Notes

The Deserted House

(1) Find 6 Details about the house (its appearance and location).
The house is near the beach/sea (we know this because it says ' and the sand lies before'. The house has been unoccupied for quite a while (we know this because it says ' the walls are grey and bare and the rain beats on the floor'. That suggests that there is no roof on the house, which means no-one lives in the house and no-one has lived in there for quite a while. It's in a really bad state. We know this because there is no wood in the door, there is no glass in the window, there is no smoke in the chimney and heather grows behind the house. It isn't in a public area, which means it is far away from 'normal' areas. We know this because it says ' no beast of the field comes nigh' and 'nor any beast of the air'. After being 'abandoned' the house has then grown ivy because it says 'no hand hath trained the ivy', which supports the fact that after abandoning the house, the house has grown ivy. It could be on some sort of cliff above the sea, as it says, the boats upon the sea sail by.

(2)How do you know that the house is deserted? Are there any details that really show this?
We know that the house has been deserted because no-one could live somewhere where there's no roof (the rain beats on the floor), there's no glass in the windows, the walls are grey and bare, there's no door basically (there's no wood on the door) and there's sand everywhere (and the sand lies before).

(3) Is there anything in the poem that is strange? (Find 4 things).
Firstly, it says that no animals come near (no beast of the field comes nigh and nor any bird of the air). Secondly, it is not in a public area. It could be on a cliff near the sea, and the cliff could erode at any time, which is why it would be quite strange to live there. Thirdly, it isn't really a house. It's missing window panes, there isn't a roof and there isn't even wood in the door. Lastly, it has been 'overrun' by ivy and heather. 'No hand hath trained the ivy and the heather grows behind the house'.

(4) Both people and animals stay away from this house. Can you think why?
I think because it would be really dangerous. There could be glass on the floor, as there's no glass in the windows so it could have fallen on the floor. If the house was on a cliff near the sea, then the cliff could erode and whoever is in the house would die. It's a hazard for anyone who goes in there.

(5) Who might have lived in the house and what might have happened there? Suggest reasons for why it is now deserted.
I think that a person could have lived in the house for quite a while but there could have been a thunderstorm or hurricane of some sort because the roof is gone, which could have been blown away by it and the hurricane/thunderstorm could have also shattered the glass on the windows. After that, it may have then just been ditched by its owner.

THROUGH THE KEYHOLE.