Chapters
Stephen King famously said, “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.”
That’s precisely why we can be evoked by a myriad of emotions and be inspired to discuss various ideas when we read something thought-provoking, whether it’s fiction, essays or poetry.
One of the most common subjects that appeal to our imagination and emotion revolves around love and relationships.
So, to kickstart your literary imagination, we will be looking at Climbing My Grandfather — a fascinating poem under the love and relationship category from the GCSE English Literature syllabus.
But before that, let's break down the key points that we will be discussing throughout this article:
- The poem's theme
- The poem's summary
- The poem's language and poetic devices
- The poem's context
- Tips to write a good poem analysis
The Core Theme of Climbing My Grandfather
First and foremost, this poem's core theme is the familial love between two characters, the author (grandchild) and the title character — the grandfather.
Climbing My Grandfather is written in the first-person point of view. In fact, the poem's first word begins with the personal pronoun “I” and is repeated six times throughout the poem. This gives readers an intimate preview of the author’s grandfather through the author’s detailed description of his body from the bottom to the top, as the author “climbs” his grandfather.
The Human Touch: A Generational Tale of Intimacy
As the author climbs up and reaches different parts of the grandfather’s body in stages, he gradually reflects on the state of his physical body (which reveals his advanced age and life experiences) and also his grandfather’s character.
The next question you probably ask is why is climbing a key action in this poem.
Before his passing in 2001, the writer of this poem, Andrew Waterhouse showed great passion and interest in nature and even majored in environmental studies.
A Summary of Climbing My Grandfather
Written in a single stanza, Climbing My Grandfather leads us on a direct, one-way climbing journey. The author begins his journey from his grandfather’s old brogues, followed by his trousers, shirt, belt, hand, arm, shoulder, neck, mouth, cheek, eyes, and finally reaching his thick hair.
He first describes his “climbing” experience as a carefree and rather safe act, without needing the essential climbing tools like a net or rope to begin. As he passes his grandfather’s old brogues, he starts to experience the true essence of climbing and recognises the importance of safety and stability by getting a firm grip on his grandfather’s trousers to progress.
The Journey To The Top: Of Mountain Heights and Depths
He decides to change his climbing strategy by switching to a different direction to reach his grandfather’s belt and hand. He is attentive to the distinctive features of his grandfather’s nails, skin and arm and is careful with his strength of stepping on his grandfather as he moves on.
The author decides to take a rest on his grandfather’s shoulder. He realises that he has climbed up quite a distance and is scared to look down. However, he continues his journey to his grandfather’s mouth and quenches his thirst as he prepares for the final lap of the climb. He soon reaches his grandfather’s eyes after passing through his cheek.
The author passes through his grandfather’s forehead, noticing his wrinkles and hair and takes the final step to reach the top of his grandfather. Despite being tired at the end, the author finds the climb fulfilling and comforting as he feels the warmth of his grandfather.
The Language and Poetic Devices of Climbing My Grandfather
Throughout the poem, the author applies a wide range of literary devices to express the connection between him and his grandfather.
The most apparent one is through extended metaphor, in which he compares his grandfather to a mountain, which he climbs. The mountain metaphor is further enhanced through another literary device known as imagery as he describes various parts of his grandfather’s body.
Imagery is a literary device which uses a series of vibrant descriptions to appeal to one’s senses and imagination
The author even uses multiple literary devices in the same stanza to express the characteristics of the grandfather’s body. For this example, a simile is used when the author compares his grandfather’s finger like warm ice.
A literary device that is used to compare two different things (to make an association) using the words: like or as. One example in this poem is The skin of his finger is smooth and thick like warm ice.
At the same time, the term warm ice is also a form of oxymoron.
A literary device that puts two seemingly contrasting terms together to create an impact. It makes you wonder how someone’s skin can be warm and cold like ice at the same time.
The Importance of Image and Symbols: Vivid Impressions and Memories
Through the vivid description of different parts of his grandfather’s body, it’s as if the images are right in front of us. Each body part brings forth different symbolic meanings that we can take away as we look at the similarities between climbing and life.
| Line | Meaning and Elaboration | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| At his still firm shoulder, I rest for a while in the shade | This shows that the grandfather has aged gracefully and still possesses a certain level of strength and vitality like those who are young. | The grandfather's firm shoulder symbolises a haven where the author can rest and be safe. |
| to his thick hair (soft and white at this altitude) | This shows that the author has reached the top of his grandfather, and realises that his hair is white but still thick, despite his age. | The grandfather's white hair acts as a symbol of assuring wisdom that comes with age (altitude). |
This climbing adventure serves as a great memory to the author when he reaches the top of his grandfather.
He concludes his climbing by acknowledging his respect towards his grandfather's character.
The Hidden Context and Parallels of This Poem and Our Life
We can witness a few emotional landscapes that the author is going through as he climbs his grandfather.
As he begins the climbing journey in a somewhat fearless and confident stance, he soon realises that it can be quite dangerous and challenging as he reaches different parts of his grandfather’s body. The same can be said as we go through different stages in life and transitions. Initially, we start with confidence but may be forced to change direction (it could be a career change or a move to a new city) as we grow older.
On his arm I discover the glassy ridge of a scar, place my feet gently in the old stitches and move on.
The author also discovers the glassy ridge of a scar on his grandfather’s arm. The scar could be a symbol of painful experiences that we could face in life. However, just as the author gently steps on the old stitches and moves on, it shows that we too, can rise above our past and move forward.
Additionally, the poem gradually shows various evidences of the ageing process of the author’s grandfather — his wrinkles, and his soft, white hair. However, it does not diminish the author’s admiration and acknowledgement of his grandfather’s good heart at the end of the poem.
This shows us that kindness and good character are the ultimate measures of how well a person has lived, despite how our physical appearance will eventually lose its lustre.
Showing Multidimensional Analysis and Interpretation Of This Poem
One of the common questions asked during the actual GCSE English Literature Paper 2 is a comparison between two poems.
A good comparison needs to include both similarities and differences between these two poems, in terms of themes, traits of the main characters, and inclusion of literary devices.
Examiners are always looking for different perspectives in the candidates’ analysis, so you can always dig deep into the implicit and explicit meaning of the texts of both poems to make your interpretation fuller. One way to do this is to note down the various adjectives used in the poem. Here's one example.
I decide to do it free, without a rope or net.
In this line, the adjective "free" can represent self-confidence and carefreeness. It could also mean a high level of trust that the author has towards his grandfather. He knows he will be safe during the climb.
When you are comparing and interpreting the poems, remember to include the original quotes to support your points.
We hope this article has offered you new insights into Climbing My Grandfather and inspired you to dig deep into the descriptions of the texts of this poem.
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