War Photographer Flashcards
What is this poem about?
- Poem about a photographer who returned home after developing photos in a dark room. He has been to many war zones.
This poem is based on the poet’s friend who is a war photographer.
What did the poet’s friend say about the photos he takes?
- He said that the photos “contaminated his mind” due to the horrific moments they captured.
- He wants these images to “contimate others’ minds” as well.
What is the siginificance of the “red- light” in the photographer’s dark room?
- Red = symbolic of blood/death.
- Shows that even though he is out of the war zone, the haunted atmosphete from the war zone is still there due to the images.
What is the significance of the religious imagery in the 1st stanza; describing the photographer as a “priest preparing to intone mass?”
- Simile.
- Mass: spread a religious message.
- He is preparing to spread these images and his message of the pure suffering happening in war zones.
- Religious –> these images are religious as they capture very important moments that must be spread to the world.
How is there juxtapoisition created between the different lights in the room? Why is this juxtaposition used?
- “red” and “softly” (gentle/ peacefulness)
- Juxtaposition: he is protected from the war zones (is back home) but still remembers the suffering/ the suffering is all around him!! (by red light.)
What different wars were in these locations: Belfast, Beirut, Phnom Penh?
- Belfast: The Troubles.
- Phonm Penh: Cambodian genocide.
- Beirut: Civil War between Christians and Muslims.
What is the significance of: “all flesh is grass?”
- Metaphor.
- Circle of life!! Life moves on even after all the suffering of these people.
- People are forgotten about (recurring motif throughout the poem.)
What is the significance of the photographer’s hands trembling?
- He is traumatised/ trembling from the pictures.
- These pictures have a more profound effect in the aftermath of looking at them rather than when actually taking them.
How does the writer describe where he lives, Rural England? What is the significance of this description?
- A place of “ordinary suffering” that “the weather can dispel.”
- Sunny days get rid of people’s sadness!!
- Peacfullness in Rural England/ living normal life.
How does the poet describe the conditions that children have to live in a war- zone the photographer visited?
- “running children”
- Innocence/ naivety.
- “nightmare heat.” –> hell/ the explosions bring about a deadly heat, unlike the heat from a nice sunny day (described previously.)
What is the significance of the phrase: “a half- formed gohst?”
- Gohst—> the man has died.
- Half- formed (part of the man who died has been forgetten!)
- The man is haunted by the fact the man has been caught up in the circle of life.
- Accentuating the motif of people being forgotten about over time.
What is the significance of the phrase:” blood stained into foreign dust?”
- “Stained” - the man is stuck in the photographer’s mind/ photographer is traumatised.
- “Foreign dust” - forgotten about/ unimportant - cycle of life.
What is the significance of the fact that the photographer’s editor will “pick out five or six” photos for “Sunday?”
- Only a FEW pictures: the ones that are “worthy” - not ALL are important to share!! Poet critiquing this fact.
- Only on one day: “ Sunday”; again poet critiquing this fact - this suffering needs to be spoken about more often.
How does the poet describe the reactions of people seeing the photos the photographer has taken and published?
- says their “eyeballs prick” (only slight tears)
- between “the bath and pre- lunch bears.” Peace/ comfort that people in war-zones don’t have.
- Short- time frame (look at it but then don’t look again.)
- Only two lines of poem to decribe their reaction: shows how they MOVE on after seeing something so traumatic.
How is a cyclical structure created at the end of the poem?
- The photographer is in an “aeroplane” - perhaps going to another war zone.
