Themes
Which two poems could you connect through their presentation of the psychological effects of war?
Remains + War Photographer
Which poem has the quote
“probably armed, possibly not”
Remains
What are the connotations of “bloody” in Remains?
Violence, death, guilt, physical injury.
What was a kamikaze pilot expected to do?
Deliberately crash their aircraft into an enemy target, sacrificing themselves.
What technique is used in:
“his bloody life in my bloody hands”
Repetition.
Which poem could you connect to Kamikaze through the idea of conflict between an individual's identity and society's expectations?
Disabled
Which poem contains the quote:
“spools of suffering”
War Photographer
What are the connotations of “suffering” in War Photographer?
Pain, trauma, misery, human vulnerability.
Why is Drummer Hodge buried far from home?
: He dies while serving abroad during the Boer War.
What is the effect of Owen using rhetorical questions?
They reveal confusion, loneliness and desperation.
Which three poems could you connect through the idea that war causes ordinary human beings to suffer?
Disabled, Remains, War Photographer
“They throw in Drummer Hodge, to rest”
What is significant about this?
His death is treated casually and he is buried far from home.
What are the connotations of “translucent” in Kamikaze?
Beauty, clarity, purity, light, something delicate/beautiful.
What conflict inspired Remains?
The Iraq War.
Why does Hardy use the natural landscape around Hodge's body?
Nature continues after his death, suggesting he will eventually become part of the landscape.
Which poem presents the strongest contrast between the glory associated with war and its reality? Explain.
Disabled — the young man once imagined himself as attractive, successful and heroic, but war has left him physically damaged and isolated.
What poem is the below quote from and what does it suggest.
“Tonight he noticed how the women’s eyes”
Disabled: He is aware of how others now see him, particularly because of his disability.
What are the connotations of “incendiary” in Remains?
Fire, destruction, violence, danger.
Why is the photographer's darkroom important in War Photographer?
It contrasts the controlled, safe environment of home with the violence and suffering he photographs.
Why does Garland use a long sentence to describe the pilot's journey through nature in Kamikaze?
It slows the poem down and contrasts with the expected speed/destruction of the mission, reflecting his growing appreciation of life.
How could you connect Drummer Hodge and Disabled through the idea of the individual soldier?
Both focus on the individual soldier rather than presenting war as an abstract idea; both show how individual lives can be damaged or forgotten by conflict.
Give me TWO quotations from different poems that demonstrate the psychological impact of war.
What are the connotations of “bare” in Disabled?
Vulnerability, exposure, lack of protection, loss.
What was significant about the idea of heroism during WWI, and how does Disabled challenge it?
Soldiers were encouraged to see military service as heroic, masculine and patriotic. Owen contrasts this ideal with the soldier's physical suffering, loneliness and regret.
Which poem uses a change in perspective/voice to make the reader question whose experience of war matters? Explain.
Strong answers could discuss Kamikaze, War Photographer or Disabled.