How and how effectively does Dannie Abse end Ash on a Young Man’s Sleeve Essay Example

absorbed. He remarks, "Perhaps it wasn't a nun, but a German spy," and adds "I laughed until I stopped laughing." This attempt at amusement through a passing nun highlights the profound sadness and emptiness within him. Though he knows his behavior is pathetic, he puts on a false front of carelessness to hide his true state of mind.

Even though it's raining heavily, the sun unexpectedly shines through the clouds on my birthday and creates a silver splendor. This quote demonstrates irony in my attitude as I find myself in a difficult situation. I almost ridicule myself by thinking about how lucky I am despite the circumstances and wishing that I had experienced some of that good fortune in the past. Realistically, there is no way for me to feel positively about the sun unless I was under the influence of cannabis and forgot about my miserable life. Unfortunately, my current situation includes losing my best friend, having both brothers away at war without certainty of their return, and going through relationship troubles with my girlfriend. Here I sit alone on a park bench eating cake on my 18th birthday while using setting and tone to create an even more tragic atmosphere. Eventually, it becomes clear to me that false optimism is unsustainable, leading me to release all of my negative emotions.

He expressed his thoughts and beliefs about the outside world that had intruded upon his childhood through a cluster of metaphors. These metaphors represented war, death, and other negative aspects that surrounded him. For example, he described a concrete turret that was camouflaged with autumn colors and appeared to be recovering in the weak sunlight.

He also observed some bare branches that were leaning awkwardly and looked grim, wintry, and lifeless due to the lack of oxygen.

This was the cessation of the lives of the leaves, as they descended to the ground without any form of resistance.

The park is a representation of the vast world that lies ahead for Dannie, the protagonist. This symbolizes his unavoidable journey towards death. His departure from home and his mother's constant nagging emphasize the changes he is currently experiencing. The park offers only a brief glimpse of the real world that will now be carried by the young man. This contrast is formed by portraying a new image of the park, distinct from childhood memories of running out of school with arms stretched wide like an airplane on summer evenings.

By kicking the notices over on page 16, Dannie's perspective of the real world is emphasized.

During his childhood, the park held a significant meaning for him in terms of purity and independence. However, as he grew older, his perception of the park shifted towards being the backdrop for his upcoming life journey. The absence of iron barriers resulted in it feeling less like a traditional park to him. Furthermore, he longs for the sound of kids frolicking around which used to be an everyday occurrence.

Dannie Abse's style in the last two pages is captivating due to its solemnity. Besides vividly describing the present atmosphere, Abse employs subtle contrasts that evoke flashbacks of his past. The deep meanings embedded within these pages are alluring and make the reader want to revisit the entire book. The story focuses on Dannie's childhood and the transformations that occurred

thereafter. Initially, Dannie's writing expressed innocence, indicating an untested life. However, as the tale progresses, the outside world progressively penetrates Dannie's existence.

The occurrence of the first sighting of the outside world transpires on page 28, which exemplifies how oblivious he is to his surroundings. The adult consciousness frequently pertains to 'Saturday... 1934" whereas the juvenile consciousness playfully uses the word "bastards" to describe people throughout the chapter.

In 1934, Hitler launched an attack on the Jewish population in Germany, beginning with the infamous Kristallnacht and resulting in the persecution and death of millions. Despite being Jewish himself, Dannie was unaware of these events happening outside of his own personal experience. On page 57, the year of 1934 is mentioned again in relation to Uncle Bertie...

Inquiring about his fight with Jake Williams in 1934, the response was "That was a long time ago... back in 1934." This ironic phrase was used earlier in the book and repeated again in the last two pages.

Another instance of external events seeping into Dannie's world is evident. However, he remains ignorant of their importance. Though the adult consciousness attempts to draw him in, he fails to respond. Instead of recognizing the tumultuous year of 1934 as a distressing time for Jews, he only associates it with his Uncle Bertie's fight with Jake Williams. As the narrative progresses, Dannie slowly becomes more aware of his surroundings.

The initial advancement observed is on page 87, where the protagonist becomes conscious of unfolding real world events. However, at this point in time, the gravity and transformative impact of these occurrences remain unbeknownst to him. "A cold wind blew through the streets of

Europe..."

In November 1938, the German Jews were stripped of their last chance at economic survival through a series of decrees. (p87)

According to (p88), the ending of the book is subtly effective due to the constant build-up of climate. Throughout the book, there are two distinct perspectives - a childish consciousness and an adult consciousness. The childish consciousness represents Dannie's beliefs at a particular time and evolves over time, while the adult consciousness reflects back on events and evaluates them. Towards the end of the story, Dannie matures, causing the childish consciousness to fade and the dominant adult consciousness to grow stronger.

As the book comes to a close, Dannie experiences a glimpse of the real world, although he is not yet fully mature. He carries scars from his troubled childhood and faces a crucial decision to either resist or embrace the changes he is confronting. The final paragraph buzzes with his worries and fears about the future. However, by the last line, the writer reveals a hint of cautious optimism.

The individual must now seek redemption for their past and envision a new future, while accepting that they will never return to their former home. They resisted succumbing to this reality, much like some of us might also struggle with such a situation.

The act of falling in our intense dreams was accompanied by a sorrowful expression of desire. The falling entities gazed longingly at the branches they were falling from, not wanting to leave.

Dannie Abse creatively used a metaphorical quotation to symbolize the sacrifice of soldiers during war as dying leaves. His poetic style is characterized by double-meaning and subtle contrast, effectively illustrating his own coming-of-age experience

and other associated changes. The transition from a juvenile and innocent child to a mature adult is reluctantly but bravely depicted, as he departs from his once-segregated shell and ventures forth into the vast unknown of the world ahead. Many other similar examples appear throughout the book.

Yellow khaki hands and cold red hands resembled sinking hands waving goodbye to the war-stricken branches already aching from their absence.

The conclusion of the book not only reinforces Dannie's major life events but also highlights his transformation since the start of the story. Dannie's subtler communication style and enhanced poetic expression demonstrate his growth, culminating in his 18th birthday event that serves as a conclusive portrayal of his childhood. Overall, the conclusion successfully ties together the unique depiction of adolescence and infancy in an intense yet open-ended fashion, leaving an impression that even the author couldn't improve upon.