O"Donnell is also written from the perspective of a teacher but unlike "Head of English," "Teacher," is depressing and weary. O"Donnell portrays the teacher in her poem as dreary, unenthusiastic, pessimistic and perceptive.
The language of the three poems is very different, however all of them portray teachers as strange and unusual. The tone of "The French Master," is trivial and sympathetic. At the beginning of the poem the tone portrays the teacher as strict, "Carve off a tail for the fun," but towards the end of the poem the tone conveys how pathetic Walter Bird is, for example "I felt sorry for the bastard." However the tone of "Head of English," is vivacious and spontaneous and conveys to the reader how teachers enjoy their work, "A real life poet with a published book." The tone of the poem makes us feel we want to join in with the lesson, "Please show your appreciation by clapping," and this tone continues throughout the poem until the last stanza when we really do feel as if we have participated in the class, "Applause will do. Thank you." The tone in "Teacher," is exactly the opposite of that in "Head of English," it is depressing and weary and it suggests that teachers in the twentieth century do not care about their work. The tone is immediately set in the first line, "Summer beckons." The poet sets the tone, as the reader knows that teachers are glad when summer comes for a break. This tone of weariness of the teacher continues throughout the poem, "The half-remembered voice." Teaching is presented as a thankless job, "Shall inhabit a cupboard in someone's mind." This gives a depressing picture of a teacher who has given lots of time to pupils but they do not really mean that much to a pupil in later life. The dreariness of life as a teacher is emphasised in the last line, as the pupils will become like adults "inert" without the ability to think for themselves.
