Remains Flashcards
In Remains,
“His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out on patrol”
What does this metaphor indicate?
It indicates something dark that cannot be dispelled, a constant reminder of what he did
In Remains,
“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”
What does violent imagery highlight here?
The verb ‘rip’ highlights the brutal nature of the attack
In Remains,
“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”
How is sensory language used here?
‘I see’ conveys a sense of the trauma it has caused the soldier, as through it is branded in his memory
In Remains,
“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”
What does the use of present tense do here?
It links in with the idea that his suffering is ongoing and he constantly re-plays the memories
In Remains,
“Sort of inside out…tosses his guts back into his body”
What does this gruesome imagery indicate?
It indicates the reality of war and the lack of glory or honour associated with such a job
In Remains,
“And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out”
What does this indicate?
The speaker’s desperation to rid himself of the harrowing memories
In Remains,
“And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out”
What is the verb “flush” indicative of?
Something that needs to be cleansed or disposed of, linking to the unpleasantness of his memories
In Remains,
“Probably armed, possibly not”
What does the uncertain language here remind the reader of?
The doubt that soldiers must deal with. It links to the theme of guilt as there is an indication that the man who was killed was innocent
What is colloquial language?
Informal language
In Remains,
“Well myself and somebody else and somebody else”
What technique is used here and what does it present?
This is colloquial language and it shows that experiences, such as the one described, were common and the soldiers are almost desensitised to the horrors of conflict when immersed within it
In Remains,
“His bloody life in my bloody hands”
What does the repetition reinforce?
The sense of his frustration
In Remains,
“His bloody life in my bloody hands”
What does the image of blood on his hands symbolise?
The guilt he is unable to rid himself of.
In Remains,
“His bloody life in my bloody hands”
What could the word ‘bloody’ perhaps be interpreted as?
A swear word to mark his anger and regret
In Remains,
“Torn apart by a dozen rounds”
What does this violent image contrast against?
The ideas of peace and tranquility, e.g. “sleep” and “dream”
In what poems can you compare the theme of powerful memories in Remains to?
Kamikaze, Poppies, The Emigree, War Photographer and The Prelude
