Remains Flashcards
What collection does Remains come from?
The not dead. True stories, displays PTSD
How is the title “Remains” ambiguous?
Could refer to remains of a body or remains of memories.
But the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out.
It can’t erase the memory of the shooting. Has to deal with it himself.
Bloody life in my bloody hands
Mild profanity and literal blood. Could refer to lady Macbeth unfazed when killing but driven mad by conscience.
Three of a kind all letting fly.
Myself and somebody else and somebody else are all of the same mind
Alleviating guilt onto the other soldiers. They are all similar.
Probably armed, possibly not.
Seems necessary at the time as poses a threat
I see broad daylight on the other side…
On the ground, sort of inside out…
Biblical allusions of heaven.
Very gruesome description
Tosses his guts back into his body
Colloquial tone
Tosses is casual suggesting a lack of emotion, reader has insight of the horror.
Blood-shadow stays on the street
Literal and figurative stain on the road and his mind.
Shadow connotes darkness and death. Shadow of guilt on the man.
He’s here in my head when I close my eyes, dug in behind enemy lines…
His memory of the man should have been left where he was killed.
Lots of graphic war imagery in the poem.
Helps to capture the traumatic nature of the event that continues to haunt the soldier in his dreams.
On another occasion…
Like part of a longer conversation.
First person pronouns makes this a monologue
Longer lines “not left for dead”
Conveys their importance and significance
Poem has two sections
Follows a linear structure of time from past to present.
Then he’s carted off in the back of a lorry.
Factual observation lacking emotion. Marking the end of the physical event as body was removed. Full stop gives finality.
End of story, except not really…
Challenges idea of ability to move on from trauma. Second half shows his response to the shooting and trauma.
Account of shooting is in 4 line stanzas.
Final stanza has 2 lines.
Could symbolise order of military.
Break in pattern suggests that the man has been broken emotionally. Sums up his emotions.
Casual conversational tone.
Simple and informal. Adds to impression of being in a conversation. Adds a sense of authenticity. Contrast to complex subject matter.
Enjambment
The incident is continually and endlessly disturbing the speaker.
Sibilance
Could refer to slurred speech pattern of drunkenness, abuse of drink and drugs. Anger and frustration “spitting” words out.
Repetition of,
Probably armed, possibly not.
Each half has same number of syllables showing the equal possibility. Split second decision but feels guilt.
