Kamikaze

Question 1

’ a samurai sword…a shaven head full of powerful incantations’

Answer 1

• indicates element of danger
• ‘samurai sword’ - glorifies war, presenting itself as a reminder that he is a warrior, has an underlying cultural theme - not a bayonet nor a gun sets a cultural tone, referencing the Japanese
• ‘shaven head’ - further represents the significance of culture in the pilots life - in the name of patriotism, he strips himself of his hair which could symbolise how he is expected to strip himself of his life
• ‘full of powerful incantations’ - highlights pilot’s lack of control over his actions - out of control as he remains under the incantations (which symbolise the authority of the Japanese military) , prey to indoctrination

Question 2

‘he must have looked far down at the little fishing boats…green-blue translucent sea’

Answer 2

• beautiful imagery of nature, hints that this is what made him change his mind
• colour imagery and adjectives suggests the serenity and beauty of life
• ‘translucent’ - shows how he allowed life through, he didn’t allow his to be taken
• contrasts with the harsh, hostile nature of war that the pilot was almost forced to go through, instead he chose the peaceful life he witnessed beneath him
• irony - the pilot should have been looking for big enemy ships but instead it’s the fishing boats and the tranquility of life that catches his eye
• creates a vivid depiction of the life-filled scene that the pilot looks down upon -> helps reader to empathise with the pilot and the decision that he takes.

Question 3

‘he must have wondered which had been a better way to die’

Answer 3

• rather than his family being relieved at his return, they isolate and alienate him, which would have clearly taken a toll on his mentality -> highlights the long-term effects of conflict as he is treated as a burden and mentally tortured
• final, short sentence - comments on the destructiveness of patriotism as the pilot’s family are so ashamed that they treat him as though he is dead
• the pilot is never given a voice, which reflects how invisible he is to his family - poses the question of whether it would have been better to go through with the kamikaze

Question 4

Structure

Answer 4

Third person emphasises the distance between the pilot and the daughter and the absence of his voice shows how he has been cut off from society. The poem has a consistent, regular form throughout. There are 7 stanzas, each containing 6 lines. This regular structure could be seen to represent the regimented order of Empirical Japan. However, there is no apparent consistent rhyme scheme, meaning a lack of flow. This could represent the confusing influences in the pilot’s mind.

Question 5

Context

Answer 5

The ‘fishing boats’ and the ‘green-blue translucent seas’ largely make up Japan, comparison of peaceful life with the position that the kamikaze pilot finds himself. Kamikaze - pilots who went on suicide missions, ‘divine wind.’ Focuses on lasting effects war can inflict on people, families etc. Looks into why people wanted to die for their own country.