Homecoming

Question 1

What is the first line of the first stanza?

Answer 1

All day, day after day, they’re bringing them home,

Question 2

What is the second like in the first stanza?

Answer 2

they’re picking them up those they can find , and brining them home,

Question 3

Finish this quote “- curly heads…

Answer 3

Curly heads , kinky hairs, crew cuts, balding nom-coms

Question 4

Finish the quote ”noble jets…

Answer 4

Noble jets are whining like hounds

Question 5

Finish the quote “the howl..

Answer 5

The howl of their homecoming rises

Question 6

Finish the quote “Surrouding them…

Answer 6

Surrounding them like their last moments (the mash, the splendour)

Question 7

Finish the quote “raise muzzles…

Answer 7

Raise muzzles in mute salute

Question 8

Finish the quote “ cities whose…

Answer 8

cities whose wide web of suburbs

Question 9

Finish the quote “telegrams..

Answer 9

Telegrams tremble like leaves from a wintering tree

Question 10

Finish the quote “spider grief…

Answer 10

Spider grief swings in his bitter geometry

Question 11

What is the last line of the poem?

Answer 11

They’re brining them home, now, too late, too early.

Question 12

Finish the quote “ they’re picking…

Answer 12

They’re picking them up, those they can find, and bringing them home

Question 13

Finish the quote “they’re brining

Answer 13

They’re bringing them in , piled on the hulls of Grants , in trucks, in convoys,

Question 14

What quotes demonstrate the theme of dehumanisation and lack of identity?

Answer 14

The repetition of “them”
The motif of dogs- “whining like hounds” , “the howl of their homecoming rises” , “raises muzzles in mute salute”
Lack of identity “curly heads, kinky hairs, crew cuts and balding nom-coms”

Question 15

Which quotes demonstrate themes of grief?

Answer 15

• “cities in whose wide web of suburbs”
• “telegrams tremble like leaves from a wintering tree”
• “spider grief swings in his bitter geometry”

Question 16

What quotes emphasise the theme of unnatural routine and desensitisation?

Answer 16

• action verbs emphasises acts rather than emotions “picking”, “bringing”, “zipping”, “tagging”, “giving”.
• repetition of day in the first line
• repetition of “they’re brining them home”

Question 17

What quotes emphasise the theme of irony and contradiction?

Answer 17

• “surrounding them like their last moments (the mash , the splendour)
• “they’re bringing them home, now, too late, too early”

Question 18

What are the main themes in homecoming?

Answer 18

• Dehumanisation
• Death
• Greif
• Antiwar
• Un-natural routine
• Desensitisation
• irony/contradiction
• lack of identity

Question 19

Who wrote the poem and when was it written?

Answer 19

• Bruce Dawe

- 1968

Question 20

What is the title an example of?

Answer 20

-Irony , as what is been spoken about is the return of dead soldiers to their families. Homecoming traditionally has connotations of happiness and a heroes welcome, neither which are apparent.

Question 21

What is the Poem homecoming about?

Answer 21

• It is an anti-war poem about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam war. It follows the bodies collection and transportation home.