GCSE (9-1): Literature: Poetry: AQA Love and Relationships: Letters from Yorkshire: Author's Purpose

to create mystery

'I don't think of a poem as being a straightforward piece of experience to pass on to a reader; I like there to be mystery in a poem; even if it is only mundane mystery in this case of who exactly the characters might be.' - Dooley

to encourage the reader to bring their own experiences to the poem

If, in this poem, a reader thinks of a father - daughter relationship or old friends etc, then they are bringing their own experience or longings to the poem and that seems to me to be the perfect response.' - Dooley

to encourage the reader to make their own connections

Don't we want to find our own connections in a poem? Don't we want them to act upon us in a mysterious way? I do; I know.' - Dooley

to help young people imagine what it was like communicating in a different time

It's useful for young people to think about a world, where continuing a friendship was harder work; we either have to get on a bus or a train, send a letter or try phoning, only to find that the person was always out. So feeling connected in a spiritual way, as well as through the love in a relationship - air and light and love in an envelope - and an everyday way - watching the news in different houses - was important...'

to illustrate the priceless experience of receiving a letter from someone you care about

pouring air and light into an envelope.' - the contents of the envelope are more than just words; perhaps for the speaker they provide life like air and brigthen up her world like light

to express her dislike of city life and her love of the countryside

I hated London for years. I missed the green so badly and I was a countryside snob despising the Commons that have come to mean a great deal to me more recently' - Dooley

to question whether living a life closer to nature is more rewarding than living city life

Is your life more real because you dig and sow?'

to illustrate the deep level of connection the two have

it's not so much the letters that create the connection between them, they are connected on a much deeper, spiritual level which speak to each other, even while doing mundane things such as 'watching the news'