Remains

Question 1

Form and structure

Answer 1

• 8 stanzas
• first 7 are unrhymed
• narrative style (monologue)
• fast pace
• natural speech
• enjambment between stanzas, shows inner conflict and could reflect the sense of the story being told naturally

Question 2

Title

Answer 2

‘Remains’ refers to the remains of a dead man, could also refers to the remains of his memory - giving a sense that the speaker is haunted.

Question 3

“Tosses”

Answer 3

Highlights the disregard to human life, the carelessness of the narrator shows that he feels like life is worthless.
LINK “rips through his life” - the violent verb “rips” signifies the lack of emotion behind actions, and enhances the idea that life has no worth.

Question 4

“We get sent out”

Answer 4

Acting on orders, there’s no control over his own actions within this situation - could also represent the idea that there’s no control over man or their own destiny.
Could also further enhance the idea that life is worthless, men are just ordered and ‘tossed’ aside like they’re nothing.
Orders control him.
“Sent” an imperative (ordering verb)

Question 5

“Possibly armed, possibly not”

Answer 5

Again, link to lack of care for worth of life
Could highlight how the narrator is haunted by the guilt of taking another man’s life (juxtaposes the worthlessness of life that the poem represents)