“Belfast Confetti” is set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the 1960s. Put simply, this was a period of violent conflict between those who wanted Northern Ireland to unify with the rest of Ireland and those who wanted it to remain part of the United Kingdom.
What war is Belfast Confetti about?
These work on a literal level – they describe where he lives and how well he knows these streets. They also work as metaphors . The streets are named after generals, battles and places from the Crimean War – a conflict between Britain and Russia in Victorian times.
What is the structure of Belfast Confetti?
Instead of neat, compact stanzas , the lines are long and the stanzas stretched. On closer inspection, you can see there are two stanzas. The first stanza has five lines, the second has four. However, each line spills over so there are additional lines of one, two or three words.
Why is punctuation used in Belfast Confetti?
The poem ‘Belfast Confetti,’ one of the best-known poems of Ciaran Carson, pulls the reader into the aftermath of Belfast’s sectarian riot. He has used punctuation to symbolize missiles that Protestants used during this riot, which was against the Catholic crowd in Belfast.
What is the tone of Belfast Confetti?
The tone of the poem is indicative of someone who is bewildered. Notice the very short sentences for effect, and the multitude of question marks “fusillade” in this case showing someone not being sure of what to do or where to go. This reveals the shock and panic of a person trying to find a way out.
What is the main message in Belfast Confetti?
The poem describes the confusion, shock, and horror immediately following the explosion of a bomb in the city of Belfast. (“Belfast confetti” was slang for homemade bombs.) Through the speaker’s experience, the poem illustrates the devastating and dehumanizing effect that violent conflict has on people and places.
Why was Belfast a target for bombing?
Background. As the UK was preparing for the conflict, the factories and shipyards of Belfast were gearing up. Belfast made a considerable contribution towards the Allied war effort, producing many naval ships, aircraft and munitions; therefore, the city was deemed a suitable bombing target by the Luftwaffe.
How is the title of Belfast Confetti ironic?
Belfast confetti refers to the wage metal fragments from Belfast’s shipyards, already in sever decline by 1990. The ironic use of ‘confetti’ could suggest the uncomfortable marriage of the Protestant and Catholic residents. The phrase refers to the bomb’s shrapnel which Carson pictures as punctuation.
What poem can you compare Belfast Confetti to?
If you were to compare Belfast Confetti with The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost for example, you could use some of the following points: Both poems reflect the poets’ background and are anchored in place.
Why do they burn pallets in Belfast?
‘It’s not bigotry and hatred’ In early July, bonfires made of tens of thousands of wooden pallets tower over towns and villages across Northern Ireland. It is a tradition that dates back centuries; in 1690 bonfires were lit by Protestants to guide William of Orange to Ireland’s shores.
What effect does little punctuation have on the reader?
Using punctuation in your writing helps the reader to clearly understand the message that is being conveyed. A wrongly used punctuation or a missing punctuation can change the entire meaning of a sentence.
What is the purpose of ellipses marks?
An ellipsis (…) is a set of three periods that indicates the omission of words from quoted material, hesitation, or trailing off in dialogue or train of thought. An ellipsis should have spaces before, between, and after the periods.
What surprise punctuation mark is appropriate?
An exclamation mark usually shows strong feeling, such as surprise, anger or joy.
What tone does Maya Angelou use?
In the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou the speaker is an African American woman who has a high self-esteem about the situation that she is living and she keeps going with her life. The poem gives a beautiful message about never let someone bring us down. The tone of the poem is admiring, hopeful, and passionate.
What tone does Whitman use?
The poem “America” by Walt Whitman has a respectful tone. Whitman appeared to have great respect for American Society. There are some words throughout his poem that contribute to the respectful tone. The first word that contributes to the tone is equal.
What tone does Robert Frost use?
Robert Frost portrays a very pensive and impactful tone in his poem The Road Not Taken through means of symbolic imagery, representative setting, thorough characterization, and powerful diction, in order to encourage the reader to reflect upon his or her own life choices.
What is the theme of Belfast?
Political Unrest. Car bombs, lootings, and riots are recurring motifs throughout the film as The Troubles escalate throughout Northern Ireland around Buddy and his family. Police presence, army tanks, and intimidation are woven expertly around the cozy themes of home and family.
What is the story behind Belfast?
The true story behind Belfast’s opening scene is the August 1969 riots. The riots began on August 12 in Derry, as protesters campaigning for greater rights for Irish-Catholics clashed with Protestant groups and the largely Protestant police force. The chaos soon spread to Belfast and other Northern Irish cities.
What message we get from the poem warned?
Answer: Sylvia Stults’ poem ‘Warned’ is about the negative impacts of pollution on environment and nature. It has been written as a contrast of two times – time when natural resources were pristine, un-touched and pure and the time now, when they have been degraded, exploited and left polluted.
Why did the riots start in Belfast?
Northern Ireland was destabilised in 1968 by sporadic rioting arising out of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) campaign, and the police and loyalist reaction to it. The civil rights campaign demanded an end to discrimination against Catholics in voting rights, housing and employment.
What caused the Troubles?
The Troubles were sparked by tit-for-tat violence
Unionist — meaning, pro-British — Protestants were a majority of the population in Northern Ireland and effectively ran the state, shutting Irish-identified Catholics out of jobs and political power through discrimination and gerrymandering.