WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LULU?

by Charles Causley

MEANING OF STANZAS
Meaning of Stanza 1 (4 lines)
The persona is a young child. He is asking his mother where his sister, Lulu is. He says there is
nothing on her bed except an old rag and a shoe by its side.
Meaning of Stanza 2 (4 lines)
The persona is asking his mother why Lulus window is open and her money-box is missing.
Meaning of Stanza 3 (4 lines)
The mother asks his mother why she is turning her head and crying.
He asks her why crumples and throw the note into the fire and tells him that nothing is wrong.
Meaning of Stanza 4 (4 lines)
The persona wants to know why his mother is saying the voices and the roar of an engine he
heard are just a dream. The roar implies that his sister is driven away in a car.
Meaning of Stanza 5 (4 lines)
The persona heard somebody cry in pain or anger but his mother tells him that it must have
been the wind.
Meaning of Stanza 6 (4 lines)
The persona wants his mother to explain why she is confused and what has happened to his
older sister, Lulu.

LANGUAGE & STYLE

ballad (stanzas with 4 lines each)
first person pronoun
simple, informal & conversational
Repetition
Eg: What has happened to Lulu, mother?
Metaphors
Eg: the curtains used to refer Lulus new freedom

dust on the shelf used to refer her previous life

Symbolism
Eg: the abandoned bed Lulus new freedom
Imagery

Eg: Lulus abandoned bed, rag doll, money-box, ,the sound of a car in the middle of the
night

SETTING
place: at personas house
time: late at night

TONE
puzzlement & confusion
Eg: stanza 3, stanza 4

RHYME SCHEME
- 6 stanzas, vary in length
- the second & fourth lines in every stanza rhyme
eg: What has happened to Lulu, mother?
What has happened to Lu?

THEMES

Love for our family members.

Running away from home.
Importance of close family ties
Coping with loss of a family member

MORAL VALUES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

We must have a close relationship with our family members to discuss our problems easily.
We must love our family members.
Running away from does not solve our problems.
It is difficult to get over of loss a family member.
The loss of a family member affects everyone at home.