Attitude, tone and ideas

Much of the meaning of a poem is conveyed by the attitude it expresses towards its subject matter. Attitude can be thought of as a combination of the poet's tone of voice and the ideas they are trying to get across to the reader.

A good way to decide on the tone of a poem is to work out how you would read it aloud. Should this poem be read:

• In a factual tone, like a report, narrating the events of the night?
• In a mystic tone, to contrast the different calls to gods and God throughout the poem?
• Reverently, to show Ezekiel's pride in his mother?

Select a short quotation to justify your choice.

Ideas

Picture courtesy of Gavin Zau

The ideas in this poem concern our difficult feelings towards aspects of the natural world that seem to threaten us - the frightened insect becomes the Evil One! - and the complex ways in which individuals and communities respond when disaster strikes one of their number.

• Have a look at these quotes and our suggestions about how they fit into these themes:

  Quotation	Commentary
  - flash/of diabolic tail in the dark room -	It is hard to know whose opinion this is - Ezekiel's or the neighbours'. Ezekiel initially sees the scorpion quite sympathetically, but, here, it is linked with the devil.
  More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours,	Ezekiel seems irritated. More and more peasants are arriving with their lamps and nothing can help his mother. The repetition of more shows how frustrated he is.
  Thank God the scorpion picked on me...	By using direct speech, Ezekiel shows his mother's selflessness. He chooses her simple words to end the poem to highlight his love and admiration for her.