War Photographer Flashcards
What is the rhyme scheme in War Photographer?
ABBCDD
What is the effect of the rhyme scheme?
The rigid ABBCDD structure reflects the method in which the photographer places his photos into “ordered rows”. This ritualistic behaviour is perhaps his way of attempting to maintain a form of normality.
What form is the poem in?
Rigid (Six lines per stanza, constant ABBCDD rhyme scheme)
What effect does the form have on the poem?
This rigidity is at odds with the chaos brought upon by conflict and war, and, as the structure sees no change throughout, it can be interpreted that war photographers have no real change on what happens in the countries and people they attempt to bring attention to. The cyclic structure further supports this, as the photographer senses the futile repetition in his line of work, as it does not change anything.
Good Quotes
“All flesh is grass”
“the reader’s eyeballs prick with tears”
“they do not care”
“hands, which did not tremble then / though seem to now”
Analysis of “all flesh is grass”
A phrase from the Old Testament that implies life is fleeting, and not particularly important.
Analysis of “the reader’s eyeballs prick with tears”
The choice of the word “eyeballs” is quite surgical and biological, more so than eyes. This suggests the act of crying is merely and instinct and mechanical, rather than being truly moved by the image, a very superficial response to seeing this photos. Eyeballs is also a very ugly word, reflecting the disingenuousness of the reader’s response to the images.
The phrase “prick with tears” again reinforces the disingenuous response the readers have to the images before them.
Analysis of “they do not care”
Brings the cyclical structure of the poem to a close, as the photographer returns to the warzone, and realises that the general population in England do not care about what happens, or the imagery shown. Usage of the collective pronoun “they” creates an accusatory tone, which inspires guilt in the reader as they consider their actions.
Final point (While the photographer….)
While the photographer may feel some relief as a result of his distance from the warzone, he also feels very alienated and isolated from the English people, who live on “baths and pre-lunch beers” and whose eyes merely “prick with tears”. Their indifference causes him to only be able to stare “impassively” at the country, with an angry tone in “they do not care”.
