The Cockroach

The Poet: Wrote the poem while he was in Hong Kong. Most of his poems were about his travels in Asia

Title: About a cockroach that he is observing Simple insect, simple language used Comparison of cockroach to humans

Structure: 10 syllables in each line

iambic pentameter 14 lines

Shakespearean sonnet ABAB CDCD EF GE GF Describes cockroach the whole time. The change in rhyme scheme

emphasises the change of thought. Halligan wonders how the cockroach can relate to him.

1 stanza no distinct sections

Language: Extended metaphor

Comparison of the cockroach to himself “A former life had led to?” “Except I thought I recognised myself”

The cockroach is unsure of what it wants to do Started to ‘pace’ “skirting a ball of dust” like humans, the cockroach avoids the problem that it faces just kicks the ball of dust around, hoping the problem will

disappear It tries to find a solution by tracing a “path between the wainscot

and the door” That path is the path of life in humans

Cockroach is in confusion “started to jog in crooked rings” “circling the dusty table leg and back”

going in round and round in circles

Imagery: Emphasises the presence of the cockroach

Most people do not write poetry on such an insignificant insect So he portrays the cockroach as “giant” “skirting a ball of dust” like a human plays football compares cockroach to humans by imagery to prove that they are

important as us.

Chronological description of cockroach’s actions He starts to pay more attention to cockroach in line 4 Circling, flipping, “victim of mild attack” A cockroach will die if it flips on its back “flipping right over to scratch his wings/ As if the victim of a mild

attack” the cockroach is like a human. It knows that it will die if it flips

over but it does not care. It is a risk taker and suffers from a small shock because it thinks that it may not flip onto its feet

“Climbed an open shelf/ And stopped” seems like it is looking for a new life

Foreshadowing: “a giant cockroach” “he seemed” “he started” “he looked” The cockroach is personified as the poet throughout the poem

and at the end, the poet admits that “I thought I recognised myself” as the cockroach

“restlessness that worsens over time” the cockroach is frustrated as it is “uncertain where to go” perhaps this was a “due payment for some vicious crime/ A

former life had led to” the poet has been reincarnated in the body of the cockroach

enjambment: lets ideas run on line after line while keeping within the 10

syllables per line structure

Tone:

Lines 1-3 : shows interest in cockroach which he spots “giant” “skirting” fascination

Lines 4-11: descriptive chronological order of the cockroach’s actions “jog” “circling” “flipping” Confused, dizzy, unsure what to do, where to go Poet describes cockroach for 8 lines because the confusion of the

cockroach sparks interest The cockroach crashed into the “wainscot” then ran back at the door, ran

to the “wainscot”, crashed and ran Determination, never gives up Poet finds it humourous and continues to describe the cockroach until

line 11 “And stopped.” Period signals pause. Change of idea, change of tone

Lines 12-14: the previous line signalled the change of tone

poet now reflects on the cockroach who is the cockroach, why is it a cockroach did it do something in its past

life rhetorical questions conversation language “I don’t know” admits “I thought I recognised myself.” First he described the cockroach as “he” “he”… then it changes to “I” “I”…

Theme:Realisation of life through the feelings or thoughts of the cockroach. Confuses readers. Makes readers wonder is the cockroach the poet or is the poet the cockroach? Simplicity, the life of humans can be compared to the simple life of the cockroach. Simple language, simple insect. Although our lives are complex, our behaviour is as simple as the cockroach.