In his 1978 poem ‘Long Distance’ Tony Harrison describes his father’s difficulties in
coming to terms with his wife’s death and the emotions Harrison himself experiences
upon the death his father. To arrive at this interpretation after reading the poem is, by
all means, a valid insight. It would, however, be a pity to be contented with this
alone. For such a reading does probably not allow for the rhetoric means to be fully
appreciated to which Harrison reverted to communicate his poem successfully.
Furthermore, the way in which the reader experiences the poem, as well as how it
affects the reader would not find consideration. In short – the poem’s texture would
not be accounted for. The following analysis, based on my own natural reading,
attempts to describe and explain the texture of Harrison’s poem.
As is to be expected, the first stanza of the poem has a distinct effect on the
reader. For one, this is because the level of concentration is still high. More
importantly, however, the first stanza of the poem presents the reader with an
appealing text world. Foremost, the agent of the sentence is human, namely the
narrator’s father. A human agent, in a way, provides the reader with the possibility to
interact mentally with or develop sentiments towards him. Stockwell (2009: 25)
illustrates this with his empathetic recognisability scale on which human agents rank
highest. Besides this, the line initial positioning and, somewhat obvious,
capitalization of the word ‘Dad’ (l. 2) attract the reader’s attention. Furthermore, the
actions described are all in the active voice and literally convey motion, which will
appear more intense to a reader which Stockwell (2009: 25) terms activeness. Lastly,
the objects described in the first stanza, ‘slippers’, ‘bottles’, and ‘transport pass’
(ll. 2, 3, 4 respectively), all form good attractors as they are concrete, very ordinary
objects to which every reader ought to be able to relate easily. Together, these three
factors ensure that the first stanza remains fairly prominent in the reader’s mind
throughout the reading of the poem.[...]
Table of Contents
1. Analysis of Tony Harrison’s Long Distance
2. Natural reading of ‘Long Distance’ by Tony Harrison
Objectives and Topics
This academic analysis utilizes the framework of cognitive stylistics to examine the textual texture and reader response to Tony Harrison’s 1978 poem "Long Distance," focusing on how structural and linguistic choices evoke emotional resonance and sympathy.
- Application of Peter Stockwell’s cognitive stylistic principles (attractors, text world, noisiness).
- Examination of stanza-by-stanza reader engagement and emotional progression.
- Analysis of the shift from third-person description to first-person narrative intensity.
- Investigation of how "belief worlds" and specific vocabulary shape the reader’s understanding of grief and loss.
Excerpt from the Book
Analysis of Tony Harrison’s Long Distance
As is to be expected, the first stanza of the poem has a distinct effect on the reader. For one, this is because the level of concentration is still high. More importantly, however, the first stanza of the poem presents the reader with an appealing text world. Foremost, the agent of the sentence is human, namely the narrator’s father. A human agent, in a way, provides the reader with the possibility to interact mentally with or develop sentiments towards him. Stockwell (2009: 25) illustrates this with his empathetic recognisability scale on which human agents rank highest. Besides this, the line initial positioning and, somewhat obvious, capitalization of the word ‘Dad’ (l. 2) attract the reader’s attention. Furthermore, the actions described are all in the active voice and literally convey motion, which will appear more intense to a reader which Stockwell (2009: 25) terms activeness. Lastly, the objects described in the first stanza, ‘slippers’, ‘bottles’, and ‘transport pass’ (ll. 2, 3, 4 respectively), all form good attractors as they are concrete, very ordinary objects to which every reader ought to be able to relate easily. Together, these three factors ensure that the first stanza remains fairly prominent in the reader’s mind throughout the reading of the poem.
Summary of Chapters
Analysis of Tony Harrison’s Long Distance: This chapter provides a detailed stylistic breakdown of the poem's four stanzas, analyzing how specific linguistic devices and cognitive triggers guide the reader's emotional journey from detached observation to personal revelation.
Natural reading of ‘Long Distance’ by Tony Harrison: This section presents a list of mnemonic recall and immediate reactive insights, documenting the subjective reading experience before formal analysis.
Keywords
Cognitive Stylistics, Tony Harrison, Long Distance, Text World, Attractors, Empathetic Recognisability, Activeness, Noisiness, Reader Response, Poetry Analysis, Grief, Texture, Linguistic Analysis, Belief Worlds, Literary Intensity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this work?
The work is a cognitive stylistic analysis of Tony Harrison’s poem "Long Distance," exploring how the poem’s structure and language create an emotional "texture" that affects the reader.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The central themes include the psychological process of coming to terms with death, the nature of grief, and the emotional connection between a parent and a child.
What is the primary goal of this research?
The primary goal is to move beyond a surface-level interpretation of the poem and explain how specific rhetorical and linguistic choices successfully communicate the narrator's experience to the reader.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The analysis utilizes Peter Stockwell’s cognitive poetics framework, focusing on concepts like text worlds, attractors, aesthetic distance, and the empathetic recognisability scale.
What is covered in the main section?
The main section provides a stanza-by-stanza examination of the poem, tracing how the reader's focus is guided by textual clues, tense changes, and the shift from third-person description to the first-person narrator.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Cognitive Stylistics, Text World, Attractors, Reader Response, and Aesthetic Distance.
How does the transition to the first-person narrator change the poem's effect?
The shift to the first-person "I" in the fourth stanza draws the reader closer to the action and provides a "moment of payoff," revealing the deeper, hidden truth of the narrator’s loss.
What role does the "phone book" play in the final stanza?
The "phone book" serves as an important anchor that, when juxtaposed with the "disconnected number," forces the reader to realize that the narrator’s father has also died, connecting the current scene to the poem's previous context.
- Quote paper
- Rajanikanta Das (Author), 2010, Cognitive Stylistic Analysis of Tony Harrison's Poem "Long Distance", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/197112
