Red balloon: Abse

Here is the first of the work done by my AS Students in a lesson yeterday.  They worked independently on one Abse poem in paris and threes, discussing and arriving at an understanding of the poem by close analysis of the text and then ended up with a summary of the poem and how it might illumicate their study of the Larkin volume "The Whitsun Weddings"

Red Balloon

Commentary

This poem is symbolic of Abse’s religion which was Judaism. Throughout the poem, the religion grows in importance in his day to day life despite outside interference.  Anti-Semitism was rife across Europe at the time with the rise of  Fascism in Nazi Germany at the time, stereotypical views on Jews turned sour and many people , not just in Nazi Germany, adopted these views and beliefs. This poem also brings out Abse’s resilient nature because he sticks with his beliefs and continues to until he needs help from close family.  In regards to linking this with Larkin, some poems that could be linked with this are : Faith Healing and water. The obvious link to water is to do with the religious side of the poem, also Faith healing can be linked because it describes some women’s persistence in pursuing their beliefs despite popular opinion on the contrary.