Remains Flashcards
Who wrote remains?
Simon Armitage
What is the opening line of remains, that suggests the poem is a series of stories?
“On another occasion”
What quotations shows a colloquial expression that sounds like an ordinary anecdote?
“One of them legs it up the road”
What quotation shows that there is doubt - which contrasts with the definite action that follows?
“Probably armed, possibly not”
What does the repetition of “all” and “three” show?
Shows that he’s trying to place the blame on others. Shows he is guilty
What quotation shows sudden violence, that doesn’t fit in with the casual tone of the poem?
“open fire”
What quotation shows the use of anaphora to emphasise the visual horror of the scene?
“I see/I see”
What violent metaphor contrasts with the colloquial style?
“It rips through his life”
What quotation shows grotesque imagery and suggests that happiness is elsewhere?
“I see broad daylight on the other side”
What quotation shows an inability to process thought, childish?
“Sort of inside out”
What quotation emphasises the lack of respect for the dead man?
“tosses his guts back into his body. Then he’s carried off in the back of a lorry”
What quotation implies a change, a volta?
“End of story, except not really”
What quotation foreshadows the memories that will haunt him?
“His blood-shadow stays on the street”
What quotation is a short, simple sentence thats suddenness hints confusion?
“Then i’m home on leave”
What quotation shows a way of shutting down and avoiding the truth but only for a limited amount of time?
“But i blink”
In the quotation “but i blink” what does the enjambment suggest?
The enjambment emphasises the continuity of horror. The kinaesthetic imagery suggests everything goes away for a second but it soon comes back
What two short words, that are separated by a caesura, sound like gun shot?
“sleep” and “dream”
What phrase is repeated that hints at inner turmoil?
“Probably armed, possibly not”
What metaphor compares the memory stuck in his mind to a soldier in a trench?
“dug in behind enemy lines”
What quotation uses sibilance to show the pace of war and lack of clear though?
“Some distant, sun-stunned, sand-smothered”
What phrase has a double meaning of either a man’s blood or swearing in anger?
“his bloody life”
What pronoun in the final sentence emphasises that he was completely responsible?
“my”
What quotation is an allusion to Macbeth which hints the speaker is unbalanced by his guilt?
“my bloody hands”
Whats the context of remains?
Based on a real life soldier’s experience in Iraq and his post-traumatic stress disorder
Whats the form of the poem like?
There is no regular line length or rhyme scheme, making it sound like a story. The poem ends which two lines with the same metre which emphasises the feeling of finality and guilt
What type of language is used?
Colloquial language
Whats the mood/tone of remains?
Nonchalance and guilt
What quotation shows an attempt to gain finality?
“And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out”
