Remains. Flashcards
What does the poem begin with and what does it imply?
‘On another occasion’
This implies that this account is not the only unpleasant story the solider has in his memory
What does the solider feel at the end of the poem that is suggested by the final line?
That he will always have blood on his hands.
What are the three themes in Remains?
Guilt, Conflict and Life and Death.
How is the theme of Guilt shown?
The speaker is haunted by the guilt of taking a man’s life. He is upset by the fact the man might be innocent.
Evidence:
‘probably armed, possibly not’
What’s the reason for the interpretation ‘The solider are nameless and in many ways identical’ in the line ‘Well myself and somebody else’ and ‘are all of the same mind’?
The use of ‘somebody else’ suggests that these could be any men, as if the soldiers are as disposable as the looter they have killed. The lack of names makes them anonymous and perhaps suggests that this is the way they are regarded by other
Comparison with exposure
-Remains has a faster paced rhythm, Exposure has a more measured pace, reflecting the way the soldiers are waiting.
-Remains is about modern warfare, Exposure is about World War One.
-Remains has a structure which disintegrates towards the end, Exposure uses a more regular structure.
-Exposure is written in the present tense about an experience that is unfolding. Remains is also written mostly in the present tense, but is about a past experience, showing the lasting trauma of the experience of war for this soldier.
What imagery is used in the poem?
Brutal images of shooting - ‘rips’, ‘guts’
The solider in Remains is conditioned to follow orders, like the soldiers in:
Bayonet Charge
Charge of the Light Brigade
What are key ideas explored in Remains?
Injustice of war
Trauma
Guilt
The contrast between war and its aftermath
What is the purpose of colloquial language in the poem?
To show that experiences, such as the one described, were common.
What are colloquial verbs used in the poem and what to they indicate?
“Tosses” and “carted off”
Casual, colloquial verbs indicate the solider’s lack of regard or respect for human life in war.
What image does the metaphor “his blood shadow stays make?
The image of something dark that cannot be dispelled. Shadow relates to a memory that lingers.
What quotes highlight the speaker’s trauma?
“And the drinks and drugs won’t flush him out”
“Bursts”
“End of story, except not really”
Give an example of sibilance in the poem:
“Not left for dead in some distant sun-stunned sand-smothered land”
What form is the poem written in?
Dramatic Monologue.
