Country School , Allen Curnow– Poem analysis

In this poem, the persona pays a visit to his old school where he takes a nostalgic walk down memory lane and recalls his childhood. As this poem reflects childhood reminiscence, the persona seems to realize that things are not as bad as they seemed before along with the portrayal of the overall issue of aging. However, the tone of the persona seems to sway between enthusiastic and apathetic as there are many a times when the tones seem to differ between two extremes.

In this poem, the persona describes a country school that seems to be in a somewhat dilapidated condition. The vivid image drawn by the alliterative phrase 'Paint all peeled' supports the fact that the school is indeed deteriorating. With the phrase 'tufts topping', one is able to picture a country school architect with pinus tufts on it 'roof ridge', establishing an image of a typical country school. Through the usage of colloquial language, the vivid images seem to hold a lot of details, for instance the word 'dunny' evolves a picture of the local Australian toilets enlightening the audience to the smallest of details. Furthermore, 'Girls squeal skipping' conjures up an auditory image as the little kids play around.

Several kinds of sound effect helps describe what the persona is going through. The fluid 'r' sounds in rank, and roof-ridge help integrate the ideas, linking them and helping form a wider image of the country school. Also the 'b' sounds in 'bargeboard, weatherboard and gibbet belfry' calls attention to the detailed observation again helping in building up the vivid image.

Allen Curnow has employed parallelism as well as repetition in order to draw links in this poem. The parallel comparison of 'How small; how sad', draws a link with how the persona seems to be recalling his days back in school. The passing of time and his aging is revealed for the very doors that seemed huge as a kid now seems to be described as being rather 'small'. The persona refers to himself as a third person and this is deduced through the repetition of the word 'you'. Perhaps the persona had a tough time reconnecting with his old school that he felt more comfortable referring himself as a third person. 

Having a look at the poem specifically, the first stanza could be a parallel to the educational experience Allen Curnow had. By putting these words into his poem he is able to associate his experience with that of the reader’s possible experience of school.

In the second stanza, his memory, however, is rippled with more imagery throughout the stanza. Perhaps Curnow is trying to emphasise the importance of our senses when it comes to creating a memory. That by visiting this old school, this old memory- the images around him that were once remembered through the sense of hearing, are now being remembered through the sense of sight. In the third stanza Curnow makes comparisons between the three main images in this poem… You, Pinus, and the School. In doing this he is able to portray the theme of time. The Pinus which lives “less than the life of a man”, you as “the man”, and the school which was there before you were and was there after you left. The most important line in this stanza however is “Together your lives began.” This line suggests an end which makes it personal and emotional to the reader. Curnow puts into perspective that our lives begin with education/schooling in some form. Either in the form of a classic schoolhouse education or in the form of a “mature” figurehead. Perhaps Curnow is trying to put across that Pinus could stand for this “mature” figurehead and that throughout life the roll of teacher will change, e.g. nun, mother, lecturer and so on. However this “sapling” made its appearance in your life as soon as your educating of the world began, and as you grew in knowledge so did its influence on you, or people’s influence on you.  The last stanza seems to group all the imagery and mood created in the precious stanzas, into established themes. Leaving the reader wondering in reflection of their own experiences with education.

Lucía Neira & Martina Cervi

Source:  http://www.markedbyteachers.com/as-and-a-level/english/poetry-analysis-of-country-school-allen-curnow.html