Starter quiz
- What is being described here: 'the place or type of surroundings where something is positioned or where an event takes place.'?
- characterisation
- setting ✓
- voice
- narrative
-
- A dependent clause is...
- a group of words that does not express a complete thought ✓
- a group of words that does express a complete thought
- a group of words containing a two subjects
-
- What is being described here: 'the projection of human emotions onto non-human objects found in nature'?
- personification
- hyperbole
- pathetic fallacy ✓
-
- If you feel 'insecure' this means...
- uncertain and anxious ✓
- calm and confident
- sad and lonely
-
- A group of words that are related in meaning are known as a...
- 'semantic field' ✓
- A ______ is a direct comparison between two things using the verb 'to be'.
- 'metaphor' ✓
Exit quiz
- 'Walking Away' is thought to be semi-autobiographical. Who did Cecil Day-Lewis write the poem for?
- his son ✓
- his father
- his grandfather
-
- Starting with the first, put these key ideas from 'Walking Away' into the order they appear in the poem.
- 1⇔the speaker watches their son play football
- 2⇔the speaker describes their son walking away to go to school
- 3⇔the speaker suggests their son is not quite ready to be independent
- 4⇔the speaker says this is their most painful parting
- 5⇔the speaker knows that letting their child go shows their love
- How is the day in the memory described at the start of the poem 'Walking Away'?
- cloudy
- sunny ✓
- windy
-
- Which word from 'Walking Away' best suggests the speaker doesn't think his son is quite ready to be fully independent?
- "half-fledged" ✓
- "eddying"
- "loosened"
-
- What does it mean to 'reminisce'?
- have feelings of doubt or uncertainty
- use descriptions of natural elements
- recall past events or experiences ✓
-
- Which themes are explored in the poem 'Walking Away'?
- parenthood ✓
- loss ✓
- power
-
Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The speaker, a father, reminisces on the moment their child left to go to school after his first football match.
- The speaker feels apprehensive about this parting, worrying the son is not ready.
- The moment of separation was not the worst the speaker has experienced, but was the most impactful.
- The speaker acknowledges and accepts that letting a child experience independence is a crucial part of parenting.
- The poem is semi-autobiographical and Day-Lewis originally dedicated it to his eldest son, Sean.
Common misconception
Some pupils may think the parent and child never spoke or saw each other again after this moment in the poem.
The separation described in the poem isn't just physical but rather emotional. Day-Lewis describes a moment where the speaker feels like they lost a part of their son because he had grown up and gained his independence.
Keywords
Reminisces - recalls past events or experiences, often with nostalgia or sentimentality
Insecurities - feelings of doubt, uncertainty, or inadequacy about oneself or one's abilities
Pathetic fallacy - using descriptions of natural elements to emphasise a particular mood or emotion
Independent clause - contains a subject and verb, expressing a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence
Dependent clause - contains a subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence