Kamikaze Flashcards
What does the quote “Her father embarked at sunrise with a flask of water, a samurai sword in the cockpit, a shaven head” show
The poem is told from a daughter’s perspective, introducing the ritual her father undergoes before embarking on a suicide mission he is bound to for his country. The narrative perspective conveys the impact on family members, creating distance between the daughter and father.
What does the quote “and enough fuel for a one-way journey into history” show
Garland starts the line with a conjunction “and” and uses enjambment to convey both his journey and the resolve of the pilot. The completion of his military duty is the ultimate act of patriotism.
What does the quote “he must have looked far down at the little fishing boats” show
The daughter imagines her father feeling nostalgia for home as he looks down, contrasting signs of ordinary life with the drama of his mission.
What does the quote “and remembered how he and his brothers waiting on the shore built cairns of pearl-grey pebbles” show
Vivid childhood memories of family resurface, reminding the pilot of priorities beyond duty. The “cairns of pebbles” are small graves of stones, linking the theme of death.
What does the quote “the loose silver of whitebait and once a tuna, the dark prince, muscular, dangerous” show
The father’s vibrant recollections culminate in the use of powerful sea creature imagery, with the metaphor of the “dark prince” tuna and “silver” whitebait suggesting nature’s dominance and beauty. By linking power to nature rather than the pilot, the poet subverts ideas relating to military strength and power.
What does the quote “And though he came back my mother never spoke again in his presence, nor did she meet his eyes” show
The dramatic family consequences of the pilot’s decision to return and not complete his mission are shown through the cold rejection of his wife, revealing the shame attached to abandoning duty. The poet conveys the extreme responses of some individuals when a soldier defies cultural values and duty to one’s country.
What does the quote “and the neighbours too, they treated him as though he no longer existed, only we children still chattered and laughed” show
Society’s harsh judgement of the pilot is juxtaposed with the innocence of his children, highlighting how cultural ideals of honour are learned, not innate.
What does the quote “was no longer the father we loved” show
The poignant simplicity of this line demonstrates that, in the eyes of his family and his culture, the pilot is now a changed and lesser man, no longer able to receive love or acceptance.
What does the quote “till gradually we too learned to be silent, to live as though he had never returned, …” show
The simplicity of language underlines the tragic nature of the children’s actions, as they copy the behaviour of their elders and disown their own father.
What does the quote “And sometimes, she said, he must have wondered which had been the better way to die.” Show
The poem’s powerful final lines suggest the pilot’s unresolved torment over whether sacrificing his life or his family was the greater tragedy, and the daughter’s reflection demonstrates that she, too, is left without resolution.
What is the form of the poem
-the poem is narrated in 3rd person using reported speech of the pilots daughter but her voice is heard directly in the later stanzas
-the absence of the pilots voice shows how that he’s been cut off from society
-the use of 3rd person emphasises the distance between pilot and daughter
What is the structure of the poem
-The 1st 5 stanzas form one sentence which covers covers the pilot’s flight as the daughter imagines it
-the end of the sentence represents the plane landing
-the final two stanzas deal with the fallout of the pilots actions
What is the irony of the poem
the ways he’s treated when he returns to his family is ironic because they act as if he’s dead even though he chose not to die
