Kamikaze and The Émigrée Flashcards
Comparison 1
Both poems explore positive childhood memories which solidify the identity of the speaker in The Emigree and the pilot in Kamikaze.
Comparison 2
Both poems explore the power of memory on the present.
Comparison 3
Both poets explore how memory ultimately impacts our perception of the world around us and memory often juxtaposes reality.
Kamikaze 1
In Kamikaze, the pilot’s childhood memories deter him from completing the suicide mission. .
Kamikaze 1 - Quotes
“little fishing boats strung out like bunting”
“waved in a figure of eight”
The Émigrée 1
In The Émigrée, her childhood memory of her country is romanticised.
The Émigrée 1 - Quotes
“my memory of it is sunlight-clear”/”November”
“it tastes of sunlight” - every stanza ends in “sunlight”
Kamikaze 2
In Kamikaze, the daughter holds on to memories of how societal expectations damaged her relationship with her father.
Kamikaze 2 - Quotes
“we too learned to be silent, to live as though he had never returned”
“he must’ve wondered the better way to die”
The Émigrée 2
In The Émigrée, her perception of her country is tainted by her current understanding, but her original memory overpowers this.
The Émigrée 2 - Quotes
“bright filled paper weight”
“my shadow falls as evidence of sunlight”
Kamikaze 3
In Kamikaze, the daughter recalls her father’s perception of duty and honour, which ultimately damaged his life.
Kamikaze 3 - Quotes
“head full of powerful incantations”
Regular structure 7 stanzas 6 lines
“one way journey into history”
The Émigrée 3
In The Émigrée, she perceives her country positively, despite the war-torn reality.
The Émigrée 3 - Quotes
“branded by an impression of sunlight”
“sick with tyrants”
“little fishing boats strung out like bunting”
“bunting”- cn celebration
- indoctrinated view actions would be celebrated - suicide honourable
- alt. simile could highlight pilot’s view life should celebrated+ enjoyed, rather than ended so suddenly
- enjambment highlights confusion - doesnt know which action to take
“waved in a figure of eight”
- depicts infinity symbol
- feels trapped by never ending cultural expectations
- tone frustration - further emphasise life is precious + relationships can last forever
- yet also has tone of regret – perhaps bc pilot regrets accepting mission
“we too learned to be silent, to live as though he had never returned”
-far reaching impacts, even kids impacted
“learned” “act” - ‘demonstrates how behaviour was unnatural as the children were indoctrinated by the patriotic views that the people around them held
-damaging effects of conflict, deprived of a relationship with father
“he must’ve wondered the better way to die”
- highlights emotional pain of daughter + her father that was brought on by war + cultural expectaions
- summarises guilt felt by narrator as she recognise indoctrination from patriotism
- implies she tormented by her actions that had deprived her of a relationship with her father, despite doing what was expected of her
- therefore shows the harmful effect that patriotism and conflict had on people as it tears families + communities apart
“head full of powerful incantations”
“incantations”- cn of spell, further cn of witchcraft - demonstrates how the propaganda almost put a spell on the pilots to convince them to join up
-highlights indoctrination, honourable to die for country
-may show the anger of the narrator as it shows that they were blind to the brainwashing of the propaganda.
“powerful” adj further supports, highlights sheer power the government had over the pilots as they were persuaded into killing themselves.
Regular structure 7 stanzas 6 lines
- further supports idea of indoctrination, as rigid structure may depict the lack of individualism of Jpnese soldiers, highlighting widespread brainwashing
- alt. rigid structure could imply fate, destiny set in stone due to propaganda
“one way journey into history”
- metaphor
- significance of “journey” jxt by ordinary nature of pilot
- demonstrates how ordinary people brainwashed into killing self as they were disillusioned by a sense of grandeur
“my memory of it is sunlight-clear”/”November”
- immediately associates happiness with place
- symbolise hope, optimism
- jxt “November”
- late autumn, cn cold/darkness
- acknowledges that her city going through difficult time
- November = month, will pass, shows optimism that conflict will too pass
- alt. little sunlight in Nov, trying to block out neg. details?
“it tastes of sunlight” - every stanza ends in “sunlight”
- rep of sunlight, views home country as something radiant
- use of synaesthesia, inc vividness of xp
- sun = source of light energy - perhaps energised by memories
- light - symbol of hope, never gives up hope of returning home/peace in country
“bright filled paper weight”
-metaphor
“paperweight” cn permanence + stability, holds weightless/fragile things together
-memories fixed in place, will never leave her
-refuses to let go of memories
-perhaps believes only thing keeping country together
-glass fragile - memories precious to her
“my shadow falls as evidence of sunlight”
- jxt no shadow without light – symbolism of hope and positivity
- ends on sunlight - circularity
- opinion of homeland will always be positive, no matter what “darkness” there may be
“branded by an impression of sunlight”
-metaphor
“branded” - eternally marked, cannot escape
-violent verb that carries connotations of permanence and ownership
-memory holds the power here – her view is unchangeable
“sick with tyrants”
- personification
- abuse of power as an illness
- city vulnerable/innocent
- potential for cure? illness temp?
- semantic field of warfare demonstrates war torn reality + tyranny in home country
