it in wonder, 'who barrow dung in gardens under trees / Wherever life pours ordinary plenty.' This is an image of life and growth. Kavanagh seeks to regain his childhood innocence and see the beauty in the bleak. I was filled with a sense of wonder. Moreover, 'Canal bank walk' presents us with a myriad of dull images turned tremendous, 'the bright stick trapped.' Kavanagh does not just see a stick. He sees a bright stick. Similarly, he sees not only grass, but 'fabulous grass'. He subtly reminds us of how extraordinary our very existence is. No matter how trivial or basic an object is, it is astounding that it exists at all. Kavanagh perfectly encapsulates how a fresh and unblemished eye can transform the ordinary into something special.
This poet's sentimental, and even sometimes self- pitying style, helps to exaggerate Kavanagh's desire to change the mundane into the majestic. He uses contrast and paradox very effectively to sharply define the difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary. 'Inniskeen Road: July evening' presents us with two contrasting images. Initially, Kavanagh designs an animated scene of the local people on their way to a dance, 'The bicycles go by in twos and threes - there's a dance in Billy Brennan's barn tonight'. The atmosphere is permeated with glee and anticipation. The road itself is alive. Kavanagh has taken a simple dance and crafted it into something splendid. It is a symbol of solidarity and friendship. This contrasts sharply with the subdued image in the latter half of the poem. 'Upon a mile of road, no shadow thrown'. This depicts the emptiness and solitude that Kavanagh experienced. I was moved by his ability to take an empty road and forge it into an intensely emotive symbol. Moreover, another striking paradox is evident in 'Advent'. Kavanagh masterfully contrasts a child's view on the world to that of an adult, 'or the prophetic astonishment in the tedious talking of an old fool'. Adults are often exasperated by the tales woven by the older generation. Children, however, listen with eager ears, perched on the edge of their seats. They possess the indispensable ability to find wonder and astonishment in the most ordinary of things. These comparisons serve to shed further light on the poet's engaging substitution of ordinary for extraordinary.
Equally, Kavanaghs inherent ability to cloak his emotions and ideas in intricately woven and masterfully placed symbols and personifications, allows him to elevate the lowly to the regal. In 'A Christmas Childhood', I was astonished by Kavanagh's fertile imagination, 'I looked and three whin bushes rode across /The horizon- the Three Wise Kings'. Kavanagh brings the magic of Christmas alive in his own farm. By transforming the bushes. into the noble Wise Kings he intensely elevates the local to the universal, the ordinary to the extraordinary. Another striking symbol is evident in 'Advent'. In a mere two words, I believe that Kavanagh summarises the underlying theme in many of his poems. 'And Christ comes with a January flower'. The January flower is a symbol for a snowdrop. This delicate flower symbolises the fragility, innocence and vulnerability of children. It perfectly embodies the way in which children see the world. They too elevate the mundane to the magnificent. Additionally, Kavanagh explores this theme further through personification in 'Lines Written on. a Seat on the Grand Canal Dublin'. He observes his environment in the way that a child would. 'Fantastic light looks through the eyes of bridges.' The personification of the bridge elevates its importance and turns it into something splendid. The use of personification is also apparent in 'A Christmas Childhood. Again, Kavanagh makes a keen effort to embody the imagination of a child. 'There were stars in the morning east and they danced to his music.' The stars have taken on a life of their own. They have evolved from being sedentary objects to fascinating peculiarities. I believe that we take almost everything for granted. Kavanagh highlights and challenges this through his use of symbolism and personification, hence elevating the ordinary to the extraordinary
In no small way does Kavanagh's use of language contribute to the transition of bland to radiant. His stimulating use of similes and metaphors accentuate the subtle wonder of ordinary moments. In 'A Christmas Childhood", Kavanagh offers a poignant simile, 'and I had a prayer like a white rose pinned / on the Virgin Mary's blouse'. This underscores a child's innocence - an innocence that allowed the young Kavanagh to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Furthermore, there are a myriad of examples of alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia to be heard in "A Christmas Childhood'. We not only see the everyday transformed into the astonishing- we also hear it. 'My mother/made the music of milking.' This artful alliteration enhances the musicality of her actions. I felt that the magical music of this tedious task turned it into something thoroughly engaging. Likewise, Kavanagh's fascinating use of neologisms utterly transform his writing. In 'Lines Written on a Seat on the Grand Canal, Dublin' his use of neologism is extremely effective. We see Kavanagh elevate the local to the universal, 'where by a lock niagorously roars'. The poet has compared the humble canal in Dublin to the internationally famous Niagara Falls. Initially, I questioned how something as insignificant as the Dublin canal could be compared to the renowned Niagara Falls. But Kavanagh's message rings clear- beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Anything can be extraordinary if you have an open mind. Anything can be extraordinary if you just look hard enough. His simplistic and figurative language, as well as sound effects greatly reflects the transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary in his poetry.
Conclusion
It is both refreshing and intriguing to encounter a poet whose work defies a materialistic age and celebrates the beauty of simplicity. Patrick Kavanagh is a poet whose intensely personal writing manages to create wonder out of the mundane whilst avoiding alienating the audience. It is clear that in his search for inspiration and spiritual sustenance, he has found an innovative way to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary for his readers.