Subject and theme:about rites of passage, the transition from childhood to the adult world, from security of childhood to dangers outside school gates, symbolized by sexual knowledge.

... Subject and theme: about rites of passage, the transition from childhood to the adult world, from security of childhood to dangers outside school gates, symbolized by sexual knowledge. Child's view of the world - school is "better than home", thinking that the teacher loves you. Poem ends with child wanting to move on, as teacher implicitly accepts the "rough" boy's account of sex, but will not say it directly. Treatment of tadpoles hints at the cruelty in the adult world. Structure: oddly written in the second person, so reader identifies with "you" of poem, who could be poet or any child at school. A mix of narration and description but with chronological movement - ends with leaving primary school for good. Key images: many details of inside of school, which is likened to a "sweet shop"; "good gold star" is a transferred epithet: the child who receives it is good,

want to read more? →