Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland Flashcards
Name 3 quotes for this poem
- Flashing silver as their bellies swivelled towards the sun
- yes, grandfather’s boat’
- My mother never spoke again in his presence, nor did she meet his eyes
What is this poem about?
A Kimakaze pilot who returns home and faces rejection as all honour and respect is lost for him, even by his close ones.
What 2 themes are evident in this poem?
Sea - The pilot remembers details of the games he played with his brothers, the colours and patterns of the fish and the taste of the sea salt. These vivid memories suggest what he is about to lose and conveys a powerful sense of home-sickness.
Family life - story of the pilot is at last told to a whole new generation of grandchildren, who perhaps never met him. These references establish the consequences of the pilot’s decision - his entire family and community judge him. The reader is invited to question whether the pilot is being judged too harshly, and to reflect on the practice of suicide missions in war.
What themes can Kamikaze explore?
Power of humans- Effects of Conflict- Loss and absence- Memory- Identity- Individual experiences-
