War Photographer Quotes Flashcards
‘darkroom’
setting of the darkroom creates a foreboding atmosphere
‘A priest preparing to intone a Mass. Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass’
parallel between the job of the war photographer: both are exposed to death and suffering
‘He has a job to do. Solution slop’
he has business to complete, reinforced by the businesslike tone created by the monosyllables and the short sentences, sibilance is used here to develop the harsh atmosphere
‘Which did not tremble then though seem to now’
it seems that at the scene of the conflict he was calm but now he’s agitated, perhaps because he will soon relive the conflict through the photos he is developing
‘Ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel’
in ‘rural England’ problems are trivial and a sunny day can make it all better, this contrasts with the wartorn settings he has been in, where pain, both emotional and physical is devastating
‘Half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries’
man is the picture which hasn’t yet fulling appeared on the photo paper, this phrase also alludes to the fact that he has died, auditory imagery is used here to develop the horrific image created
‘He sought approval’
he is aware that his presence and camera might seem instructive but believes it’s important to document conflict
‘Hundred agonies in black-and-white’
the agonies of war are curated for the supplementary papers, this seems distasteful
‘Sunday’s supplements […] bath […] beers’
the use of alliteration emphasises the readers’ frivolous nature, the singsong rhyme ‘beers’ and ‘tears’ also suggests this
‘Prick with tears […] they do not care’
while the readers are seemingly moved to tears, these seem disingenuous to photographer
