War Photographer Quote And Ideas Flashcards
Inversion is used to emphasise the “alone” part which reflects the loneliness of his job: separated from his subject, his editor and his readers, also due to the fact he is never alone in his job. The word “finally” suggests he has been longing for solitude.
“finally alone”
Metaphor - just as dead soldiers are laid out in ordered rows for burial so the photographer lays out images from his camera roll. this emphasises the volume of suffering and pain
“Spools of suffering set out in ordered rows”
A church is a peaceful place/ sanctuary so he sees his dark room as a place of peace and reflection
“as though this were a church”
A priest has an important job to spread the word of god, so the photographers job is of equal reverence he needs to let people know the horrors of war. Just like a priest takes his job seriously so too does photographer.
“a priest preparing to intone a mass”
Short sentence - all places (individual) have experienced war. Shows poets feeling of moral discomfort + extensive and wide impact of war.
Plosive Sounds - Aggressive; shadowing the sounds of war.
“Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh.”
The physical trauma contrasts when he was away the photographer was coping well but now that he is home the memory’s of war is causing him to shake suggesting he is now being affected by war and suffering from PTSD - loss of control and emotions.
“His hands, which did not tremble then though seem to now”
The use of contrast here as pain is something painful, and sore but the word ordinary contrasts this as it suggests that pain is natural and normal. It’s as if we have no idea of real pain. This also shows the different place the photographer is in.
“home again to ordinary pain”
The harming dynamic verb ‘explode’ suggests unpredictability and danger if life in war zone; our child don’t have to worry about this.
“fields which don’t explode beneath the feet”
The photographer is being haunted by the memories of death. The use of the metaphor of ‘ghost’ shows that picture has not become fully developed therefore man can no longer exists
“a half formed ghost”
The photos suggests emotional power/quantity of images and how much suffering there is.
“a hundred agonies in black and white”
The adjective “prick” suggest limited emotional response. The readers of the newspapers have more important things to do than read about war
“readers eyeballs prick with tears between bath and pre lunch beers”
The photographer does not feel he belongs to either world; he is separated from everyone.
“he stares impassively at where he earns his living and they do not care”
