Maw Broon Visits a Therapist (SQA National 5 English): Revision Note
Exam code: X824 75
Below is a guide to Jackie Kay’s poem ‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’ in preparation for the SQA National 5 English exam. It includes:
Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
Writer’s methods: an exploration of Kay’s techniques and methods
Understanding the poem: an exploration of the themes and ideas within Kay’s poem
Linking the poems: an understanding of how ‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’ connects to Kay’s other prescribed poems for the Scottish text section
Overview
In order to answer questions on any poem it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:
An overview of the poem
A ‘translation’ of the poem, section-by-section
A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Jackie Kay’s intention and message
'Maw Broon Visits a Therapist' overview
Jackie Kay’s poem 'Maw Broon Visits a Therapist' is a dramatic monologue. Kay recreates a character from “The Broons” (Browns), a comic strip published in the weekly Scottish newspaper, The Sunday Post. The poem imagines Maw Broon (Mother Brown), the tough and rather intimidating mother in the cartoon, visiting a therapist. Using Scottish dialect throughout, Maw Broon confides to the therapist that she has lost her sense of self.
'Maw Broon Visits a Therapist' translation
Lines 1-4
“Crivens! This is jist typical.
When it comes tae talking aboot me,
well, A' jist clam up. Canny think whit
tae say”
Translation
The poem begins with Maw Broon talking to the therapist
It is implied that she has been asked a question, but Maw Broon exclaims in surprise that she cannot think of what to say
When asked about herself,she finds herself at a loss (she says she clams up)
Kay’s intention
Kay introduces Maw Broon as a typically chatty woman, but she is not used to talking about her feelings:
She introduces Maw Broon as a practical and traditional Scottish woman
The informality of Kay’s first stanza, which uses colloquialisms like “Crivens”, creates a light-hearted tone
Lines 5-8
“Weel, weel. A'm here because
A' canny hawnle life, ken whit A' mean,
because everything is awfy
and A'm no masell”
Translation
Maw Broon goes on to express the reason she is seeking therapy
She says that she cannot handle (“hawnle”) life, and that everything is awful
She asks the therapist if they know what she means
She confides that she is not feeling herself
Kay’s intention
Kay’s Maw Broon begins to confess deep depression in a list of problems, emphasised in the extreme words “everything” and “life”:
The poem takes a darker tone
The simple, yet serious “A’m no masell” raises the issue of her identity crisis
Line 9-12
“A' dinny ken who Maw Broon is anymare.
A' canny remember ma Christian name.
A' remember when A' wis a wean,
folks cried me something”
Translation
The speaker, Maw Broon, tells the therapist that she does not know who she is anymore, that she does not even remember her first name
She says that when she was a child she was called something, but she does not remember what it was
Kay’s Intention
Kay’s mother refers to herself as “Maw Broon” to illustrate her loss of self
The memory of being a child (“wean”) suggests it has been a long time since she felt like an individual
This is emphasised by the vague word “something” to represent her “Christian name”
Lines 13-16
“The idea o' me ever being a bairn
is impossible. A' feel A've aye worn
this same pinnie and this heid scarf
A've got on the noo”
Translation
Maw Broon says she cannot even conceive of herself as ever being a baby
Her life as a mother, wearing an apron and head scarf, is all she knows
She wears it in her visit to the therapist, too
Kay’s intention
Kay presents a mother who is caught up in her domestic life:
The apron she wears constantly is like a uniform
This raises the theme of motherhood
Kay refers to the appearance of Maw Broon in the cartoon version of The Broons
This implies she is a caricature: she is seen only as a mother
Lines 17-20
“How come you've no got anything tae say?
You've no opened yir mooth.
Whit's wrang. Am A' no daeing it right?
A' dinny ken hoo yir supposed tae dae therapy”
Translation
Maw Broon stops to ask the therapist why she is not saying anything
She asks if she is doing things wrong because she does not know how therapy works
Kay’s intention
Maw Broon is characterised as doubtful: this implies her low self-esteem
Kay implies she is not used to speaking without being interrupted, indicating a home life in which she is ignored:
Kay suggests this is a possible reason she has lost her sense of self
Lines 21-24
“Jings. Dae A' jist talk on like this?
Michty. This is awfy awkward.
You've no said a dickie bird.
Tell you a dream? Crivens”
Translation
Maw Broon is confused: she asks if she is supposed to just keep talking about herself and expresses her sense of discomfort
She expects the therapist to say something
When the therapist asks her to discuss her dreams, she is taken aback
Kay’s intention
Kay presents motherhood as a selfless role which can lead to a loss of identity
Kay’s Maw Broon is indirectly characterised as self-sacrificing: she feels uncomfortable being the focal point:
Her awkward humility is illustrated by the repeated exclamations: “Jings” and “Crivens”
Kay implies Maw Broon has not thought about her dreams, which is why this is such a difficult topic to discuss
Lines 25-28
“A've no had a dream since A' wis a wean.
An image? Whit kind of image?
What comes tae mind?
Whit represents whit?”
Translation
Maw Broon says she has not had a dream since she was much younger
She finds it hard to examine and explore what her dreams may represent:
This, indirectly, refers to personal ambition
Kay’s intention
Kay’s silent listener asks Maw Broon to examine herself, which leads to confusion:
This is presented by repeated questions
Kay uses the ambiguous word “dream” to refer to the mother’s unconsidered ambitions and examination of self
Lines 29-32
“Och. This therapy's making me crabbit.
A' thought this wuid mak me happy.
This is awfy. A' feel unweel.
How dae A' see masell?”
Translation
Maw Broon believed the therapy would improve her mood, but, instead, it has made her “crabbit” (crabby and irritable):
In fact, talking about herself has made her feel sick
Kay implies the therapist asks how Maw Broon sees herself
Kay’s intention
Short sentences create tension in Maw Broon’s voice:
Perhaps expressing her feelings has made her feel worse
This implies Maw Broon is a stoic character who has previously suffered in silence
Lines 33-36
“Weel. Am fed up wey ma bun.
It is jist a big onion
at the back o' ma heid.
A' canny let ma hair doon”
Translation
Maw Broon submits to the therapist’s questions
She says that she feels like the “bun” that ties up her hair is an “onion” on her head:
This means she cannot behave freely or relax (“let ma hair doon”)
Kay’s intention
Kay’s imagery, an “onion”, connotes to unpeeling layers or, perhaps, to crying
The “bun” in her hair represents the rigidity of her domestic role, that she has ‘tied’ up her feelings (and herself) into a small knot:
This reinforces the idea of repressed identity
Lines 37-40
“A'm built like a bothy, hefty.
A'm constantly wabbit and crabbit.
Ma hale faimily taks me for grantit.
A'll aye be the wan tae dae it”
Translation
Maw Broon compares herself to a heavy, remote, and free-to-all stone house (“bothy”)
She feels like she complains a lot and is always grumpy
She admits that her family take advantage of her and that she is always the one who has to take care of everything (“tae dae it”)
Kay’s intention
A simile compares Maw Broon to a remote house that is free to be used by anyone:
This implies that she feels both exploited and ignored
Kay highlights the extreme nature of her isolation with the word “hale”:
She indicates that her whole family mistreat her and take advantage of her
Lines 41-44
“whitever it is. Here - A'm quite guid
at this therapy lark eh?
Here, Maw Broon could be a therapist.
Sit there like you are, glaikit”
Translation
Maw Broon says she has to do everything, whatever it may be
She pauses to say that she is good at “this therapy”, but minimises this with the word “lark”, suggesting it is just a game
She adds that she could be a therapist because the therapist sits silently and offers no thoughts (“glaikit”)
Kay’s intention
Kay exposes Maw Broon’s frustration through her criticism of the therapist:
Her stoicism translates as a need for practical action
She expresses resentment about her role as a mother who does everything
Lines 45-48
“a box o tissues and a clock,
a few wee emmms and aaas.
Jings, it's money for auld rope.
There that's whit A' feel like ”
Translation
Maw Broon describes the therapist as someone who simply makes noises (“emmms and aaas”)
The reference to the “tissues and a clock” dismisses the idea of therapy as simply a restricted time to complain and cry:
She adds that it is easy to make money this way (“money for auld rope”)
In the final line, she describes herself as an old rope
Kay’s intention
Kay shows a mother who is resentful: she has to work so hard yet the therapist has an easy job:
Maw Broon has become hardened and embittered by her emotional and physical exhaustion
As she describes therapy as “money for auld rope” she suddenly finds the perfect way to describe her feelings: she is old rope:
Kay creates a sarcastic voice, “There”
Lines 49-52
“a tatty auld rope
nibiddy wuid want tae climb
a' twistit and tangled
an, jings, this is exciting-”
Translation
Maw Broon describes herself as a piece of worn (“tatty”) rope that nobody would want to climb
She adds that she, like the rope, is twisted and “tangled”
In the last line of the stanza, Maw Broon interrupts this analogy to say she finds it “exciting” that she has finally been able to find the words to express her feelings
Kay’s intention
Kay depicts Maw Broon finally opening up: she describes herself as worn-out:
She says she has a distorted, “twisted” and “tangled” sense of self
Her excitement at being able to compare herself to old “rope” is bitter-sweet, creating a poignant tone
Line 53
“A' could break. A' could jist give in.”
Translation
Maw Broon ends her confessions with a conclusion that, like the rope, she could “break”
She wants to submit (“give in”), which suggests she wants to end the role which she has taken on for so long
Kay’s intention
Kay isolates the final line of the poem to create a dramatic resolution
Maw Broon’s sad description of herself as a worn-out rope that could “break” implies her emotional exhaustion:
There is a darker implication that, perhaps, she is about to break down
However, there is an ambiguity to the last short sentence, “A’ could just give in”:
The modal verb “could” implies a future possibility: she may be about to end her servitude
Writer’s Methods
Although this section is organised into three separate sections — form, structure and language — it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have.
Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme and includes Jackie Kay’s intentions behind her choices in terms of:
Form
Structure
Language
Form
Jackie Kay’s poem ‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’ is a dramatic monologue. The poem takes the form of a mother’s words as she visits a therapist. Kay subverts a traditional, humorous cartoon in an ironic presentation of the tough mother of the Broon family speaking at length about her feelings.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
|---|---|---|
Relationships | The first person monologue presents a mother’s lost sense of self in the family:
| Kay offers an ignored and long-suffering mother an opportunity to talk about her feelings:
|
Isolation | The silent listener is a therapist whose limited responses frustrate Maw Broon:
| Communication from Kay’s silent therapist is implied through Maw Broon’s questions: “How dae A' see masell?”
|
Structure
‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’ is a long, fourteen stanza poem. This allows the mother the chance to speak uninterrupted after a life of restrained, ignored and pent-up emotions. The length of the poem is ironic, too. At first, Maw Broon finds it hard to open up, but the patient therapist offers her the chance to successfully break through her hardened exterior and express her feelings.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
|---|---|---|
Isolation | Short sentences and caesurae create Maw Broon’s self-deprecating tone: “well, A' jist clam up. Canny think whit/tae say.”:
| Kay presents a mother exhibiting a range of complex emotions to highlight her identity crisis:
|
|
Language
Jackie Kay uses vivid and often visceral imagery to convey Maw Broon's profound sense of isolation, exhaustion, and loss of identity stemming from her maternal role.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
|---|---|---|
Relationships | Motherhood is characterised as a job:
| Kay’s imagery reinforces the idea that the domestic elements of motherhood are so fixed they suppress individual identity |
Isolation | Maw Broon uses analogies to express her feelings:
| Kay highlights the mother’s feelings of isolation, which have led to depression:
|
Understanding the poem
For the SQA National 5 English exam, it’s important to show a clear and thoughtful understanding of the poem’s themes and main ideas, as well as how the poet’s techniques and intentions help to convey meaning. This section focuses on two main themes that Kay examines in 'Maw Broon Visits a Therapist':
Relationships
Isolation
Relationships
Kay’s ‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’ presents the theme of relationships through the dysfunctional and one-sided nature of Maw Broon's relationship with her family:
This is mirrored in the awkward and, at times, frustrated relationship with the therapist
Maw Broon sees the therapy as transactional: it is “money for auld rope” in comparison to her job as a mother
Maw Broon's family dynamic is defined by a lack of respect
In the confession, "Ma hale faimily taks me for grantit", Kay encapsulates the emotional cost of the relationship: her continuous labour is unappreciated
The relationship is structured entirely around her role as the caregiver
Maw Broon says that she will "aye be the wan tae dae it/whitever it is"
This presents her help as unreciprocated, and suggests she feels obligated to meet every demand
The poem characterises Maw Broon as a woman who is perceived solely as a maternal figure and in terms of her functional role
Isolation
The theme of isolation is presented through Maw Broon's sense of emotional disconnection in response to the silence of others
Maw Broon is isolated because her emotional needs and individuality are entirely disregarded by the people closest to her
Her loss of self, stemming from her role as a mother, is highlighted by her name:
She is only known as “Maw Broon” and cannot even remember her “Christian name”
She feels detached from herself: "The idea o' me ever being a bairn/is impossible"
Kay reflects Maw Broon’s feelings of isolation in interactions with the therapist:
Her frustration is exacerbated, perhaps, because she is ignored at home
The therapist's lack of verbal engagement mirrors typical conversations
She says, "You've no said a dickie bird" This is reinforced by her sense of confusion: “How come you've no got anything tae say?”
Kay presents Maw Broon’s low self-esteem with imagery that connotes to feelings of being unattractive: she is a rope "nibiddy wuid want tae climb"
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In the Critical Reading exam, you must cover two genres. This means you can only answer questions on Kay in either the Scottish text question (Section A) or the critical essay question (Section B) of this paper. You cannot answer questions on any other poem in the essay section if you answer the question on Jackie Kay for the Scottish text question.
Linking the poems
Most students who study Jackie Kay’s poetry for the SQA National 5 exam use it to answer the Scottish text section. However, you can choose to write your critical essay on Kay’s poetry.
If you choose Jackie Kay for the Scottish text section, you’ll need to demonstrate a broader understanding of her poetry in the final question, as required by the SQA. This means referring to ideas, themes, or techniques from at least one of her other poems.
The six prescribed poems by Jackie Kay are:
'Gap Year'
‘Keeping Orchids’
‘Whilst Leila Sleeps’
‘Grandpa’s Soup’
‘Darling’
‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’
The final question will likely concentrate on an aspect of content, such as theme or characters in the poems, or on a technique, such as use of imagery or contrast.
Below are some useful comparisons between the six prescribed poems.
Theme: Isolation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
'Gap Year' | ‘Keeping Orchids’ | ‘Whilst Leila Sleeps’ | ‘Grandpa’s Soup’ | ‘Darling’ | ‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’ |
A mother is alone while her son is away travelling | The daughter feels isolated without her mother | A mother is alone as she tries to protect her daughter | A grandchild expresses their concern about a future without their grandfather | Loss of a loved one, and the process of grieving | Feelings of being isolated and ignored, identity problems |
Theme: Relationships | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
'Gap Year' | ‘Keeping Orchids’ | ‘Whilst Leila Sleeps’ | ‘Grandpa’s Soup’ | ‘Darling’ | ‘Maw Broon Visits a Therapist’ |
The close bond between mother and son despite distance, pride | A fractured relationship between mother and an adult child | A mother wishes for her own mother as she tries to protect her daughter | The love for a grandfather, memories and connections, pride and belonging | The enduring emotional connection and love of a friend | Motherhood and marriage, hidden feelings and identity |
Sources
Koval, Ramona, and Jackie Kay. “Jackie Kay - Poet.” Scottish Poetry Library
Unlock more, it's free!
Did this page help you?
