War Photographer Flashcards
How does the poet bring in the theme of religion in the first stanza
“light is red and softly glows” is a comparison to the incense burning. The burning is symbolic of sanctification and purification. It also symbolizes the prayers of the faithful. It is an outward sign of respect.
This shows that the photographer has deep regard for the pictures and people that have suffered in them and so wants to honor them.
“this were a church” there is more than a suggestion that the darkroom is a place of sanctuary for the photographer, just as a religious or spiritual person may look for the same kind of solace in a church had they been confronted with the same horrors that the photographer must endure.
“preparing to intone a Mass” this likens the photographer to a priest getting ready for a somber service.
However, instead of preparing for mass, the photographer is developing images of war– evidence of inhuman behavior which only serves to contradict the fundamental teachings of the Church.
“all flesh is grass which comes from the New Testament and reinforces the religious imagery as well as emphasising the fragility of life.
“In his darkroom he is finally alone”
‘Darkroom’ is both literal and metaphorical - a darkroom is where photographers develop photographs but also the content of the photos is
‘dark’ - upsetting images of war.
‘Finally’ suggests the photographer is relieved to finally be in a place of relative peace and isolation after experiencing the horror of war.
“with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.”
Ordered rows’ suggest regularity/order - reflects the structure the photographer tries to bring to the chaos of war, trying to make sense of the chaos. It also suggests the ordered nature of graves - suggesting many of the people in the pictures are dead.
Contrast is also used between ‘ordered rows’ and ‘the spools of suffering’ (which sounds uncontrolled, chaotic) suggesting the sense of control the photographer has in this space
“The only light is red and softly glows”
The red light in this line is both literally the red light used in a dark room, but also is metaphorical with the red representing the blood and violence of the images. Red also could reflect the red light in a church which shows presence of Christ, emphasising the extended religious image of the photographer like a priest.
“as though this were a church and he
a priest preparing to atone a Mass.”
A simile - the photographer shows reverence and devotion to the pictures, he is like a priest in that his images help provide meaning to questions of humanity just as a priest uses the bible to make sense of the world. Later in the poem the poet will lose the sense of importance he has in the darkroom
- once the images are developed he loses control and his photos have very little meaning to the public.
“Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass”
- List of all places he’s recorded images of
conflict. - Duffy’s deliberate use of full stops helps us
to ‘fix’ the images - the final part of the
printing process - into our heads. - The phrase ‘All flesh is grass’ Comes from new testament and reinforces
religious imagery as well as emphasising
the fragility of life and the idea that everything dies.
“He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays”
Short emphatic opening sentence breaks the moment of reflection of the first stanza and brings photographer back to the practical job at hand - he now has to deal with the reality of what the images will show.
Word choice of ‘solutions’ has two meanings - literally using chemical solutions to develop photographs, but also suggests the photographers hope that his images may help provide a solution to war.
“his hands which do not tremble then
/though seem to now”
‘did not tremble though seem to now’ uses contrast to suggest that in the warzone photographer must remain calm and composed, but at home the horror of what has been witnessed leads him to ‘tremble’ with horror or fear. It reflects ideas of PTSD experienced by those in war - coming home to truly deal with the mental trauma of what they have endured.
“Rural England. Home again
/to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel”
‘Rural England’ suggests the idyllic life of the photographer, suggesting the world he lives in is calm and peaceful in contrast with the world he works in.
The word choice of ‘ordinary pain’ suggests the contrast between the lives of those who look at the images and deal with nothing worse than bad weather with the ‘extraordinary pain’ of those in the pictures who live in contant fear for their lives.
“to fields which don’t explode beneath the feet
/of running children in nightmare heat.”
Contrasts is used between the barefoot children running in grass for fun as they would in western world with those running from war - end of innocence and, possibly, life. Line is an allusion to famous war photograph of children in Vietnam.
“Nightmare” suggests the terror and fear of a life in a warzone, the heat being the fire of explosions which would kill you.
“Something is happening.”
- A short emphatic sentence is used again, contrasting with the emphatic statement that started the stanza - as the images develop he begins to lose control. Word choice of ‘Something’ suggests a lack of control now felt by the photographer - the images will be become ‘something’ but he does not know what and he has no real control over it.
“A stranger’s features
faintly start to twist before his eyes,
a half-formed ghost”
Word choice of ‘Strangers’ and ‘foreign dust’ suggests the idea of the people in these images being ‘other-ed’ and not considered like us by those who view the images - lack of empathy from those who view the images because they do not know the people or live in the same country as them.
Word choice of ‘Twist’ suggests something both literal as the image slowly morphs into shape as it develops but also metaphorical - the twisted features of a man in pain.
The metaphor ‘ half formed ghost’ suggests the man in the image is dead - literally ghostly as the image develops, but also likely a ‘ghost’ as he will have been killed in war.
“A hundred agonies in black-and-white… his editor will pick out five or six”
Images are literally in black and white - but also suggests metaphorically that the images reflect the binary nature of good and evil in war. Photographs should make clear what is good and what is evil, expose truth over lies. However, most of these images are never seen by anyone.
Contrast between ‘hundred agonies’ of all the photos taken and only ‘five or six’ selected - suggest an indifferent carelessness on part of the editor, thoughtless. Even though every photo taken shows a real person in agony the editor only picks out a small number, leaving the important message of all the other photographs unseen.
“The reader’s eyeballs prick
with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.”
Word choice suggests that Feelings of those who view images is just momentary. ‘prick’ - suggests the smallest of emotional reactions and happens only ‘between’ other mundane activities to stress it is short-lived.
“he stares impassively at where
He earns his living and they do not care.”
- Contrast is shown between the photographer at the start of the poem, convinced of the importance of his job, with the photographer at the end. Photographer now feels impassive towards his own country - the selling of the images is ‘his living’ whereas taking the images is more like a moral duty - the priest like state of the opening contrasts with the commercial photographer he has to be when back at home selling his images.
- Word choice suggests the lack of empathy shown by the people who view the photos. ‘they do not care’ suggests the people who view the images fundamentally lack empathy - no love for fellow man.
