!Remains

Question 1

What is the poem about (surface value)?

Answer 1

Man reflecting on one of events that happened when he was in war

Question 2

What is the poem about (metaphorically)?

Answer 2

Lasting effects of war

Question 3

Who is the speaker?

Answer 3

First person - soldier who experienced event himself -> understand how he feels both during and after event

Question 4

What are the key ideas in this poem?

Answer 4

Memories: soldier keeps replaying event in mind, Lasting effects of war: still affected even when he’s returned home, Brutality of war: gruesome imagery

Question 5

Give a quote for emotive language

Answer 5

“image of agony”, emotional impact

Question 6

Give a quote for colloquial language

Answer 6

“sort of”, can’t describe it, conversation?, authenticity?

Question 7

Give a quote for repetition (p)

Answer 7

“probably armed, possibly not”, repetition of memory

Question 8

Give a quote for military speech

Answer 8

“enemy lines”, can’t get away from war

Question 9

Give a quote for repetition (b)

Answer 9

“bloody”, all he can think of

Question 10

Why is there no imagery?

Answer 10

Person’s account of awful event

Question 11

Why is there enjambent?

Answer 11

Telling story

Question 12

How is the poem set out?

Answer 12

No rhyme - someone speaking - would be unnatural, first and second lines in past - rest in present - reliving memory, monologue - personal, first four stanzas - shooting, second four - effects, whole poem about event - can’t get away, four line stanzas apart from last one - only two lines - finality - acceptance he can’t get away

Question 13

Any background information?

Answer 13

Reality of what soldiers have to bring home with them, some soldiers turn to drugs and drinking

Question 14

Which poems can you compare this to?

Answer 14

Kamikaze: after-effects of what you do in war, War Photographer: after-effects of war, Bayonet Charge: memory of soldier, Poppies: memories can’t get rid of, Exposure: true experiences of war

Question 15

Simon Armitage uses sibilance in the quote… to continue the disturbing image that is imprinted into his memory.

Answer 15

“His blood-shadow stays on the street,”

Question 16

Simon Armitage uses the quote … to show that he cannot get the incident out of his head. Even when he is asleep, or even when he goes to desperate measures to get rid of the memory, the looter is stuck with him.

Answer 16

“Sleep, and he’s probably armed, possibly not,

Question 17

Simon Armitage uses the quote … to show multiple themes.
Firstly, he uses colloquial language to connect with the reader and repeats “probably armed, possibly not,” throughout the poem to show the soldiers conflict - was killing the looter justifiable?

Answer 17

“And one of them legs it up the road, probably armed, possibly not.”