Table of Contents
Did Vernon Scannell have PTSD?
Nowadays he would have been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Then he was detained for months in a military prison in Alexandria.
Why did Vernon Scannell change his name?
He was born John Vernon Bain in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, but subsequently abandoned the family surname “as an act of symbolic dissociation” from a brutal, detested father, and because he was “on the run from the army”.
What is Vernon Scannell famous for?
He wrote eight novels, including The Face of the Enemy (1961), The Dividing Night (1962), Ring of Truth (1983), and Feminine Endings (2000). His memoirs include The Tiger and the Rose (1971), A Proper Gentleman (1977), and Drums of Morning: Growing Up in the Thirties (1992).
What is the tone of the poem nettles?
He demonstrates his belief that a father should always fight for his child. No threat or accident is too small. The reflective and revelatory toneof the poem – for example, the speaker’s realisation that their son will be harmed again – suggests the speaker is a first-time parent.
Did Vernon Scannell have a son?
Vernon Scannell (23 January 1922 – 16 November 2007) was a British poet and author. He was at one time a professional boxer, and wrote novels about the sport….
| Vernon Scannell | |
|---|---|
| Education | University of Leeds |
| Subject | Poetry, English |
| Spouse | Jo Higson (Painter) |
| Children | 6 |
What is the message of the poem nettles?
Seeking revenge, the speaker destroys the nettlebed. Naturally, the nettles grow back, exposing the parent’s efforts as futile. Though the poem recounts a particular incident, it is an allegory for how a parent protects their child throughout life.
What happened to Vernon Scannell?
Death. Scannell spent the final years of his life living in Otley, West Yorkshire, where he died at his home at the age of 85 after a long illness.
What is nettles by Vernon Scannell about?
What is it about? The poem is a short account of the day that the poet’s son was stung by nettles – and what happened afterwards. But more interesting than the events are the shadows of war that linger in the mind of the ex-soldier father, causing him to meditate on the cyclical nature of pain and violence.
How does Vernon Scannell describe the nettles?
However, Scannell quickly personifiesthe nettles so that they become soldiers, not just their weapons. The bed is called a “regiment of spite”, suggesting they exist to target the son. The noun“spite” connotes pettiness or childishness, implying the nettles have no justifiable reason to attack.
What is the extended metaphor in nettles?
The nettles are compared to soldiers: “regiment of spite” the word “spite” deliberate cruelty and harm. The extended metaphor a battle with the speaker of the poem shows how dangerous they are.
How does Scannell present childhood in nettles?
He presents the relationship between parent and child as one of comfort and safety. After getting stung, the boy “came seeking comfort”, portraying his parents as his safe haven. The parents “soothed him till his pain was not so raw”, showing how parents provide reassurance and relief to their children.