WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LULU

LITERAL & FIGURATIVE MEANING OF EACH STANZA

Group 1
STANZA 1
LINE STANZA Literal meaning Figurative meaning

The persona is asking his

1 What has happened to Lulu,mother The persona is asking mother about Lulu,the
his mother about phrase”what happened to
2 What has happened to Lu? Lulu Lu”shows that persona is
close to Lulu
3 There’s nothing in her bed but an old Lulu is not I her
rag-doll bed .only her old rag- The phrase “old rag-doll”
doll is there and “a shoe “ confirms that
the persona is a younger
sibling of Lulu and the
Lulu shoe is beside situation takes place during
4 And by its side a shoe the persona’s childhood.
her bed
Stanza 2
Line Stanza Literal meaning Figurative meaning

1 Why is her window
wide,mother
2 The curtain is flapping free,
The persona is asking his The phrase” why is the
mother about Lulu’s window wide” and “the
bedroom that is wide curtain flapping free” shows
open shows that Lulu uses the
window a way of
the curtain is moving departure .
because of the wind
through the open window

3 And only a circle on the dusty Lulu’s money box is These phrases shows that
shelf also missing (sigh of a Lulu’ had left shortly before
circle where the her mother found out about
money box was) it and she took the money
box for financial purposes.
4 Where her money-box used to
be?
 Stanza 3
Line Stanza 3

1 Why do you turn your

head,mother,

2 And why do the tear-

drops fall?

3 And why do you

crumple that note on
the fire

4 And say it is nothing

Stanza 4
Line Stanza 4

1 I woke to voices late last

night,

2 I heard an engine roar

3 Why do you tell me the

thing I heard

4 Were a dream and

nothing more?
Stanza 5
Line Stanza 5
1 I heard somebody
cry,mother,

2 In anger or in pain,

3 But now I ask you

why,mother,

4 You say it was a gust of rain.

Stanza 6
Line Stanza 6
1 Why do you wander about as
though
2 You don’t know what to do

3 What has happened to

Lulu,Mother?

4 What has happened to Lu?