Material - Ross Barber

Motherhood and the past

Throughout the poem, the persona showcases conflicting views on the generational customs of her mother’s era, and her mother’s parenting choices as a subsection of that – perhaps a microcosm in general for her undecided emotions surrounding the loss of her mum, and how she struggles to define her own identity from this.

Whilst she wishes to remain close to her mum through nostalgic memories, she seems to critique the lifestyle of women in that era, even attempting to rebel against these standards – however despite this choice of rebellion, there is a sense of unease portrayed, almost as if objection to these female standards that her mother adhered to draws her further away from their relationship

Modernity/capitalism

The shift from material hankies to disposable tissues acts as a microcosm for the persona’s wider opinions. The speaker suggests that the modern world jeopardises many people’s ‘material’ security, along with the very ‘material’ of human life. That is, it treats people, feelings and interactions as disposable.

Narration of her thoughts explores how consumerism and materialism has dominated the world, how people these days are incapable of comprehending the importance of sentimental value

Identity

The constant sense of society changing is presented throughout, and with that a contrast in the roles of mothering between herself and her own mum - in which Barber seems undecided in how she feels about each mothering style. The poem presents itself explicitly as a social commentary on motherhood, yet at its nexus is a search for her own identity, cast into confusion by the loss of her mother and navigation through a newly emerging technological world.

Key points on structure/form/language

• Relaxed colloquial diction contrasts what is traditionally considered ‘poetic’ - where words such as ‘cardi’ bring about a sense of informality between the poet and the reader; thus intensifying and formulating a stronger personal/sentimental connection between the text, the poet, and the reader

• The use of personal pronouns in this poem make the readers feel connected to the poet as well as the poem. For example, the poet uses pronouns such as ‘I’ and ‘my’ to create a sense of personalization with which the readers can relate to

• the rhyme scheme is irregular, beginning with a structured ABCB rhyme scheme which becomes looser as the poem progresses. This could perhaps indicate a change, or disruption in old certainties (changing society, changing life without her mother = loss of certainty)

Conclusion

The poem shows that not only hankies, but various human possibilities -and human beings- struggle to survive in the modern mass economy. She expresses that emotions are expressed very different now, or not expressed at all – the mass production of impersonal tissues reinforces the idea that people’s emotions don’t matter, that they too, are easily expendable. Mass production (and the broader capitalist system) can erode the feelings and interactions that give life meaning. The system eats away at people themselves – making them feel as replaceable as the objects they produce and discard

‘Handy packs are 50p’

• the cheapness of the paper tissue contrasts the emotional wealth that the material hanky holds her the persona - introspection into the progression of society, a progression that moves the persona further and further away from the memories of her mother

• (if we consider the ‘material’ hankies to be symbolic of not only the persona’s mother, but also the generational customs, emotion and culture of the bygone era, then the effect of reducing this to a disposable, ‘handy pack’ explores the rise of a consumerist society valuing efficiency over emotion. the effect of placing a numerical value of ‘50p’ upon the tissues renders the interaction merely transactional - great contrast to the highly emotive and almost theatrical use of the hankies for ‘mopping the corners of your grief’)

‘Script initials spelling ponce’

• The persona’s distaste towards her mother’s ‘lace embroidered’ handkerchiefs of the time could be symbolic for her rejection of the stereotypical female household role.

• throughout the poem, hankies are a central image, acting as more than a physical signpost of generational customs and change, but as markers of individual identity and the conventions perpetuated by society. With this perspective in mind, the ostentatious and decorative nature of the female hankies, with 'script initials' and 'lace' explores the similarly decorative role women were expected to play to society. they were viewed ornamentally, as accessories rather than playing practical uses to the society - contrast to the male hankies which were 'more serious' and 'grey', symbolising a different view of masculine archetypal ideals

• Therefore the persona’s rejection and ‘embarrassment’ of this suggest she is breaking away from these traditional values her mother upheld through the purchasing of these handkerchiefs for her daughter, thus perpetuating gendered stereotypes

• (external marker of an internal change)

‘Bought biscuits I would bake if I’d commit to being home.’

• This plosive alliteration of repeated ‘b’ sounds adds emphasis to this comment on the persona’s mothering.

• 'bake' and 'home' both have inextricable links to the historical archetype of a woman's role as being associated with the kitchen, linking to the social conventions that the persona's mother experienced and adhered to. The objection of this to focus on her career instead shows a clear change in societal expectations of females, and a rebellion against these standards.

• However, whilst this is liberation from the patriarchy, the persona seems to also critique herself for this rebellion. The tone used in ‘if I’d commit to being home’ seems almost self-accusatory, and as if she condemns herself in some way for putting her career over performing household roles. This discomfort could perhaps be reflective of the fact that rebelling from her mother's social conventions draws them emotionally further apart

‘Mopping the corners of your grief’

• In the opening stanza, Barber romanticises motherhood through the use of hankies, using the highly sentimental and dramatic images

• ‘Grief’ brings forth a personal image and helps the readers contemplate how handkerchiefs were used in these personal and sentimental situations (something now lacking in the present day)

• These would be typically considered feminine displays of emotion, and a later reference to smudging ‘the rouge’ denotes makeup for appearances, with connotations of sensuality and passion.

• The poet shows that these characteristics of emotional women were expected in ‘every mother’, suggesting that her own mother was standard of the time for conforming to this. This exposes the homogenised expectations for women in her mother’s era

• This could connect to the persona’s sense of loss through the fact that when thinking back to that era of time, memories of her mother blend seamlessly and naturally into the culture of that generation – allowing her to recall memories with ease due to her mum’s embodiment of the values that were upheld in those years