Remains Flashcards
What is the primary theme of ‘Remains’ by Simon Armitage?
Memory
The poem explores how traumatic experiences are remembered and affect individuals over time.
Which emotion is prominently featured in ‘Remains’?
Guilt
The speaker grapples with feelings of guilt related to their experiences in war.
What do individual experiences refer to in the context of ‘Remains’?
Personal recollections of trauma faced during combat
These experiences shape the speaker’s memory and emotional state.
What phrase is used to describe the action taken against looters in ‘Remains’?
‘On another occasion, we sent out / to tackle looters raiding a bank’
This highlights the chaotic and dangerous situations faced by soldiers.
What does the phrase ‘probably armed, possibly not’ suggest?
Uncertainty in life-threatening situations
It reflects the ambiguity faced by soldiers in assessing threats.
What imagery is used to convey the impact of violence in ‘Remains’?
‘I see every round as it rips through his life-‘
This line emphasizes the destructive nature of gunfire on human life.
What graphic imagery is used in ‘Remains’ to describe the aftermath of violence?
‘tosses his guts back into his body.’
This stark imagery illustrates the brutal reality of war.
What does the term ‘blood shadow’ symbolize in ‘Remains’?
The lasting impact of violence and memory
It signifies how the speaker’s experiences haunt them.
What is meant by ‘his bloody life in my bloody hands’?
The burden of responsibility for another’s death
This line conveys the weight of guilt and accountability felt by the speaker.
Why did Simon armitage write remains
To bring light to the effects of ptsd
What is the effect of the quote ‘ probably armed possibly not’
Shows that he has doubt in his mind that will later come back to haunt him
What is the quote ‘rips through his life’
Metaphor of violent grotesque slaughter of a human
What is the purpose of the quote ‘on another occasion ‘
Shows that similar things have happened throughout his experiences at war
What is the effect of the poem perspective changing to first person
Becomes more personal
What is the effect of the quote ‘sort of inside out’
Shows his childish view as he is finding it hard to acknowledge the severity
What is the effect of ‘tossing his guts back into his body’
Dehumanising him as he is treated like an object
What is the effect of the Volta ‘end of story except not really ‘
Shows that the event event has ended but the traumatic scars of the event are still there
What is the effect of repeating ‘probably armed possibly not ‘
Shows that the memory never leaves and will always come back to him
Why does the poem end with ‘bloody hands’
Reference to the play Macbeth where blood symbolises guilt
