Kamikaze

Question 1

context:
+ author
+ author’s position
+ inspiration

Answer 1

+ Beatrice Garland
+ Did not experience anything first hand but she listened to others
+ WWII - Japanese Kamikazee pilots had suicide missions to crash into allied planes for Japanese empire. Lot of societal pressure to carry out these missions and die an honourable death- poem explores these pressure. relevant in modern day due to modern day terrorists

Question 2

person and speech

Answer 2

3rd person- reported speech of pilot’s duaghter- emphasises distance between pilot and daughter

Question 3

voice of pilot

Answer 3

we don’t hear it- shows how the pilot has been excluded from society- OSTRACISED

Question 4

first 5 stanzas & last 2

Answer 4

first 5 stanzas is 1 sentence- his journey and return
last 2 = the rejection as society shunned him

Question 5

‘e——– at s——–’

Answer 5

embarked at sunrise
while sunrise usually hope, in this context just refers to place Japan- known as land of rising sun
embark = journey
embark + title- hints at fact he is on a journey to detath

Question 6

‘a s—– head full of p——– i———’
‘one-way ——- into ——-‘

Answer 6

a shaven head full of powerful incantations
under the influence of the patriotic spell- shows propaganda; that it is a great honour to die for your country

one way journey into history
ironic that he has to die to be remebered by others and also reinforces societal pressures

Question 7

‘on a green-blue ———– s–’

Answer 7

On a green-blue translucent sea
vivid memory of nature
colour imagery connotes- peace and tranquility - trigger pilot
power of nature- celebrates beauty
vivid memories

Question 8

‘huge —- waved… in a —— of —–’

Answer 8

huge flag waved… in a figure of eight
flag–> patriotism- shows how his respect for the japanese empire has changed
alt= figure of eight is infinity- shows nature outlast humans transcends it

when in essay use both arguments i.e- while shows how nature outlasts, shows he has changed stnce due to memories. OR transcending presence of nature has caused him to change

Question 9

‘sh—- of f—- f—— si—–’

Answer 9

shoals of fishes flashing silver
sibilance mimics movement of fish while also increasing pace of poem- creating a poignant image of grace that is highly emotive for the pilots

Question 10

‘remembered’
‘——-‘s boat —-‘

Answer 10

father’s boat safe
shows power of childhood memories- emigrée
hints he wants his children to see him safe just as he and ‘his brothers’ waited for their father to return safe- evocative memories

Question 11

‘loose ——- of ———’

Answer 11

loose silver of whitebait
loose silver = a biblical allusion to Judas Escariot- hints at betrayal but also reinforces the common theme of nature, which appears to validate the betrayal as the use of the colour silver indicates a preciousness to nature which causes this betrayal.
extensive description of sea creatures- makes reader appreciate te images- sympathising and agreeing with the pilot’s decisions

metaphor

betrayal of country due to nature

Question 12

‘And —— he came back’
‘my mother… [never met] — —-‘

Answer 12

And though he came back
blunt sentence of the daughter’s memory shows the pain she endured watching her father be received the way he was

my mother never met his eyes
show soceital pressure in 2 ways;
1) mother is ashamed of his decision and wants to disassociate from him
2) mother is guilty for how others treated him- but can’t give in due to the pressure she is under- otherwise she will be treated as an outcast as well- no choice
both show the intense reaction to his actions- ironic- they are almost mournig the fact he is alive

Question 13

‘he must have ———- which had been the —— way to —’

Answer 13

he must have wondered which had been the better way to die
ironic (came back to be alive but his treatment made him dead inside) statement showing the destructiveness of patriotism. makes him want to fulfill the wish- speaker doesnt agree

Question 14

how is memory presented

Answer 14

1. memory is powerful- makes him reject patriotism via nature- flag and sea
2. memories can be painful- blunt tone of daughter and he comes back due to memory but is met with pain (memory iindirectly painful)- emigree how he yearns to go back
3. childhood memories important- like emigrée, they shape you

Question 15

power of nature

Answer 15

compare to prelude
1. change people- sea makes him turn around vs realise his guilt
2. more powerful than humans- boy changing vs rejection of the incantations put upon pilot by japanese empire
3. diff in how nature viewed; nature appreciated in Kamikaze- extensive description of fish- endearment + alt view of betrayal. nature should be feared in prelude- haunting psychological impact