Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland

Question 1

Title: ‘Kamikaze’

Answer 1

In Japanese, ‘Kamikaze’ means ‘divine wind’.

Question 2

A _______ head full of _______ incantations

Answer 2

• A shaven head full of powerful incantations

The ‘powerful incantation’ could possibly be referring to the brainwashing that has gone on or maybe some form of prayer for survival

WLA: incantation

Question 3

looked far ____ at the _____ _______ boats strung out like ______

Answer 3

• Looked far down at the little fishing boats strung out like bunting

‘Little’ : juxtaposes the massive ships that were the target for the pilot
‘Bunting’ : suggests celebrations, like the birthday parties of the pilots children, and the little fishing boats representing his children that he’ll never see them again.

Question 4

built ____ of pearl-gray ______ to see whose _____ the longest

Answer 4

• built cairns of pearl-grey pebbles to see whose withstood the longest

‘Cairns’, meaning burial mounds, could foreshadow the future, implying that his brothers are dead; possibly also kamikaze pilots

Question 5

Like a huge ____ waved first one way then the other in a _____ of eight

Answer 5

• Like a huge flag waved first one way then the other in a figure of eight

The flag represents the fact that kamikaze pilots were under pressure to meet their obligations to their country. However, the fact that the flag is waved one way and then another could reflect the pilot’s change of mind.
WLA: flag

Question 6

My mother never _____ again in his presence, nor did she _____ his eyes

Answer 6

• My mother never spoke again in his presence, nor did she meet his eyes

Upon the pilot’s return, he is disgraced and shunned by the community and his family.
The disappointment and sadness in this section powerfully contrasts with the hopeful and vibrant imagery in the last section.
WLA: presence