Kamikaze Flashcards
structure and form
The use of the direct speech at “yes, grandfather’s boat” shows the relationship of his family has changed. It shows that the father is living a kind of living-death because his family refuse to talk to him.
Written in free verse in thrid person, makes it feel like a narrative and the ending suggest not to cut their family. The absence of the pilot voice shows the cut off from society. The use of thrid person also shows the distance between the daughter and the pilot.
“Her father embarked at sunrise with a flask of water, a samurai sword.” – siblance
The siblance gives it a sign of peace and demostrates the peace which the father should have. This is symbolised with “sunrise” which Japan is known as ‘the rising sun’. This symbolises divinity. Water is also a symbol of purity and can show that he is entering a new life as a hero.
“Only we children still chatted and laughed, Till gradually we too learned to be silent”- volta
This implies that the Japanese culture at the time were doing something wrong and it was unnatural as the narrator had to “learned to be silent” now reflecting on her childhood she knows it was wrong.
“Like a huge flag waved first one way then the other in a figure of eight”-simlie
The flag represents patriotism, and the fish represents life along with the sacrifice that he is supposed to make for his country. “The figure of eight” shows his change of mind.
The loose silver of whitebait and once a tuna, the dark prince, muscular, dangerous.”
“The white bait” could symbolise his betrayal of his country. The “dark prince tuna” could signify the Japanese royal family that allow these men to sacrifice themselves for their country but it could also show the subverts act that her father does by not killing himself. He is punished by society because he “muscular” decision
