Kamikaze Flashcards
Kamikaze: Context
- Beatrice Garland is a British poet; thus, she was not writing based on her own experience. This is typical of her work, as it often involves immersing herself within someone else’s perspective.
- Garland claims “I spend a lot of the day listening to other people’s words”, which is evident in some of her other poems such as “a Private Life” and “A Kosovan Ghost Story”.
- Japan was brought into WWII in 1940 when it signed a contract with Germany. The war ended 5 years later with the surrender of Japan in response to America’s use of the atomic bomb.
- Japan’s military attitudes were founded on codes of honour and self-sacrifice, these stemmed from the tradition of the samurai warrior, making the sword a pertinent symbol within the poem.
- Typically, Kamikaze pilots were volunteers which conveys how firmly people believed in these values, enough to sacrifice their own lives.
- By the end of the war, the Japanese army did not have enough volunteers to embark on the Kamikaze suicide mission thus they had to recruit unwilling men, often their only motivation to carry out the mission would be the threat of public shame upon their return.
“Kamikaze”
“Kamikaze” translates from Japanese as “divine wind”, it originates from a storm that scattered an invading fleet in 1250. Thus, it is a particularly historical reference and woven deeply within the fabric of Japanese society, one could argue however it is outdated.
“full of powerful incantations”
Patriotism is portrays as an indoctrinating force, the phrase “full of powerful incantations” in a literal sense references the prayers and affirmations that would’ve been repeated in support of these pilots. Delving deeper, it suggests the pilot was under a spell. It portrays the influence of propaganda as hypnotic and bewitching. This is contextually important as Japanese soldiers were taught that self-sacrifice was the only means by which they could win the war, it seems that Garland subtly disapproves of this brainwashing. The poem’s soundscape is punctuated by fricative ‘f’ sounds which possess undertones of aggression. This aggression is conflicted; in once sense it explores the aggression that a soldier entering a war must exhibit, but it could also be aggression towards his leaders who have indoctrinated him in order to complete this suicide mission.
“her father embarked at sunrise”
The patriotism of kamikaze pilots is enforced by the patriotic imagery which is littered throughout the poem. The speaker states “her father embarked at sunrise”, here the reader is reminded that Japan is known as the land of the rising sun. Except instead of this being a new day full of hope he is potentially heading towards his death. Moreover, “embark” means to get on but also to begin something, the father is beginning a new chapter of his life through rejecting his role as a kamikaze pilot.
“fishing boats strung out like bunting”
The simile “fishing boats strung out like bunting” is ironic as “bunting” has traditional connotations of celebration. This depicts the extent to which propaganda distorted people’s beliefs- death and suicide became an act to be celebrated.
“like a huge flag”
The simile, “like a huge flag” to describe the movement of fish has a dual meaning. It could be an allusion to the flag of Japan- even nature is viewed through a patriotic lens. Patriotism conducted their entire world view and society were marionettes of traditional socio-political beliefs. Alternatively, the waving of a flag is reminiscent of an act of surrender. This dichotomy of meaning explores the pilot’s internal divisions, as he is driven by overt patriotism and a yearning to concede.
“silver of whitebait”
- The imagery “silver of whitebait” is an ecclesiastical allusion. Jesus was a symbol of sacrifice, yet this was in response to Judas betraying him; he was offered 30 pieces of silver by the Romans in order to do so. Thus, Biblically, “silver” is a symbol of this betrayal - perhaps the pilot feels he has been betrayed by his leaders.
- As Garland is adopting someone else’s perspective to write this poem, and it is a perspective that would likely to be foreign to her readership, she employs allusions that would be more familiar to a British population to convey the overall notion of institutionalised beliefs that conduct the way a person lives their life.
“the dark prince”
The notion of being betrayed by a ruler perpetuates within the phrase “the dark prince”. It synonymies nobility with corruption as “dark” has connotations of evil and misconduct.
“Kamikaze” “her father”
Immediately there is a disparity between the pilots assigned role within the title of “Kamikaze” and his personal role “her father”. The noun “father” imbues the poem with a sense of intimacy, making it far more emotionally charged. Garland’s ability to see the person beneath the façade of a soldier suggests that she is questioning the ethics of patriotism and how it disregards identity. As the poem develops Garland communicates that military expectations corrupt familial life and strips a person of agency as even if he chooses to abandon military convention to return home to his family, there is a sad irony in the truth that he is rejected by them anyway.
Kamikaze: Perspective Shifts
- Kamikaze falls within the category of war poetry that explores the experience of those left behind, the people that didn’t fight. Although it is written from the daughter’s perspective, the third- person narrative establishes a sense of detachment. This mirrors both the detachment the daughter feels from her father and the detachment of those left behind feel from the soldiers who experienced the war first-hand.
- The reader is prompted to pity this unexpectedly obscure narrative to describe what would conventionally be an intimate relationship - the negative effects of war endured socially, politically and emotionally for generations to come.
Kamikaze: Volta
There is a volta that manifests a shift from the third to the first person which allows the reader to appreciate that war trauma was passed through the generation. It imbues the poem with a personal quality to serve as a reminder that these experiences, despite being distant, happened to real people. The final couplets shift once again to the third person to re-establish a sense of detachment. It sets up an ultimatum questioning which would’ve been the “better way to die” yet ironically, the pilot is silenced, denying him the opportunity to answer. This could be representative of how the pilot was stripped of his agency by his military rulers- his fate was predetermined for him and no matter what actions he made, he was destined to “die”.
Kamikaze: Sestets
- The poem is divided into sestets which can be grouped in two.
- The first 5 describe the story of her father’s mission, it moves linearly and enjambment is common which creates a sense of speed and momentum.
- Yet, the final two stanzas explore his return, this compresses the years after his return to be far shorter than his flight that would’ve happened within minutes or hours. The gravitas of his decision within that one moment cut his life short, metaphorically.
Kamikaze: Meter
- Initially, the poem is written in free verse to allow it to unfold quickly, mimicking the light of the plane. It could also represent the spontaneity of his decision due to his internal conflict.
- However, the end resorts to iambs which reinstate a steady and melancholic tone, perhaps the words seem more considered, making the poem almost mirror an elegy. (A speech about someone who has died).
Kamikaze: Enjambment
- Enjambment is rife within the poem. It creates momentum and a sense of restlessness which could mirror the pilot’s disrupted mind.
- Initially, it accelerates the speed of the poem, the pilot had to act quickly to avoid reflecting on thoughts of death - he was acting in almost a robotic manner under the mind control of his leaders.
- Alternatively, Garland creates a disparity between the rigid structure of the regular sestets and the free-flowing enjambment. This could be emblematic of the oppressive military control in comparison to the freedom of his childhood.
Kamikaze: Lack of rhyme scheme
- The absence of rhyme presents the poem in a prosaic manner(unpoetic in the way it was written).
- This serves to mimic it being told orally as a story to the daughter’s children, it also strays from any romantic flourishes that could glorify the notion of war.
- It is told simplistically and factually to allow emotion to shine through and make shifts such as the change in perspective more apparent and unsettling.
