Question 1: Read the opening stanza: 'We are prepared: we build our houses squat, / Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate.' What does this suggest about the villagers' attitude towards the storm? How does Heaney establish this tone?

Answer: It shows a sense of resilience and readiness. Heaney uses confident language like 'prepared' and 'sink walls' to depict a determined attitude, establishing a tone of defiance against nature.

Question 2: In the stanza describing the wind, what is the effect of phrases like 'exploding comfortably'? How does this reflect the poem's mood?

Answer: The oxymoron 'exploding comfortably' creates a contrast that highlights the power of the wind while suggesting a paradoxical sense of normalcy or inevitability. It heightens the tension and foreboding mood.

Question 1: Quote: 'It is a huge nothing that we fear.' How does Heaney use this metaphor to comment on the power of nature?

Answer: The metaphor suggests that nature's power is insubstantial yet terrifying, emphasizing human vulnerability and the fear of the unknown or unseen forces.

Question 2: Identify the use of personification in the poem and discuss how it enhances the poem's themes.

Answer: Heaney personifies the wind and storm, giving them human qualities that make nature seem aggressive and unpredictable, reinforcing themes of nature's power and human fragility.

Question 3: Find a simile used in the poem and explain its effect on the reader.

Answer: An example is 'like a tame cat / Turned savage.' This simile illustrates how something initially calm can suddenly become dangerous, emphasizing unpredictability.

Question 1: How does the poem explore the theme of human vulnerability in the face of nature?

Answer: The poem depicts a community prepared for the storm but still vulnerable, showing that despite human efforts, nature remains powerful and unpredictable, highlighting human fragility.

Question 2: Compare how the themes of power in 'Storm on the Island' and 'Ozymandias' relate to human hubris and the impermanence of human achievements.

Answer: Both poems explore human arrogance—'Ozymandias' shows the futility of pride in monuments, while 'Storm on the Island' underscores nature’s dominance over human structures. They suggest that nature and time ultimately dismantle human achievements.

Question 1: Outline your main points for comparing how Heaney and the other poet depict the theme of power. Consider language, structure, and tone.

Answer: Possible points include Heaney's depiction of nature's overwhelming power through vivid imagery and tone of resilience, versus the other poet's portrayal of human hubris and the temporary nature of power. Structure might differ, with Heaney’s poem emphasizing the environment and the other focusing on monuments or achievements.

Question 1: Quote: 'We just sit tight while the wind dives and strafes.' What is the significance of 'sit tight' and 'dives' in conveying human response to natural forces?

Answer: 'Sit tight' suggests patience and endurance, while 'dives' personifies the wind as aggressive and attacking. Together, they depict a passive but resilient human response to uncontrollable natural forces.

Question 2: Quote: 'Space is a salvo.' Discuss the metaphor and its implications about the power of the storm.

Answer: The metaphor 'space is a salvo' likens the open landscape to an artillery attack, emphasizing the destructive force of the storm and the overwhelming power of nature.

Question 1: Create an essay plan or a detailed paragraph addressing how 'Storm on the Island' conveys the tension between human resilience and nature's power, citing specific language and structural choices.

Answer: The essay should discuss how Heaney's use of vivid imagery ('exploding comfortably'), structural features like the shift from calm to chaos, and tone of defiance establish a sense of resilience amidst danger. It should analyze how these choices reflect on human vulnerability and respect for nature's power.