Scottish Set Text - Carol Ann Duffy - War Photographer Flashcards
What themes are explored in War Photographer?
Isolation and death
“Finally alone”
The photographer is in a room all by himself. The word choice of “finally” tells us that he has longed to be by himself for some time. This immediately conveys the theme of isolation.
How does Duffy create a sense of order in Stanza 1?
The photographer seems to enjoy having everything very controlled and organised in his darkroom, in contrast to the chaos and confusion in the war zones. This is probably comforting to him and also creates contrast with the description of the war zones in later verses.
How does Duffy convey the horror which the photographer has seen in Stanza 1?
“spools of suffering”
“spools” are canisters containing rolls of film. The metaphor “spools of suffering” tells us that the photographs are of people who are in pain and distress. The alliteration draws further attention to the phrase.
“the only light is red and softly glows”
“red” usually symbolises danger and warning. This is in contrast to the word “softly” which connotes gentleness and comfort. The “red light” could also suggest the sanctuary lamp, which is a red light in chapels and reinforces the later imagery of a “priest”.
Why does Duffy compare the job of the War Photographer to the job of a priest?
“As though this were a church and he a priest preparing to intone a mass”
They are both solitary, isolated jobs (priests cannot marry or have children) and both involve dealing with death and suffering (priests give the last rites). They are both jobs which are very difficult and not just anyone could do them.
“Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh”
These are all recent war zones, from which the photographer has presumably reported. The minor sentences and alliteration give them more impact. Putting the minor sentences next to each other creates an effect similar to listing, where it emphasises the amount of war zones he has been to and also suggests that they are possibly all starting to lose their individuality to him.
“All flesh is grass”
This is an allusion to the Bible, which essentially means “all life will end”. This shows the photographer’s detachment as the idea of death no longer seems shocking to him. Everyone dies eventually.
How does Duffy convey the photographer’s matter of fact attitude in Stanza 2?
“He has a job to do.”
- also conveys detachment from the experience.
“his hands, which did not tremble then though seem to now”
His hands “did not tremble”in the war zone, which suggests he was not upset by the experiences – again, this suggests detachment.
However they do “seem to now”, which may suggest that he is able to suppress his emotions at the time in order to do his job, but they actually do affect him subconsciously.
“rural England”
“rural” means countryside, which suggests the areas which he lives is peaceful and affluent. It also suggests isolation, asthere are far fewer people living close by. The minor sentence gives impact, to help reinforce the contrast between home and the war zone.
How does Duffy convey the simple problems of people in England?
“ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel”
How does Duffy contrast the warzones with the “ordinary pain” on English people?
“fields which don’t explode beneath the feet of running children in a nightmare heat”
“something is happening”
The photo is developing gradually. The short sentence brings us back to the present and the safety of the darkroom. Short sentence to give the impact.
“a stranger’s features faintly start to twist before his eyes, a half-formed ghost”
- The word “stranger” reminds us of the photographer’s detachment – he did not get to know this man and connect with him.
- “Twist” is ambiguous, as the photo is not yet clearly developed but the word also suggests the man’s face is contorted in agony.
- The metaphor of “half formed ghost” again reminds us that the photo is still faint, but also suggests that the man is now dead.
