Updated H is for Hawk

"Don't want you going home with the wrong bird"

Foreshadowing: She nearly went home with the wrong bird; structurally, introduction of this idea emphasises the importance of getting the right bird

"We stared down at the boxes"

Verb: Here they are doing the looking; later it will be the bird - emphasises reciprocal relationship

stare connotes hostility and unease , and intensifys the moment suggests that the bird is powerful, unpredictable and even threatening, unsettling reader and McDonald

"A sudden thump of feathered shoulders"

Onomatopoeia: "thump" will be repeated a few times, to build tension as it is a violent, forceful sound

plosive p sound create an abrupt impact, conveying suddenness but also suggests is physical force and unsettling presence

"the box shook as if someone had punched it"

Simile anthromorphises the bird: Showing its strength

emphasises aggression

makes its power relatable and visceral

unnatural comparison suggests that the hawk’s power exceed ordinary bird-like behaviour, highlighting how extremely strong it is

"Like us."

Short sentence: Shows irony that the bird should be fearful of them when MacDonald is frightened too

marks the shift from just anxiousness to connection with the bird

"Another hinge untied. Concentration. Infinite caution. Daylight irrigating the box. Scratching talons, another thump. And another. Thump."

Sequence of short, fragmented sentences: Slows down pace of piece. The caution they take when releasing the bird is mimetic of the sentence structure describing it - "infinite caution"

Juxtaposes with the following long, compound sentence

‘thump’, placed at the end of the series of sentences, is sudden and abrupt, deliving a sudden auditory shock.

The plosive sound ‘p’ is memetic heightens sensory impact, emphaises the hawks power and agressiveness

"amidst a whirring, chaotic clatter of wings"

Powerful soundscape: Creates a sensory overload

harsh consonants in ‘chaotic clatter’ replicate grating noise

whirring connotes restless speed and intensity - suggest panic or agitation and aggression

contrast with pace before ‘infinite caution’

the sudden violence is shoking

"And with the last bow pulled free [...] and everything is brilliance and fury"

Long compound polysendetic sentences: Captures the overwhelming experience of bird release with spesific details - create / picks up the pace; syntax breaks down - mimetic of the idea "it's all happening at once"

Juxtaposes with the previous short, fragmented sentences

abrupt change in rhythm jolts the reader and feels the chaotic intensity that McDonald is feeling

"brilliance and fury"

Juxtaposition of abstract nouns: Introducing the idea of beauty against violence; highlighting the sublime quality of nature

N.B. sublime - of very great excellence or beauty

brilliance connotes splendour, magnificence, highloghting her wonder and fascination, as the hawk is almost magnical

fury connotes anger, agression danger and uncontrollable power

hilights the hawk as threatening, overhwelming and powerful

"barred and beating"

Plosive alliteration: Highlights the power and aggression of the hawk and mimics the harsh sound created by the bird’s wings

beating connotes violence, aggression and physical force

the sudden violence and agression of the bird may shock the reader

1 - "She is a conjuring trick."

2 - "A fallen angel."

3 - "A griffon from the pages of an illuminated bestiary."

Various images used: The bird is so complex and multifaceted that even MacDonald has to search around for the right image - a single metaphor will not suffice.

1. Shows disbelief - surely it cannot be real? connotes illusion magic, as if the bird is unreal. Implies that the hawk is otherworldly, adds to the sense of awe and surprise. The strangeness might also intrigue the reader

2. Metaphor: Heavenly, otherworldly, but also satanic Connote something once divine that has been cast down, corrupted or tainted. suggests heavenly beauty but mixed with meanece and danger. Suggests the hawk as both awe inspiring and threatening

3. Metaphor: Mythological, unbelievable. Griffon is a mythical creature that connotes majesty, power and dnager. Suggest the haw is not just animal, but a mythical force that blurs reality and fantasy. Bestiaries often includes mythical animals, combined wiht illuminated (which connotes splendour) she suggests the hawk is otherworldy, mythical yet dangerous. > A bestiary was a medieval catalogue of beasts, each accompanied by a Christian moral lesson. 'Illuminated' means decorated with gold and bright colours, literally 'lit up'.

• Sacredness: Illuminated manuscripts were holy objects. The hawk is not just a bird; it is a vision, an epiphany.

• The phrase evokes breathtaking beauty, painstaking detail, and immense value. The hawk is precious and fragile, like a work of art.

"The point-source glitter on the waves, a diving cormorant a hundred yards out; pigment flakes under wax on the lines of parked cars"

Tricolon of images: Emphasises the detailedness of the hawk's vision

"in her entirely astonished brain"

Adjective: "Astonished" could equally apply to MacDonald - they are equally overwhelmed, emphasising their reciprocal relationship

astonish connotes shock and surprise, wonder and awe

"Gathered" "folding" "anchoring" "gripping"

Verbs suggesting confidence: The man is confident in his ability and experience, in stark contrast to overwhelmed MacDonald

gathered and folding connotes calmness, gentilness and delicacy and care

achnoring and grip connote strength and control

build trust and care in the man (by the reader)

all the verbs are tactile and phsycial. this vividness immerse the reader

"frail bluish eggshell" "scraps of meat" "lumpen, fluffy chick"

Images of vulnerability and parental care: MacDonald has an emotional connection to this due to her grief

these images suggests the vulnerability of the hawk and her reliance on other’s care - the man who is presented as a fatherly figure. This particularly resonates with McDonald because she has also just lost her father and feels grief and vulnerbility.

“Frail bluish eggshell” connotes delicacy and weakness.

“Scraps of meat” suggests painstaking, nurturing effort — the falconer feeding the chick by hand. This engages the reader by showing tenderness and devotion, contrasting with the hawk’s later violence.

• “Lumpen, fluffy chick” connotes clumsiness and immaturity. The reader is interested because it humanises the hawk — once helpless, now transformed into a powerful predator, making it suprising

‘Frail bluish eggshell’ could be analysed more - vulnerability - evokes image of being easily broken / needing to be handled with care

"All at once I loved this man, and fiercely."

Verb "loved" and adverb "fiercely": A surprisingly strong emotional response displays her admiration towards the man's care and confidence

fiercely denotes a heartfelt and powerful intensity, connotes that the love is uncontrollable and almost instinctive

perhaps, it could also hint at McDonald’s longing for such a figure - she might crave stability, guidance and tenderness something embodied in the falconer

: “Fiercely” can connote a defensive, almost primal attachment — as if she wants to cling to this source of care.

The reader is drawn into Macdonald’s vulnerability — we empathise with her longing for nurture and stability,

The suddenness of “all at once” plus the intensity of “fiercely” engages the reader by showing how grief distorts and magnifies feelings

"Her wild eyes were the colour of sun on white paper"

Metaphor: Indicating something glowing, intense, even hard to look at

the sun often gives of a orange glow. This colour is connotes ferocity, fire, danger and intensity

while wildness connote untamed energy, unpredictability and raw power

mirror McDonald own intense feelings

the orangy glare is vivid, powerful and unatrual - it surpises the reader by suggesting the hawks intensity and power.

vivid description allows the reader to feel the glare

"they stared"

Repetition of verb - it was MacDonald in 2nd para. , now the hawk. Highlights reciprocal relationship - mirrored verb suggests a bond forming

stare denotes a long fixed look, which connotes intensity but also overwhelmed, but is associated with connection, interest and engagement

engage the reader as it suggest a bond forming between man and animal

"the whole world had fallen into them at once"

Metaphor: Makes bird passive, being overwhelmed and flooded by sensory input

just as hawk is overwhelmed by the world, Mcdonald is overwhelmed by grief

both are passive recipients of something too vast to recive

whole world suggests everything at once - the intensity and weight of what the bird is feeling

fall connotes abruptness and a lack of control and force

‘It was the wrong bird. This was the younger one. The smaller one. This was not my hawk.’

Short sentence: Communicates her shock

short simple sentence mimics her surprise and panic, as though stopped dead

creates a breathless rhythm that engages the reader by immersing them in the surprise and stunned perspective of McDonald

mimic her sense confusion and disbelief

"Oh."

Interjection: Highlights her disappointment, shock, surprise, disbelief

it is also quite restrained and calm which contrasts with her desperation later

the brevity and isolation of the phrase mimic the way words fail in the moment of shock and highlights the extent of her disapointment

it engages the reader by immersing them in her stunned silence

‘like a Victorian melodrama’

Theatrical simile: Indicates that MacDonald connects less to this bird, as it is exaggerated and overblown "like a Victorian melodrama". This suggests a less authentic connection.

melodrama connotes excessive and sensational emotions and exaggeration. Thus suggesting at the lack of authentic connection between

theatrical imagery entertains the reader, making the scene vivid and dramatic

Victorian suggests a reaction that is cliched and unconvincing

"madwoman in the attack"

Literary allusion to Jane Eyre: suggests the bird is trapped in its own crazed state, much like how the "madwoman" is trapped in her attic.

madwoman connotes mental instability suggesting the bird is frenzied and unsettling

attack connotes violence, aggression and destruction and intensity

attic connotes imprisonment

by suggesting the bird is trapped in its own crazed state, lacking emitional conntect and make it seem threatening

"and instead of twittering, she wailed"

Juxtaposition between "twittering" and "wailed": Implies the relative intensity of the second bird - lacks the vulnerability in the first

wail denotes a prolonged high-pitched cry of pain, grief, or anger, which connotes exaggeration and the drama

twitter denotes give a call consisting of repeated light tremulous sounds which connotes vulnerbility

"This is my hawk" "This isn't my hawk"

Structural shift: From attempting to accept this bird to rejection.

my hawk stresses ownership and connection

They feel like raw and unfiltered thoughts, which capture her panic when she realises that there is no authentic connection

my is a possesive pronoun and connotes connection , intimacy, selfhood, emotional attachment / weight

builds tension, as the reader wonders what she might do next

"I didn't recognise her."

Verb: "Recognise" means to see oneself in another, further building the idea that MacDonald saw parallels between herself and the first bird.

and recognise connotes familiarity and connection

the 2nd brid feels hostile and foreign

the blunt verb regconise makes the moment relatable for the reader, helping to engager them

"Some madness from a distant country."

Contrast: First bird may have been "overwhelming", but the metaphor of this "distant country" suggests something foreign and alien.

distance denotes something far away and connotes something unfamiliar or recognisable

madness denotes extreme frenzy and insanity, and connotes something dangerous, reckless and alienation

this unsettles the reader and heightens tension

the hawk is unsettling

"Do you think there's any chance I could take that one instead"

"I'm sure the other falconer would like the larger bird? She's more beautiful than the first one, isn't she?"

"Could I? Would it be all right, do you think?"

Sequence of questions: Presents her as pleading desperately

the shift from declaratives (‘ this is my hawk’) to rambling mirror her emotional state of turmoil

the repetition of appeals makes us feel her embarrassment an desperation

pilling up of questions creates a sense of urgency and a breathless Rhythm , mimicking how panic override her

"A desperate, crazy barrage"

Adjective: Emphasises the emotional state - connects to her grief as she connected to the first one and highlighting that she needs that connection

barrage is a millitary word that denotes constant artillery bombardment

connotes relentlessness and overwhelming intensity, which highlight her desperation to get the first bird

"white-faced woman with wind-wrecked hair and exhausted eyes"

Tricolon of adjectives: Builds up vulnerability and pathos for MacDonald

“White‑faced” connotes pallor, shock, or even illness, signalling her drained state.

wreck denotes destruction, suggests that she has been battered by external forces such as grief

exhaust suggest extreme tiredness, which convey weariness and despair

these images maker her seem vulnerable and desperate

makes the reader see her as overwhelmed and fragile

contrasts with the birds raw power

humanises her and invites the reader to feel sympath

"as if she were in a seaside production of Medea"

Allusion to "Medea": Emphasises the tragedy of her situation; a slightly absurd and pitiable image

Medea is a famous tragic heroine in Greek drama associated with uberable grief

seaside production undercuts the grandeur of Medea and creates a comic and pitiable image

she feels both the enormity of her grief and the absurdiity of her own desration

it creates a commic image yet highlight her grief, gaining sympathy

"there was something behind it that was very important"

Purposefully vague phrasing: Inferring her grief for her father

lack of detail forces the reader to infer deeper emotional weight and engage with the text

the vagueness creates narrative tension

perhaps the phrase show avoidance and that she is overwhelmed

"There was a moment of total silence"

Structural cliffhanger: We don't know whether MacDonald gets the "right" bird.

creates tension and forces the reader to wonder what will happen next

creates a sense like the world stops as she wiats for judgment, emphaissing her desperation to get the bird

contrast with how the sound before of the hawk was unbearable but now the silence (contrast) magnifies the tension

broken marionette

they are fragile and vulnerable - they cannot work themselves, and need someone to pull the strings, just like the bird needs the handler

Her world was an aviary no larger than a living room. Then it was a box. But now it is this, and she can see everything: the point-source glitter on the waves, a diving cormorant a hundred yards out; pigment flakes under wax on the lines of parked cars; far hills and the heather on them and miles and miles of sky where the sun spreads on dust and water and illegible things moving in it that are white scraps of gulls. Everything startling and new-stamped on her entirely astonished brain.

juxtaposition between the size of the room and the vast endless landscape.

repetition of ‘miles’ is memetic of the vast and endless sky

the bird is not used to freedom

box connotes something suffocating and small

long sentences mimetic of the endless freedom

sun connotes life, wonder, vitality and hope

her feathers raised like the scattered quills of a fretful porpentine

simile

raise and quill in this context all connote something sharp, threatening and dangerous. However, a porpentine does it in defence, which highlights the fact that the bird also feels threatened

the last few seconds before a battle

idea of conflict, the bird feels endangered

suggest potential violence fear and conflict

brief intimation of a thin, angular skull

angular denotes a lean, bony physical appearance

which connote the bird’s fragility and vulnerability

thin connotes weakness, delicacy, fragility

intimation suggests

fizzing and fusing with terror

alliteration fizzing evoke the sensation of something volatile and connotes instability or nervous energy and uncontrollable release

vulnerability of the bird - fearful timid reaction

fusing denotes things being forced together under threat, violently

so it connotes intensity

the fear and shock of the bird is causing the fizzing and fussing, vividly marking the terror

Let’s get that hood back on,’ he said tautly

adverb denotes something stressed and nervous

suggests he noticed her shocked reaction

it suggests that the man does not feel comfortable whent he bird is overhwlemed

the tone suggests concern for the bird by the handler

Something bright and distant, like gold falling through water

bright connotes splendour, beauty and sacredness, hope

gold connotes preciousness, wealth and purity

distant connotes separation, longing, otherwordly

Water connotes new life, cleansing and purity

heavenly imagery links to new life