2006 SC S/A: Text 5 Poem: Ode to Dad

Here is an example of what would receive 15/15 for this section. Note not so much what is in the answers, but how they are structured.

46. One sound device used in the expression ‘plugs and bungs’ is onomatopoeia.

47. One example of alliteration used in the poem can be found in the expression “predatory porn that pops.”

48. Another example of the poet’s father’s colloquial expressions from lines 12-19 is “how it’s all skew-whiff.”

49. In Lines 2-5, we read that the poet’s father “could get philosophy from a rubbish bin” which tells us that he is a person who sees merit, or positives, in any given situation. We additionally learn that the father is a very organised person; perhaps one who is even too organised, when the poet states that “he’ll put masking tape and texta on a clear jar of teabags, just so he’ll know what they are.”

50. The father’s and son’s attitudes to their Subaru (car) vary. The father is portrayed as being a very conscious car owner, in that he looks after his car and is annoyed at any issues that may arise in its use. The quote “nothing drives him madder than the Subaru and how it’s all skew-whiff” shows that he cares (probably too much) for the car, and is worried about its welfare in even the smallest details. The son, through the informal or ‘mocking’ tone of the poem, shows that he holds a similar; although less drastic view of the Subaru. In the repetition of the final lines of the poem, “and he’s mine (it’s genetic) all mine” we see that he too shares the same compulsive attitudes as his father.

51. The father’s behaviour in Stanza 3 is made to seem amusing through the use of short, sharp statements, the repetition of the word “every” and alliteration. The short sharp statements, epitomised by the poets’ description of “every” folder, having a label, contrasts to how the rest of the poem is composed, acting somewhat as comic relief in the description of the poet’s father. The repetition of the term “every” too is amusing, as it alludes to moments in conversation that we all experience, when someone monotonously covers a topic to the point of comic nauseam; which creates empathy in the audience. Alliteration, in “maximum efficiency multiplied by minimum flotsam equals mental clarity” reinforces the comical nature of the description, in that it poke’s fun of the father’s intentions to enforce rules.

52. In the final Stanza, the poet presents his different feelings about his father through the use of first person narration, repetition and rhyme. In using the term “my” to describe his father, the poet shows a connection; ownership, to his father. Throughout the rest of the poem, the poet almost mocks the subject, but finally, we see that he really does care for him. Too, the repetition of this statement “my dad” reinforces this; proclaiming to the audience that the poet is proud of his father, despite his quirks, as he is the one for him. The connection between father and son is symbolised in the links between the words “eccentric” and “genetic” in that, although the words (father and son) are different, they are (sound) the same.