What Is The Internal Conflict In Catrin

In Gillian Clarke’s poems “Catrin” and “Babysitting” conflict is presented as not only externally but also internally. The poem “Catrin” depicts the significant birth of Clarke’s daughter as well as the conflict between the two, once the daughter has grown up. The poem “Babysitting” illustrates Clarke’s internal conflict of emotions towards the baby.

In the poem “Catrin” conflict is externally presented between Clarke and her daughter. Clarke firstly describes her personal birth to the readers, she provided vivid images of the physical strains as well as the emotional strain that takes a toll on her. The “hot, white room” provides readers with a clinical and suffocating image of her giving birth which emulates the physical strain that she

When Clarke has the vocal conflict with her now 11 year old daughter, there is not only conflict between the two over skating but also the internal conflict within Clarke between the safety concerns and having fun. The significant birth may explain why Clarke is opposed to letting her daughter skate “In the dark, for one more hour” as she wants to protect her because of how much she means to her, and doesn’t want her to get hurt in any way. Although Clarke would love to let her daughter have fun, she cannot ignore the safety concerns which ultimately creates conflict between the two when the daughter doesn’t understand why. Birth is also a physical conflict to be separated from each other, “the tight red rope of love which we both fought over” conveys how both sides are physically fighting over the womb and the use of the inclusive pronoun “we” expresses that they are one. Clarke’s use of inclusive pronouns such as “we” and “ourselves” changes into the accusatory exclusive pronoun of “you” and “your”, now that her

Immediately readers are provided with an unsettling setting of “a strange room” and it is almost as if Clarke is unwelcomed at the home she is babysitting at. Straight away readers can feel a disconnection between Clarke and the baby, this may be because it is not her own child so she doesn’t have the connection she feels with her daughter seen in “Catrin” but she is being completely honest and not hiding behind a facade about how she feels . The repeated use of “I” separates Clarke from the baby as well separating herself from the societal pressure of liking kids, even though this baby has done nothing yet she is already isolated from her. Clarke describes the baby as “fair” and “a perfectly acceptable child”, even though these are praises towards her, there is a cold tone which conveys her lack of emotion to the child and further presents her disconnection. We see Clarke’s internal conflict of how to feel towards the child as she hasn’t actually done anything for Clarke to dislike her but she also breaks the societal norm of liking children. The use of repetition in “she will…” shows that it is inevitable for the baby to hate Clarke and there will be conflict between them, but this is all Clarke’s imagination as the baby is still asleep,this shows a sense of self loathing as she does not give herself a chance. Clarke’s use of enjambment and