Analysis of the poem and some tasks to get you thinking about the effect of the poem.

1. Tuesday 31st January 2012
Learning Objective:
To be able to formulate and explore
interpretations and support them with apt
quotations.
Must: C Should: B Could: A
Starter: What are your initial interpretations
about the poem ‘In Paris with You’?
Write these on the post it note and stick to the
wall.

2. Consolidation of the poem
• In Pairs with You is a poem about love
and regret. Paris, a city traditionally
associated with love and romance, is the
poem’s setting but Fenton substitutes
the clichés of love poetry with the
description of two people in a neglected
Parisian hotel room. The persona
describes the lover, the room and his
confused emotions. The poem has a light
hearted but sensuous mood.

3. Mood and Tone
• Using the words below how would you
describe the mood and tone of the
poem. Amused
confused
Happy Sad Mournful
Excited
Melancholi
c Angry
Reflective
Regretful Bored
Write 3 sentences explaining how the
speaker feels about being in Paris with this
person.

4. • The poem contrasts reality with the
fantasy of love. The poem explores the
consequences of love. How it is How far do
difficult to trust and love again after you agree
with this
bad experiences. The speaker seems and why?
to reject all the ‘traditional
expectations’ of love in search of the
reality. The speaker wants a ‘real’
relationship that exposes the faults
rather than Romantic gestures. The
poem takes the reader through the
journey of trusting/ being part of a
relationship again.

5. Colloquial language
Severe tone. Use of a
suggesting the pain
negative imperative.
caused through
Immediately removes the
words.
preconception of a romantic
poem
Don’t talk to me of love. I’ve had an earful
And I get tearful when I’ve downed a
drink or two. Suggests the emotional pain. Change of tone from
Alliteration of
I’m one of your talking wounded.
comical to sad
the ‘d’
highlighting
I’m a hostage. I’m maroonded. the tragedy.
Love causing
But I’m in Paris with you. drinking and
the need to
Self realisation forget.
that actually she
is prepared to Metaphor suggests the
Metaphor showing
her feelings. risk the pain pain that words cause.
Does not actually again. Play on ‘walking wounded’
want to be there. Image of a war victim.

6. Considering his feelings.
Unusual language.
Comical.
Yes I’m angry at the way I’ve been bamboozled
And resentful at the mess I’ve been through.
I admit I’m on the rebound An air of
acquiescence.
And I don’t care where are we bound. Anger is
I’m in Paris with you. subsiding.
Repetition of the last line First mention
omitting the ‘but’ showing of ‘we’ as a
acceptance. couple
instead of
‘you’

7. Interesting description. Unconventional. A
Colloquial. Implies that conceit. Does not
she wants a different want to accept the
relationship. conventional
relationships.
Do you mind if we do not go to the Louvre,
If we say sod off to sodding Notre Dame,
If we skip the Champs Elysées
And remain here in this sleazy
Old hotel room Contrasting with
Doing this and that the typical
stereotype of
To what and whom Paris.
Learning who you are, Again a
stereotypical image.
Learning what I am. Room suggests
Repetition of their intentions. sexual relationship
Not just a physical and sordid affair.
relationship.

8. Repetition of the opening line Paris becomes a
of the poem. metaphor for their
relationship. Developed
in the last stanza.
Don’t talk to me of love. Let’s talk of
Paris, Suggestion
that love is
The little bit of Paris in our view. obtainable and
within reach.
There’s that crack across the ceiling couplet.
Rhyming
And the hotel walls are peeling their crumpling
Further evidence of
environment.
And I’m in Paris with you. Metaphorically
symbolic of the light
entering their
Repetition. The addition of relationship as they
get to know each
‘And’ associates the partner other.
with the crumbling room.
Could be interpreted as a
comparison or a criticism of
their relationship.

9. Repetition of imperative.
Could suggest the lover’s irritation at
Reminder that the speaker does their closeness. Linked to the
not wish to put a name/ hostage image from first stanza. Or
categorise the relationship. builds on from the metaphor of Paris
representing their relationship and
their growing closeness.
Don’t talk to me of love. Let’s talk of Paris.
I’m in Paris with the slightest thing you do.
I’m in Paris with your eyes, your mouth,
Sexual
I’m in Paris with… all points south. innuendo
Am I embarrassing you? playing on
the image
I’m in Paris with you. of
travelling.
Again
contrasts
Final line. The poem ends with the
with a resolution possibly to Pre-empts the
reader’s
expectation
pursue the relationship. It
shows acceptance of their embarrassment. of praise
situation and relationship. It Directly addresses for their
is unclear whether the beauty.
the lover’s feelings.
speaker is happy.

10. The Language of the Poem
The speaker seems to the reader?
have had a bad
experience in his past.
How can you tell this? Conflict
What vocabulary in the
poem suggests pain and
disorder?
How does the first
person narrative affect

11. The Structure What do you notice
of the Poem about the line lengths
and stanza shapes?
How do they affect
your reading of the
poem?
What do you notice
about the rhyme
scheme? How does the
rhyme scheme affect
the rhythm?

12. Using Point, Evidence and
Explain/Analysis/Explore
• Answer the following question:
EXPLORE HOW FENTON
USES SETTING IN HIS
POEM TO REFLECT THE
PERSONA’S EMOTIONS
ABOUT LOVE.

13. • Fenton chooses the setting of Paris because of its
initial associations and connections with love. The
title of the poem ‘In Paris with you’ further adds to
the reader’s initial impressions of a close, adoring
relationship. However it is apparent after the
opening line that the speaker wishes to break free
from the conventions and constraints of a romantic
love affair. ‘Don’t talk to me of love’ a thought later
revisited in the last stanza. The use of the
imperative ‘Don’t’ reveals a strong independent
desire to rewrite the rules of their relationship.
Fenton’s Paris is the ideal setting for this because
he explores the ‘real Paris’ through the dirty, tired
‘hotel room with paint ‘peeling’. The reader is
encouraged to follow his example and search for
the desirable realities in their relationship
underneath the glossy surface of the romantic
gestures. Through setting his poem in Paris, Fenton
prompts the reader to subvert the recognised
stereotypes of love.

14. Peer Assessment
• Assess the candidates use of quotations
to support, explanation of ideas,
relevance of the opinions expressed.
Provide STRs and EBIs please.
What are you looking for from an A*-B
answer?

15. Comparing Poems
• If you had to include some top tips for
comparing ideas what would they be?
Write them on a post it note to give to
someone else in the room.

16. •Introduce the poems by making a simple
statement about a common theme, style or
other characteristic.
•In the exam, you will be given the focus of
your task.
•Now choose one of the poems to begin your
analysis.
•In the exam, you will be given the poem to
start your comparison.

17. Write about the first poem &
then the second
• What is it concerned with? Write a paragraph
giving a brief idea of what the poet is trying
to tell the audience.
• Look at the style of the poem. Write two or
three paragraphs showing how and why the
poet uses form, language, imagery, rhyme and
tone to achieve effects.

18. Look at the two poems together.
• Compare similarities of theme, style, etc.
• Contrast where they are different.
• Respond personally to the poems by saying
what you did or did not like about each.
• Finally, say which you found more effective.
Give full reasons for your choice.
• Remember to P.E.E. at every opportunity!

19. Compare how poets present love
in ‘Hour’ and one other poem from
‘Relationships’.
•Introduce the poems by making a simple
statement about a common theme.
theme.
•Now choose one of the poems to begin your
analysis.
use ‘Hour’

20. • Introduce the poems.
• Write briefly about the first.
• Look at the style of the first.
• Write briefly about the second.
• Look at the style of the second.
• Compare and contrast the two poems.
• Respond personally to them.
• P.E.E. throughout.

21. How have we met this objective
today?
• To be able to formulate and explore
interpretations and support them with
apt quotations.