Advanced Higher English - Bukowski Quotes

Based on his poems - Let it Enfold You - The Laughing Heart - Confession

“I had bad blood, a twisted mind, a precarious upbringing”

Let it Enfold You

Parallel sentence structure

• Creates rhythm and emphasizes each element equally

  Highlighting the cumulative impact of these factors on his character and outlook.

Metaphor ‘bad blood’

• Suggests an inherent condition that contributes to his challenges.

  This expression conveys a sense of ingrained struggle that part of his identity.

Imagery through words like ‘twisted’ and ‘precarious’

• Paints a vivid image in the readers mind..

• ‘twisted’ suggesting a distortion in his thinking

• ‘precarious’ conveying the instability of his upbringing.

  These phrases help us understand his negative perspective and overall sense of darkness.

 

“I trusted no man and especially no women”

Let it Enfold You

Strong phrase

• We can hear it spat out and in turn can symbolise anger and toxic masculinity.

The second clause, highlights and intensifies his lack of trust in women.

Irony

• Generalises an absolute lack of trust in everyone based on gender.

  This may suggest a defensive mechanism developed due to his past experiences.

Negative tone

• Conveys a sense of isolation and cynicism.

  His lack of trust in both men and women hints at hints at broader themes of disillusionment with relationships emphasising a persuasive sense of loneliness or alienation.

“peace and happiness to me were signs of inferiority, tenants of the weak and addled mind”

Let it Enfold You

Metaphor ‘signs of inferiority’

• Implies that in his view, wanting to experience peace and happiness is seen as weak. Unusual, very dark perspective.

Irony

• In his perception peace and happiness are signs of submission however typically these states are considered positive

  Bukowski turns this convention on its head, revealing a cyclical and unconventional worldview.

Negative tone, through the use of words like ‘weak’ and ‘inferiority’

• adds a dismissive quality, portraying his rejection of his emotions as undesirable.

 

“they were fulsome with hatred, glossed over with petty grievances, the men I fought in alleys had hearts of stone.”

Let it Enfold You

-

“I welcomed shots of peace tattered shards of happiness”

Let it Enfold You

“just staring at the knobs of some dresser” and “listening to the rain in the dark.”

Let it Enfold You

As the poem progresses, amidst the ongoing struggles he discovers moments of peace and acceptance.

These moments are described in simple settings

These seemingly mundane moments have clear significance as they represent moments of quiet contemplation and newfound inner peace.

He starts to find solace and beauty in the ordinary moments of life, symbolising a shift to a more positive outlook overall. 

“The knife got near my throat again”

Let it Enfold You

Imagery

• Brings to mind a sense of vulnerability and existential struggle where the metaphorical knife becomes a symbol of life’s challenges and the literal knife serves as a tangible representation of life’s struggles and the constant warning of the inevitability of death.

The use of ‘again’ hints to the fact he has faced this struggle before during “[his] suicidal years”

His recognition of facing this challenge again shows the repetitive nature of life’s hardships, a relentless flow of negativity and highlights his newfound resilience to face these challenges again in search for “the good moments”

• which can be a sign of his change in mindset, from focusing on the negative to shifting his focus to the positive.

His literal and metaphorical use of the knife

|Raises questions about whether the struggles are worth enduring

The graphic nature of the knife may shock some readers but may compel them to consider their own thoughts about life’s worthiness in the face of adversity.

“But when the good moments arrived I didn’t fight them off like an alley adversary, I let them take me in, I luxuriated in them,”

Let it Enfold You

3

“I saw my wife in bed, just the shape of her head there… I ached for her life”

Let it Enfold You

4

“your life is your life / don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission”

The Laughing Heart

Imagery

• The use of the word ‘clubbed’ creates vivid images in the readers mind.

• It evokes a sense of forceful brutal impact suggesting external influences attempting to subdue or shape the persons life.

Metaphor, compares life to a physical entity being beaten or subdued.

• Intensifies the impact, conveying the harshness of societal or external expectations.

Alliteration

• The repetition of the ‘d’ sound, this not only adds a rhythmic quality but also emphasises the harshness of the action.

The direct statement emphasises the urgency of the advice.

Metaphor ‘dank’

• Conveys a sense of darkness, dampness and unpleasantness, serving as a metaphor for a life stifled by conformity.

Repetition of the word ‘life’

• Emphasises its significance.

Lack of capital letters

• Implies a childish innocence and purity.

 

“Be on the watch / there are ways out.”

The Laughing Heart

Carries a message of vigilance and hope

• Encourages readers to be aware of opportunities for positive change.

Metaphor

• Presents a metaphorical image of being vigilant suggesting the reader be alert.

  This enhances the idea that opportunities may present themselves if one is watchful.

Contrasts the first quote

• Shifts from negative possibilities to striving for positive change.

‘be on the watch’ introduces a more positive attitude despite its negative connotations

• encouraging the reader to look for opportunities

  implying a shift from passivity to engagement with life’s possibilities.

“you can’t beat death but you can beat death in life sometimes.”

The Laughing Heart

Juxtaposition of saying you can’t then you can.

Encouraging statement

• Highlights the contrast between the inability to conquer death and the possibility of beating death in life

  Adds depth to the quote highlighting the nuances of existence.

Repetition of ‘death’ emphasising it’s significance.

Irony

• Within the acknowledgment of the uncertainty of death and knowing there are opportunities to triumph over it.

-Ambiguity, ‘sometimes’

• Suggests the ability to ‘beat death in life’ but it’s not guaranteed.

Metaphor, ‘beat death in life’

• Can be seen as a metaphor for overcoming challenges, embracing joy and finding fulfilment in life.

“your life is your life / know it while you have it.”

The Laughing Heart

Repetition of ‘your’

• Emphasises the central message of the poem and adds a rhythmic quality to the line.

Direct address

• Makes the message personal urging readers to reflect on their own lives.

Imperative sentence

• Adds a sense of urgency to the message emphasising the need for awareness.

Antithesis

• The juxtaposition of ‘know it’ and ‘while you have it’

  Emphasises the contrast between awareness and the potential loss of tat awareness.

Invites the reader to reflect on their own lives by establishing a personal connection.

Tone is seemingly positive with many negative undertones throughout the poem.

“you are marvellous / the gods wait to delight in you.”

The Laughing Heart

The mention of ‘gods’ evokes a sense of divine/higher powers

• Adding a layer of symbolism and suggesting that these ‘opportunities’ come from unexpected transcendent sources.

Another direct address making the poem more intimate.

‘marvellous, & ‘delight’ is positive and uplifting emphasising the inherent worth of the reader.

• This positive language contributes to the overall affirming tone of the quote.

Repetition of ‘you’

• Focuses on the reader adding a sense of importance to the reader.

“waiting for death like a cat that will jump on the bed”

Confession

Simile

• Creates vivid comparison between waiting for death as if he has tamed it like a domesticated animal.

Imagery

• The reader can picture the stillness and quiet associated with waiting, as well as the sudden and decisive nature of the cats movements.

Symbolism

• The cat could symbolise death itself, adding multiple layers of meaning to the line, in a way offering readers to consider the deeper implications of death for themselves.

Fighting thoughts of suicide to welcoming them like a tame cat.

Childish metaphor

“I am so very sorry for my wife”

Confession

Direct address

• By expressing sorrow and apologising directly, the language becomes personal and immediate.

Emotive language

• The use of words ‘so very sorry’ conveys a deep and sincere sense of regret

  Emphasising his remorse.

Foreshadowing

Symbolism

• The apology can symbolise his recognition of the emotional burden and void left behind.

Regret

• not for himself but for the impact his death will have on his wife.

Tone of remorse and empathy

• His apology sets a somber and reflective tone allowing readers to emphasise with the emotional struggle and impending loss.

Stark contrast to his younger self shown in LIEY

“It’s not my death that worries me, it’s my wife left with this pile of nothing.”

Confession

Irony

• While he claims his death doesn’t worry him, the act of expressing concern for his wife’s emotional state acknowledges the impact of his death.

Metaphor

• ‘this pile of nothing’ captures the emptiness he fears his absence will leave behind not just mentally but physically as well.

Hyperbole

• ‘this pile of nothing’ exaggerates the emotional impact by emphasising the worry about his wife’s emotional state rather than the speakers own death

Underlining the emotions surrounding death and drawing attention to relations and human connection in general.

Juxtaposition of his supposed lack of worry about his own death with the intense worry about his wife’s emotional state.

“even the useless arguments were things ever splendid.”

Confession

Oxymoron

• The phrase ‘useless arguments’ juxtaposes the ideas of arguments being both ‘useless and ‘splendid’

  This creates a paradox suggesting that even conflicts have a certain value/significance.

Hyperbole

• The phrase ‘ever splendid’ exaggerates the positive qualities of the arguments

  Emphasising his heightened appreciation for even the challenging aspects of their relationship.

Themes of imperfection and him embracing it

Shifts in perspective

• Moving from potential regret about these arguments to a more appreciative stance, adding a layer of growth and maturity to his outlook on his past.  

 

“and the hard words I ever feared to say can now be said: I love you.”

Confession

Revelation

• He discloses a previously withheld sentiment creating a turning point in the poem

  Adding a layer of emotional depth.

Symbolism, ‘I love you’

• Symbolises a profound emotional declaration.

• It goes beyond a mere statement of affection and represents the culmination of his journey in overcoming fears and embracing vulnerability however he does not say the words but writes them.

Closure

• His ability to express love signifies a resolution to his internal struggles and willingness to embrace genuine emotions.

His ‘fear’ of intimacy like his ‘fear’ of ‘fighting in the alleys’ is not over.

Serves as a lesson for us all, that our injuries might never entirely heal so we will carry our scars.

Stark contrast to his earlier violence.