North Coat Town- Robert Gray Analysis
North Coast Town – Poem Analysis
The poem is set on the north coast of New South Wales. In Stanza 1, the persona is out beside the highway attempting to catch a ride. ‘Nothing much in my pockets but sand from the beach,’ this suggests that the man slept on the beach the night and that it was pretty common for it to have occurred. The word ‘nothing’ is negative and is a sign of worthlessness. A Shell station is located near by as long as a hamburger stand both closed. The two utilities both represent the need to use the restroom and his hunger from not eating anything, as he could not afford anything. Just from stanza 1, readers can get the idea that this man is a hitchhiker. This demonstrates the life of these hitchhikers and how they would get through life day after day.
In Stanza 2, the man washes himself up at a tap where he steps into mud, as there is always mud at taps. ‘Vandals Lavatory’, Grey uses the word ‘Vandal’ as he does not appreciate people vandalizing the streets to ruin the beauty of the Australian Coast Lines. The persona flushes the toilet and gets a chill whilst flushing, it’s the use of an actual toilet that gives him this chill as hitchhikers if not able to find a nearby toilet will often go in a bush. In Stanza 3, the man eats a floury apple, which he supposedly found in a supermarket bin where you find ruined goods. Grey uses personification ‘At this kerb sand crawls by’ to demonstrate that it was almost like the path was covered in sand moving slowly from the light wind about. ‘Car after car now-its like a boxer warming up with the heavy bag, spitting air’ the cars on the street are busy going somewhere. The use of simile is comparing the cars to a boxing match, how dangerous and violent of each car passing is like a punch by a boxer.
In Stanza 4, a car slows down and the man chases after it getting himself a ride. Two cars going shooting. Plastic pennants are everywhere, totally artificial and suggest high pressure selling by
The poem is set on the north coast of New South Wales. In Stanza 1, the persona is out beside the highway attempting to catch a ride. ‘Nothing much in my pockets but sand from the beach,’ this suggests that the man slept on the beach the night and that it was pretty common for it to have occurred. The word ‘nothing’ is negative and is a sign of worthlessness. A Shell station is located near by as long as a hamburger stand both closed. The two utilities both represent the need to use the restroom and his hunger from not eating anything, as he could not afford anything. Just from stanza 1, readers can get the idea that this man is a hitchhiker. This demonstrates the life of these hitchhikers and how they would get through life day after day.
In Stanza 2, the man washes himself up at a tap where he steps into mud, as there is always mud at taps. ‘Vandals Lavatory’, Grey uses the word ‘Vandal’ as he does not appreciate people vandalizing the streets to ruin the beauty of the Australian Coast Lines. The persona flushes the toilet and gets a chill whilst flushing, it’s the use of an actual toilet that gives him this chill as hitchhikers if not able to find a nearby toilet will often go in a bush. In Stanza 3, the man eats a floury apple, which he supposedly found in a supermarket bin where you find ruined goods. Grey uses personification ‘At this kerb sand crawls by’ to demonstrate that it was almost like the path was covered in sand moving slowly from the light wind about. ‘Car after car now-its like a boxer warming up with the heavy bag, spitting air’ the cars on the street are busy going somewhere. The use of simile is comparing the cars to a boxing match, how dangerous and violent of each car passing is like a punch by a boxer.
In Stanza 4, a car slows down and the man chases after it getting himself a ride. Two cars going shooting. Plastic pennants are everywhere, totally artificial and suggest high pressure selling by