Kamikaze Flashcards
Who wrote Kamikaze
Beatrice Garland
Her father….
“Her father embarked at sunrise”
- Embarked suggests a new adventure or beginning, presenting the war as positive, perhaps the patriotic ideologies have seeped into the mind of the speaker.
- Sunrise connotes to new beginnings, however, it could also refer to the land of the rising sun, reflecting the patriotic ideologies fed into the soldiers of the japanse army. (Propaganda)
Context for Kamikaze
- Carried samurai swords in case they failed their mission, so they could kill themselves
- Regarded as national heroes.
- if they failed, they were socially dishonoured
Narrator Voice in Kamikaze
3rd person. the voice of the actual pilot is not heard to reflect the fact that he has been cut off from society, fully highlighting the extent to which he has been dishonoured for failing his mission
The loose…
the loose silver of whitebait
silver, biblical allusion, Judas betrayed Jesus in return for some silver, reflecting the betrayal of his country.
Loose morality as it was conventional to sacrifice for his country, and people view him to be immoral by returning.
He must have wondered….
He must have wondered, which had been the better way to die
He must have wondered suggests that she never talked with her father, due to his exile, his thoughts are only assumptions because communication with him was essentially forbidden
Metaphor because he died in society as everyone disregarded him and reference to the suicide.
Structure and structure in Kamikaze
Sestets - tight and controlled structure to reflect the tight and controlled system/propaganda in the military.
On the other hand - free verse and lots of enjambment - freedom of expression, reflect the freedom the pilot wants to have. Conflict between the fact that he wants to serve his country, but also wants to enjoy his life and the beauty of nature
narrative poem, highlighting the individual experience, showing the reader the truth as he is only a microcosm of the true feelings felt by kamikaze pilots
