War Photographer, Carol Ann Duffy Flashcards
1
Q
Meaning
A
- Photographer returns home from war zone & develops photos to be published in Sunday news supplement
- Lack of care from western society about harshness of war
2
Q
Themes 2x
A
- Impossibility of presenting true horror of war/conflict
- People refuse to acknowledge beyond very superficial level of what war is like
3
Q
3rd person why?
A
Sense of detachment to atrocities = what photographer himself experiences
4
Q
Imagery #1
A
“fields which don’t explode beneath the feet of running children in a nightmare heat”
- “explode” & “nightmare” = negative connotations
- Showcases hardships of war
- Highlights how safe our world is
- Historical allusion
- Reminds reader difference between lives of
children in war zones and those in rural England
- Reminds reader difference between lives of
- “running children”
- Barefoot children running in grass for fun
- Running from war
- End of innocence/possibly life
5
Q
Imagery #2
A
“suffering set out in ordered rows”
- Paradox
- Suffering cannot be ordered
- Tries to make sense of what he’s seen
- Foreshadows sinister atmosphere
- Alludes to war graves
- Everything sanitised / structured
- Shows photographer observes pain of war but not part of it
- Tries to organise it in a calm and controlled way
6
Q
Tone #1
A
Passive, removed, serious: takes work seriously
Semantic field of religion: “church” , “priest” , “Mass”
- “as thought this were a church and he was a priest”
- Catholic churches = “red” light burns continuously
- Symbolises presence of blood of Christ
- Places photographer in religious and evangelising role
- = Meant to bring suffering of world to our attention
- Catholic churches = “red” light burns continuously
- “intone a Mass”
- Reminding congregation (society) of terrible deaths while they sit comfy
7
Q
Tone #2
A
Frustrated
“tears … beers”
- Mid line rhyme
- Quickens pace in final stanza
- Represents speed of which people forget horrors of war
- Mentioning of routine = lives of readers don’t change
- Upset only briefly
- Don’t want to change the world
- “they do not care.”
- Ambiguity
- Could be anyone & everyone
- Ambiguity
8
Q
Structure #1
A
Repetitive and regular in rhyme & stanza (sestets)
- Tightly/neatly controlled structure but theme = chaos of war
- Juxtaposition
- War photographer efforts are futile = nothing changes
- What we think VS reality of war = impossible to understand
- Juxtaposition
- Reflects war photographer’s job = tries to impose order on chaos of war
- Make it palatable (acceptable/pleasant)
- Move & forget
- Tries to make sense of scenes of confusion and slaughter
- Make it palatable (acceptable/pleasant)
- Regular rhyme scheme abbcdd
- = Predictability of horror and violence of war
9
Q
Structure #2
A
Cyclical structure
- Links to fate
- Everything predetermined & no escaping it
- Futility of war photographer’s job
- People sanitise horrors = carry on with ordered life
- Futile endeavour (goal)
10
Q
Comparisons 3x
A
- ‘Prayer Before Birth’
- ‘Blessing’
- ‘The Tyger’
11
Q
‘The Tyger’
A
Both about relentless nature of cruelty in world
12
Q
‘Prayer Before Birth’
A
Both about cruelty of world
13
Q
‘Blessing’
A
Contrasted with moment of joy within a context of poverty and suffering
