Form : Dramatic monologue
Speaker is a parent/ or 2? it could
be that one parent is speaking on
behalf of both or they are taking it in
turns to deny all the offences that
are being alleged against the exchild
Written in present tense - but
evokes memories of things that
have happened/or not happened in
the past
Link to moors murders –Brady
/Hindley - there was an
actually bad man on the moors
so the possibility of the child
being right is very dark and
threatening
‘No’ One word declarative sentence
in the second stanza that gives the
speaker's voice a feeling of
authority.
Reader hears the answers but never
the questions
Sounds like a hurtful parent,
insulting their childhood. In the past
tense, indicating the child is now an
adult.
We all smile for photos - here a
small piece of evidence is being
used to draw massive conclusions
about the child's happiness.
Speaker is using photo evidence to
try and prove their point but sense is
that it only makes the reader more
suspicious
Message: Presents stark differences between
parent(s) and child’s memory of child’s
memories/ experience
Title : Someone remembering your childhood
for you .
6 stanza of 3 lines
Free verse with occasional use of rhymeThe
gives the poem a jarring erratic rhythm that
coupled with the short sentences adds to the
uncomfortable feel of the poem.
Tone: Defensive, condescending,
domineering. dismissive : clearly the grown-up
child has complained about something or
asked an awkward question brought up well
and was loved
‘Nobody’ repeated word starts
many of the stanza. It
represents the total rejection of
the claims being made by the
speaker and creates a
condescending tone.
We Remember Your Childhood Well
Nobody hurt you. Nobody turned off the light and argued
with somebody else all night. The bad man on the moors
was only a movie you saw. Nobody locked the door.
A denial of a very specific
claim. The amount of detail
included, with the lights out and
all night creates the feeling the
this actually did happen, but is
being vehemently denied.
Your questions were answered fully. No. That didn't occur.
You couldn't sing anyway, cared less. The moment's a blur, a Film Fun
laughing itself to death in the coal fire. Anyone's guess.
Nobody forced you. You wanted to go that day. Begged. You chose
the dress. Here are the pictures, look at you. Look at us all,
Repetition’ you’
emphasizes that
child is responsible
for the situation
Psychological attack
on the child
smiling and waving, younger. The whole thing is inside your head.
Defensive attitude
What you recall are impressions; we have the facts. We called the tune.
menacing imagery invokes Soviet
Russia and severe and often unfair
punishment, creates a nightmarish
mood - indicates possibility of child
abuse.
adds to the condescending tone.
parent indicating to child that this is
all imaginary and their own fault.
The secret police of your childhood were older and wiser than you, bigger
Onomatopoeia - adds to
than you. Call back the sound of their voices. Boom. Boom. Boom. the nightmarish mood.
Supports the sound of the
secret police coming the
night to deliver some
terrifying punishment.
Nobody sent you away. That was an extra holiday, with people
you seemed to like. They were firm, there was nothing to fear.
There was none but yourself to blame if it ended in tears.
powerful diction that indicates the
child's struggle to live a life that
continues to this day. Indicates at
least an emotionally abusive
relationship, and possibly a
physically abusive on as well.
powerful diction indicating
the frustration of the child.
The parent is blaming the
child completely for the
situation. - but cliché
saying
What does it matter now? No, no, nobody left the skidmarks of sin
on your soul and laid you wide open for Hell. You were loved.
Always. We did what was best. We remember your childhood
Repetition. ‘ we’ menacing tone – you
were wrong.we know
well.better