War Photographer Flashcards
Give an example of a quote that uses alliteration from this poem.
“spools of suffering as solution slops”, this shows the messy flowing sound that symbolises the “messy” solution. This gives the reader a shockingly vivid image of the events of war.
What is the technique “Bathos” and where is it found in the poem?
Bathos is when the mood changes from something incredibly significant to something ridiculous, creating an impact on the reader as they question the meaning behind the contrast. “Only look between their baths& beers” suggests how distant and numb people seem to the traumas of mutilated bodies as they have become so used to it, that it no longer seems significant or provokes much reaction.
Give an example of emotive language used in this poem
“Innocent children running for their lives”, makes the reader question and fear why an innocent child is running for their lives apposed to a soldier.
Give a quote that enforces a sense of fear on the reader
“Nightmare heat” uses the emotive language to provoke a disturbing memory in the readers mind of a time they were incredibly scared from a “nightmare”.
It also makes the reader relate the landscape to a place that is perhaps fiery and hellish.
Give an example of a quote that uses a metaphor to symbolise the photos in the poem.
“A hundred agonies in black-and-white” refers to the scarring photos taken from the war zone, which have been taken in black and white. The black and white is ambiguous and may also represent good and evil, meaning that the photo shows the contrasting good and evil or perhaps that the photographer is both good and evil for not intervening but for spreading knowledge of the events.
What indicates that Duffy has written about the war photographer in a detached way?
There is a lack of information about the photographer, we don’t even know his name.
Describe the structure of War Photographer.
It has a regular form, there are 4 stanzas each with 6 lines, and on the last two lines of every stanza a rhyming couplet can be found e.g. “must” “dust”.
What does the use of rhyming couplets do?
The use of rhyming couplets re-enforces the message of each stanza, to summarise the overall themes of the poem and each individual verse.
What could the regular form of the poem represent?
The form could represent the ways in which the media present the horrors of war through a controlled format.
Why has Duffy used Iambic Pentameter?
As it was a very traditional form so she is trying to show that the subject is serious and important.
Why has Duffy chosen to break out of Iambic Pentameter for parts of the poem?
“He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays”
Has too many syllables to fit with iambic pentameter, could represent the mess and untidiness of the trays or it could show to overwhelmed feeling he has do to the importance of his job.
