WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LULU?

CHARLES CAUSLEY

What has happened to Lulu, mother?

What has happened to Lu?

There’s nothing in her bed but an old rag-doll

And by its side a shoes.

Why her window wide, mother,

The curtain flapping free,

And only circle on the dusty shelf

Where her money-box used to be?

Why do you turn your head, mother,

And why do the tear-drops fall?

And why do you crumple that note on the fire

And say it is nothing at all?

I woke to voice last night,

I heard an engine roar.

Why do you tell me the things I heard

Were a dream and nothing more?

I heard somebody cry, mother,

In anger or in pain,

But now I ask you why ,mother,

You say it was a gust of rain.

Why do you wander about as though

You don’t know what to do?

What has happened to Lulu, mother?

What has happened to Lu?

POEM ANALYSIS

ELEMENT OF THE POEM

SETTING

Place : Probably England – based on the word ‘money-box’ which is commonly used by the British, Lulu’s room, fireplace.

Time : Some time in the past

PERSONA

·         An observant, inquisitive, and precocious child

·         Either the younger sister of brother of Lulu, the main subject of the poem

THEMES

·         The end of childhood and loss of innocence

·         Parent-child relationship

·         Grief and love

MESSAGES

·         We should seek help in the face of challenges

·         Families should be havens of love and understanding

·         Be open and honest with children

MORAL VALUES

·         Love and appreciation

·         Obedience and respect

·         Honesty

·         Freedom and responsibility

TONE AND MOOD

·         Tone : confusion

·         Mood : sadness, irony

LANGUAGE AND STYLE

·         Written in six stanzas of four lines each; second and fourth lines rhyme

·         Regular and simple form fits the voice of the narrator/persona, a young child

·         Literary devices : rhetorical questions, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia, contrast, symbolism.

THE POET : CHARLES CAUSLEY

·        He was born in 1917 in Launceston, England and died in 2003.

·        His first play Runaway was published when he was nineteen. Besides poetry Causley also wrote articles, short stories, plays and opera librettos.

·        In 1958. Causley became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded a CBE in 1986. Thereafter, he received more awards and became a notable figure on poetry.

OVERVIEW OF ‘WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LULU’

·        The poem tell the story of a mother grieving because her elder sister daughter, Lulu has run away.

·        Observant and curious about tell-tale signs of a hasty getaway, the child narrator questions her mother about the incident in a series of rhetorical questions.

·        The mother is distraught and tells her child a series of lies

MEANING OF LINES

STANZA 1

The persona is questioning her mother about the mysterious and sudden disappearance of Lulu. Two pieces of Lulu’s childhood have been left – an old rag-doll and a shoe.

STANZA 2

The persona observes that the windows are open wide and the curtain are ‘flapping free’ in the wind. The persona notices the ‘dusty shelf’ where ‘her money used to be’.

STANZA 3

The persona asks the mother why she is hiding her tears. The mother crumples up a note (most probably from Lulu) and throws it into the fire. Then, mother tells her child that ‘It is nothing at all’, but the persona disbelieve her.

STANZA 4

The persona tells that she was awakened by ‘voice late last night’ and heard the sounds of an ‘engine roar’, probably a car starting up and being driven away. The mother says that the child was only dreaming.

STANZA 5

Undaunted, the persona insist that she had heard someone cry ‘in anger or in pain’. The mother says it was just ‘a gust of rain’.

STANZA 6

Puzzled about the mother‘s distraught behaviour, the child narrator wants to know why the mother is pacing about, uncertain what to do. The use of ‘Lu’ in lines 2 and 24 is an affectionate shortened form of ‘Lulu’.

ELEMENT OF THE POEM

SETTING

PLACE

·         Probably England as indicated by the ‘money-box’ which is typically British.

·         Lulu’s room, the fireplace

TIME

·         Some time in the past

PERSONA

·        The ballad is recounted from the unlimited is either the younger sister or brother of Lulu

·        The persona is observant, inquisitive and precocious – asks question bout Lulu based on sharp observation of Lulu’s room and the mother’s distraught behaviour.

·        Through the child’s voice, the reader is drawn to make intelligent conclusions about the drama in the poem.

THEMES

The end of childhood and the loss of innocence

Ø  Lulu is probably a young teenager based on the tell-tale signs in her room: ‘old rag-doll’, ‘shoe’. Lulu probably ran away based on the note that her mother crumpled and threw into the fireplace. The missing ‘money-box’ suggests Lulu took her savings to start a new life with a man who drove her off with ‘an engine roar’. Lulu has left her childhood behind – literally and emotionally. The ‘dusty shelf’ suggests the end of childhood and she embraces her new-found freedom (‘window wide’, ‘curtain flapping free’).

Parent-child relationship

Ø  The mother–Lulu relationship could have been a sense and strained one. Lulu, a rebellious teenager, perhaps dislikes her mother’s restrictions on her freedom and emerging interest in the opposite sex. She keeps secrets from her mother, especially her relationship with boys or men.

Ø  The mother-child narrator relationship is less dramatic. The child is obedient and respectful towards ‘mother’ (not ‘mummy’, a more affectionate term). The narrator loves mother very much and observes her pain and distress.

Grief and love

Ø  Grief over the loss of a loved one through death, separation or an elopement is difficult to deal with. The ones left behind can feel empty, lost and depressed or go through denial. In the poem, the mother is grieving over the loss of her child, Lulu.

   Love binds parent and children. The mother clearly loves Lulu. She could have harshly disciplined the girl to guide and protect her.  The mother might feel regret for this. Lulu’s running away causes her anguish and she tries to deal with her pain. The child loves the sister, calling her by the pet name ‘Lu’ and is worried about the sudden disappearance of the elder sister.

MESSAGES

We should seek help in the face of challenges

Ø   The child narrator’s mother is depressed over the disappearance of her daughter, Lulu. Instead of seeking help, she crumples her  daughter’s note and throws it into the fire, saying ‘it is nothing at all’ even as her ‘tear-drops fall’

Ø  If we are confronted by problems or crises, we must be optimistic and seek help from those we can trust. For example, there are the Befrienders who can listen to us and help us find solutions.

Families should be havens of love and understanding

Ø  We can infer that there is love in the family of the persona but it may not always be openly expressed because of problems or circumstances. Love is expressed in verbal and non-verbal ways, and we must not tae family members for granted.

Ø  Children must understand that their parents have their best interests in mind. Parent are more mature, so it is their duty to lead and guide children.

Be open and honest with children

Ø  Perhaps Lulu finally shares her honest thought in the note.

Ø  Parents need to be open an honest with their children instead of lying, evading or dismissing queries and observations as the mother does in the poem. Children might learn the same way of communication from parents.  

 MORAL VALUES

Love and appreciation

      Both parents and children should express love and appreciation in tangible and non-tangible ways. This help to build a loving, united family.

Obedience and respect

      Children have to be obedient and respect their parents who brought them into this world. Children owe this to their parents who sacrifice a lot for their sake.

Honesty

      Honesty is important for creating basic trust and thus a more loving, harmonious home. Children must also be honest with their parents. Keeping secrets especially in making important life choices can have a negative consequences. 

Freedom and responsibility

      Parents have their right to curb the freedom of their children as they are their providers, carers and life teachers. Children must also realise that freedom comes with responsibility. Boundaries are necessary for their own safety.

TONE AND MOOD

Confusion

      This is reflected in the voice of the persona who questions why the mother give evasive replies or tell white lies

Sadness

      A mood of regret pervade the poem. We see this in the plaintive questions of the child, the mother’s tear and distraught actions which betray her sense of loss and regret.

Irony

      There is an undertone of irony in the child’s persistent and pointed questions which put the reader in the position of the child. The mother denies that anything is wrong, thinking that her younger child is unwary of her lies.

LANGUAGE AND STYLE

      The poem has six stanzas with four lines each. The second and fourth lines rhyme.

      It has a regular and simple rhyme form befitting the voice of the narrator, a young child. This simple, direct form suggest the child’s innocence.

LANGUAGE AND STYLE

LITERARY DEVICE

Rhetorical questions

      The rhetorical questions (which provide no answers) of the child narrator, the key one in the title, are the same questions which readers are also asking.

      The innocent and direct questions give us clue about what has happened. Thus, readers are challenged to read between the lines.

Imagery

      Empty bed with an old rag-doll, a shoe and missing money-box stress the innocence and youth of Lulu (stanza 1, lines 3-4 and stanza 2, line 4)

      ‘window wide’, ’flapping free’ (stanza 2, lines 1-2)

      ‘circle on the dusty shelf…money-box used to be’ – a tell-tale sign that Lulu fled with her money (stanza 2, lines 3-4)

      ‘engine roar’ (stanza 4, line 1-2)  

      ‘somebody cry…pain’ (stanza 5, lines 1-2)

      ‘tear-drops fall’, ‘crumple that note on the fire’, ‘wander about’ – images of the mother’s grief and distress.

Alliteration

      The alliteration of the ‘w’ sound in ‘window wide’ (stanza 2, line 5) emphasises the new, vast world out there awaiting Lulu.

Onomatopoeia

      ‘flapping tree’ – imitates the sound of a bird’s wings as it flies freely in the skies, symbolic of freedom

      ‘an engine roar’ – suggests the anger, abruptness and speeding away of the car that carried Lulu away.

Contrast

      The child’s innocence and openness in her questions and observations is contrasted with the evasion and lying of the mother.

Symbolism

      ‘an old rag-doll’, ‘a shoe’, ‘money-box’ symbolise Lulu’s innocence and abandoned childhood.

      ‘window wide’ and curtains ‘flapping tree’ symbolise Lulu’s and new-found freedom.

DEAR MR.KILMER (By Anne Schraff)

CHAPTER 1

   Early morning during the above freezing February air, Richard Knight, Gus and Pa went to deer hunting. Pa hopes that Richard will shoot his first deer on that da. However, Richard purposely misfired to avoid killing the beautiful young buck.

   

   When asked by his Pa, Richard explained to Pa that he did not have the right to kill the animals. Richard felt satisfied after he shared his feeling with Pa. Pa confessed that he grieved every time he shot an animal. There was a look in his eyes, maybe he was remembering his wife or his brother, Roland who was killed in a war in Cuba.

   Gus tried to encourage his brother to be more sociable and scolding him for missing the shot. He suggested Richard join baseball when the school reopened. Gus was active in sports meanwhile Richard loves farming.

 After dinner, Pa and Gus started talk about sports. Richard went to the kitchen to help his sister Angie who has taking care of the house after their mother die. Richard went to his room, and took a piece of paper and pen and started writing a poem about ‘How a Deer been killed and he put in the drawer on top of other poems and he did not want anyone to know about it.  

CHAPTER 2

   The snow has come to an end. The school has started again in the month of April, America declares war on Germany. One morning, Richard’s English teacher, Mrs Hansen tells the class that a famous poet, Joyce Kilmer has just volunteered for army service in the ongoing world war. She reads a poem entitled “Tree” written by Joyce Kilmer to the class. Some students think poems are for sissies, but Richard is fascinated by the beauty of  the simple poem . Mrs Hansen explains that poets are not sissies and gives some example of poets are not sissies and gives example of poets who join the army.

   Richard borrows Mrs Hansen poetry book by Joyce Kilmer and secretly jotted down the New York  Time editors office address . On the way back home, Richard meets Hannah Schermers, the pretty girl of German crying in the hallway because someone had scrawled the words “dirty hun” on her book cover. Richard confronts his classmate who then reveal their hatred toward Germans and consider Hannah as one of their enemy.

   At home, Richard  read the books he borrows from Mrs Hansen . There he decides to write to Mr.Kilmer, he introduces himself and tells him that he likes his simple poems and shares about his secret poetry writing. He asks for Mr.Kilmer’s advice whether he should keep it as a secret. He sents the letter to the New York Times.   

CHAPTER 3

  

   A terrible incident has happen at the tavern own by Hannah Schermers parents. It has been vandalised. To instill good values among the students, Mrs Hansen encourage her students to sign a card to express their sympathy and regret for Hannah and her family. Mrs Hansen was shocked at the protest by more vocal students and the culture of fear created by the class bullies which stop some sincere students from signing.

   In the end, only Richard sign the card. Richard action causes the student taunt him for supporting the Germans. Richard approaches his teacher and asked the card and he want to personally deliver it to the Schermers.

   On his way, Richard was attacked by Abner and Harry but he manages to win the fight. Before proceed to the Schermers, Richard add some nice words on the card. At the tavern, Richard was shock with its condition. He passes the card to a sad and reluctant Hannah. Richard feels terrible as he walks home and keep pondering about the people of Turtle Lake On his way home, he climbs an old oak tree to watch a train pass by. He sees passenger happily travelling. As he reaches home, Angie running unexpectedly towards him with news that he has received a letter from New York. It is from Joyce Kilmer!!

CHAPTER 4

   Richard is thrilled to receive the letter  from a famous poet. Joyce Kilmer letter to Richard consists simple answer and advice. He encourages him to pursue his poetic dreams with courage and confidence. He invites Richard to write again and sent him one of his poem.

   Richard shared his letter with his family during  dinner. He tries to be braved to share about his poems writing but he was disappointed because they do not know Joyce Kilmer. Pa was surprise when Richard told him he writes poem, but he did not interested to read them. So do Gus and Angie.

   Richard  went to his room to reply Mr.Kilmer’s letter. Gus comes to the room and teases Richard on his sissy poems. Gus also advises him to try to fit in with his friends.

   Next morning, Richard goes to see Mrs Hansen to tell about the letter. She is very impressed. Richard shows her a few of his favourite poems and she helps to select one to sent to Mr.Kilmer. Mrs Hansen encourages him to share the letter to the class but Richard is not ready yet. Richard meets Hannah right after he comes out from Mrs Hanse room. She apologises to Richard for her rudeness last time they met. She also shares her feeling and problems with Richard. Richard climb the oak tree again and sees the train with a load of merry soldiers on their way to war. Richard is sad thing about Mr.Kilmer and Otto, Hannah’s brother.  

CHAPTER 5

   It was the end of the school and Richard shared Mr.Kilmer’s letter to the class. After a mixed response from the students, Richard reads the second letter from Mr.Kilmer which he shares about his family, his training and his posting in France. He also praises Richard poetic talents. This time the class hushed up and some find new respect for Richard. Richard is relieved that his secret that his secret is out.

   Mrs Hansen wants Richard to read the poem his going to send to Mr.Kilmer which is about soldiers going to war. Hannah suggests idea for the last line and Richard gladly adopts it.

   In history class, Mr Higby described about the current battle. He explains that the terms Huns is not related to present-day German. Mr Highby also reminded his class to keep abreast of war during the summer holiday.

    During the summer, Richard works on the family farm. He enjoy horseback riding and herding the cattle. He also noticed that his father was always unhappy. One night, he wrote a poem about his Pa and very pleased with his word.

   Richard received a  reply from Mr.Kilmer. He praised Richard’s poem on the soldiers and he also comments on President’s Wilson dreams about that this war will end all war.

CHAPTER 6

   Richard and Kilmer  exchanged a number of letter throughout the summer, Richard sents a poem with each letter and always delighted to receive encouragement and suggestion for improvement . In early September, Kilmer told Richard that he had finally arrived in France. Richard was hoping that the war would end before Mr.Kilmer went to Europe.

   School started again, Mrs Hansen announced a plan to hold a patriotic programme to help sell Liberty Bonds, which helped finance to war. The show will involve music and singing war songs. The most special part is a boy and a girl will be chosen to play the role of Lady Liberty and Doughboy wearing a soldier’s uniform. The main roles will be played by the boy and girl who writes the best essays. Each student secretly dreamed of playing the roles.

   Richard wrote about his idea to exchange letters between students and  soldiers oversea to help overcome the feeling  of  lonely and homesick. Futhermore, the students can learn what life at the front was like.

   A few days later, Mrs Hansen announced the winner. Richard and Hannah won and get the roles. They read their essays in front of the class, but when it was Hannah’s turn, no one applause. Except Richard.         

CHAPTER 7

   Next day at school, Mrs Hansen told the class, Hannah declined the role. When Richard asked Hannah, why, she said she saw how everybody reacted. So she withdrew to avoid causing people more pain. To show his support, Richard also gives up the role of Doughboy. He dislikes the mean, biased behaviour of his friends. After school, Richard and Hannah walk home and spend a happy time together.

   The next day, Mrs Hansen announces the name of students for the role. Although being insult  by his schoolmates, Richard do not bother. Hannah invites Richard to her house for supper that night. Richard inform Gus to tell Pa that he would not be home for dinner. Gus also made harsh comments toward Richard about the incident that day. It seem that everyone heard the news already.

   Richard spends a delightful evening with the Schermers. He was fascinated by their culture, learning and travelling. He is thrilled when Hannah’s parents tell him that he is always welcome in their home.

   When he returns home, Pa is waiting on the garden swing and said they need to talk!

  

CHAPTER 8

   Pa told Richard that Abner’s father come by and the accused Richard for being unpatriotic and supported the Germans. Pa wants Richard  not to be contrary with the ordinary to feel. He blames Richrd ‘s poetry fill his head with foolish ideas. Pa word almost make Richard cry.

   At school, most students ignore Richard and make malicious comments from time to time. He spend more time with Hannah and her family. The Schermers seem to understand him more.

   Richard receives a sad letter from Mr.Kilmer who misses his family during Chrismast. To cheer him up, They send Hsnnah’s bake cookies  and a scarf knit by Hannah’s mother. Mr.Kilmer writes that he really appreciates it.

   In History class, Mr Highby announces a major victory  over Central Power, and this brings happy mood to the class.

   They end with a picnic for everyone by the lake. Richard date Hannah. They talk about the places that Hannah had been. Richard hopes he has the chances to visit the places too. They also share their worries about the war.

   Richard carves a heart shape with the initial R and H on an oak tree. Suddenly, someone from the bushes fling a stone at Hanna’s foot and cause it to bleed – Another reminder of the reality of war and prejudice.

    

CHAPTER 9

   Pa was dismayed when Gus announced that he was enlisted and chosen for the army. He will go for basic training the next day. Pa accused him of being lazy and this is just an excuse to run away from the farm duties.

   Pa’s angry outburst and relate about his brother, who was killed in Cuba  silences Gus. Richard tried to talk to Gus but he refused to listen. Before leaving, Gus tried to talk to his father, but he was unresponsive. Richard begins to understand Hannah’s worry about her brother Otto, who join army earlier. Pa is more silent  after Gus left. Richard find comfort visiting the Schermers and writing poems.

   One afternoon, Richard received another letter from Mr.Kilmer. Richard thought that this is the kindest and warmest letter the poet had ever written to him. There are many advices and encouragements in it. He writes a reply, and asks how the poem can a poem make the world a better place. He feels the urgency to post the letter.

    On his way to the post office, he stops by Hannah’s house.  He calls her to accompany him to the post office. When Hannah opens the door, he could tell from her expression that something awful had happened. “Your Friend, Mr.Kilmer, has been killed”, Hannahs says.

CHAPTER 10

   The news of Mr.Kilmer’s death is in the newspaper. The headline “Beloved American Pet killed in Battle.” There is a picture of Mr.Kilmer. Richard gazes at the smiling face of his poet mentor and friend, for the first time. The article recounts the circumstances of Kilmer’s death and how his comrades bury him in France.

   Richard is too shocked to cry, but when he realises that the unposted letter is still in his pocket, reality strikes, He excused himself from the Schermers and run to his favourite oak tree where he cries freely.

   Richard composes a poem “In Memory Of Sergeant Joyce Kilmer”, expressing sadness over the loss of a world rhyme and song he had treasured. He shares the poem with the Schermers the next day and they insist that more people should read it. The poem it touching and beautiful. Many families in Turtle Lake also  loss their loved ones and Richard’s poem would mean a lot to them.

    Richard agrees, so he and Hannah took the poem to the “Turtle Lake Weekly” office to be published. However, Richard fears what Pa’s reaction if his poem is printed.

   On Tuesday, the poem is in the newspaper. Richard is hiding in his room when Pa walks in. He looks calm and tranquil. Pa told him about uncle Roland’s death in a war, and Richard’s poem reflects how he actually feel. Now he understood why Richard wrote poems. Richard too understand, how a poem can make the world a better place.

   The war end in mid-November by the Allies. The Knight family are poring the story about the end of history’s most terrible war. Pa is relieved but thinks its funny that Gus is still in training but the war is over and done.

   Hannah’s brother, Otto came home to a hero’s welcome parade. Richard hopes that anti-German feeling will last.

   Richard poetry’s became regular feature in the Turtle Lake Weekly. His poetry always dealt with farm life and he is always consult his father first about farm’s life. Every night after dinner Richard and Pa would read his latest poem and Pa often had a correction or suggestion. Richard  found his father’s idea as helpful as Mr.Kilmer had  been.\

   In other times, Pa would simply enjoy the poem and he would say with a smile and a nod. “That’s good son, that’s really good”.