Quotations for ‘Hieroglyphics’ 1

Quotation / Technique / Explanation and Effect
“they were birlin and dancinroond like big black spiders. A couldnae keep a haunle on them fur every time ah thoatah’d captured them, tied them thegither in some kindy order they jistkep on escaping.”
(p. 1) / Demonstrates Mary’s frustration
“ah could never tell them aboot the letters diddlinaboot, and oanyway, naebdy ever asked me whit it wis like”
(p.3) / Personification / In Mary’s description of the words she personifies the letters, describing them as ‘diddlinaboot’, meaning that they would not stay still for her. This personification gives the impression that the letters were mocking Mary and her efforts and this clearly conveys her irritations and frustration with reading.
“The French teacher took wan look at the dug’s dinner ah was producinantellt me no tae bother.”
(p.3)
“If ye kin imagine the class like a field a racehorses then he was gaun at such a pelt that only the first two or three could keep up wi him... Me, A wis the wan that fell at the furst fence.”
(p.5) / Simile
Metaphor
“The class were aw sittin up like circus lions at this point, wondering whit the ringmaisterwisgonnydae next.”
(p.6) / The class are being compared to circus lions. A metaphor is being used to compare Mr Kelly to a circus ringmaster. The image suggests that the pupils are watching Mr Kelly intently as circus lions would watch the ringmaster for their cues. The idea of the circus also suggests that this is a spectacle: that is, something to watch and be entertained by.
(p.7) / There are two techniques being used here: simile and metaphor. The simile compares the way friendships change at high school to a dance where people change at high school to a dance where people change partners as part of the dance. The metaphor compares Mary to someone who had been left without a dance partner. This suggests Mary’s loneliness and her isolation from her peers.

Quotations for ‘Hieroglyphics’ 2

Quotation / Technique / Explanation and Effect
(p.8) / Simile / This simile compares the modernity of Kelly’s teaching methods to Biblical events; the Ark meaning the Ark in the story of Noah’s Ark. This pre-dated ancient Egypt and suggests that his teaching is extremely dull, boring and out of touch with current times.
“aw ye did wis write write, write till yererm felt like a big balloon...”
(pp. 8 – 9)
“Ma writin looked a bit like wee scarab beetles scurryinaboot the page and when he corrected it, it wis as if the wee beetles hud aw startitbleedin.”
(p.9)
“And then wan day ah couldnae take it oany longer.”
(p.9) / Turning point.
“Aw they different kinds of haunwritin; squinty, straight, big or wee, different sizes and shapes on the page”
(p.10) / Mary realises that everyone in her class is different.
“So ah drew a wee picture of maselwi a cheery face on it, pit ma story right on tap ae the pile and planted the whole lot doon in the centre of his desk.”
(p.11) / Conclusion.
Shows Mary’s strength.
Shows that Mary is proud of her work.
Character / How they treat Mary/ Effect of this treatment / Quotations to support this
Mary’s mother
“Mammy” / Unsupportive.
Believes Mary’s difficulty with reading is because she is not applying any effort.
The primary teacher is clearly trying to point out that there is a “genuine difficulty” preventing Mary from progressing; however, the abrupt interruptions from her mother suggests that she blames Mary for her lack of progress.
The fact that Mary recalls the words of her mother many years after the event demonstrates how much of an influence her mother’s lack of support had on her.
Makes the reader feel sympathy for Mary. / “She’s lazy, ye mean.”
“She’s eight year auld an she canny read nor write yet.”
“Ma mammy thoat ah wis daft, no daft exactly...”
Support for Learning teacher
The “RemmyWummin” / “She wis nice tae me at furst but then when ah couldnaedae the hings she wisgeein me she began tae get a bit scunnered. A hink she thoat A wis lazy...”
Her P7 teacher
Miss Mackay / Pleasant towards Mary
Patronising
Most teachers in secondary school / Feel sorry for Mary.
Miss Niven / Nice/Kind to Mary
Although kind to Mary and making her feel special she doesn’t actually make an effort to teach her or help her overcome her problems.
Mr. Kelly
“Skelly” / Bullies Mary
Makes Mary feel embarrassed and humiliated. / “Ah wis mortified, pure mortified”