War photographer Flashcards
Q: What is the main theme of War Photographer?
A: The poem explores themes of the horrors of war, emotional detachment, guilt, and the contrast between suffering and indifference in the Western world.
Q: How is War Photographer structured?
A: The poem consists of four regular six-line stanzas with a controlled rhyme scheme (ABBCDD), reflecting the photographer’s attempt to impose order on the chaos of war.
Q: What is the significance of the opening line “In his dark room he is finally alone”?
A: The phrase “dark room” symbolizes both the literal space where he develops photos and his psychological isolation, highlighting his inner turmoil.
Q: How does Duffy use religious imagery in the poem?
A: The phrase “as though this were a church and he / a priest preparing to intone a Mass” elevates the photographer’s work to a sacred duty, suggesting the gravity of his role in documenting suffering.
Q: How does the poet contrast war zones and the Western world?
A: The contrast between “Rural England” and war-torn areas like “Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh.” highlights the stark difference between everyday life and war’s brutality.
Q: What does “Spools of suffering set out in ordered rows” suggest?
A: The alliteration and imagery reflect both the immense suffering captured in photographs and the photographer’s attempt to organize chaos.
Q: How does Duffy use contrast in the poem?
A: She juxtaposes the “ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel” in England with the true horrors of war, emphasizing Western indifference.
Q: What is the significance of the phrase “A hundred agonies in black and white”?
A: The metaphor suggests that the images hold immense suffering, yet reducing them to “black and white” symbolizes how distant and simplified they become in the media.
Q: How does the poem depict the public’s reaction to war photography?
A: The line “The reader’s eyeballs prick with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers” conveys the fleeting nature of public sympathy, critiquing society’s apathy.
Q: What is the effect of the phrase “He stares impassively at where / he earns his living and they do not care”?
A: The final lines emphasize the photographer’s detachment and frustration, suggesting his work is unappreciated and war victims are forgotten.
Q: How does Duffy present the emotional toll on the war photographer?
A: The phrase “solutions slop in trays beneath his hands” carries a double meaning—literal photographic chemicals and potential answers to war, which remain elusive.
Q: How does the poem use enjambment and caesura?
A: Enjambment mirrors the ongoing nature of war, while caesura forces pauses, reflecting the photographer’s contemplation and emotional struggle.
Q: How does War Photographer compare to Remains?
A: Both depict the psychological impact of conflict, but War Photographer focuses on the observer’s guilt, whereas Remains presents a soldier’s direct trauma.
