This cheat sheet covers the following poems from the Power and Conflict Anthology: Exposure, Charge of the Light Brigade, Remains and War Photographer. Giving detailed analysis of quotes, covering both literary techniques and form explanation. As is so important with this exam, there is an in depth...
Poem Point Evidence Explain Context
Remains 1. Presented 1. “His bloody 1. Reference to Macbeth- war and murder is 1. From a collection of real experiences used
through guilt life in my bloody unforgettable, could also reference the effects of to show the life altering effects if war. PTSD
2. Presents hands.” “Myself PTSD. The shift in blame- “somebody” helps to divert was common amongst soldiers returning
war as and somebody blame at the start of the poem, but at the end, it is from the Iraq war, which is where this is set.
traumatic else and the idea that you are alone in the blame and have to Causes pathos as the idea of guilt constantly
3. The somebody else.” accept it. “Bloody”- 1st expletive – anger and plagues his mind and causes anger and
effects of 2. “the drink and frustration – 2nd actual blood, violent imagery, staining frustration, and the obvious regret and guilt
PTSD drugs won’t flush him and his mind – memory. is clear to the reader. Showing that war
4. Life him out”. 2. Reference to substance abuse – coping mechanism continues even when at home – mental
Changing 3. “sun-stunned and also the desperation of the soldier to forget. struggle.
5. Chaos of and sand- “Flush”- verb- used to suggest the idea that his mind is 2. Drugs and alcohol were often used by ex-
war smothered ill, and the memory needs to be eliminated as a waste soldiers to deal with the events of war – but
land.” product of war. “him” references the looter, how the often enhanced the feelings of paranoia.
4. Monologue, soldier wishes he never had to remember the horrific Pathos, sympathy as the reader recognises
“tosses” “dug in experience. The memory could also be a sickness, the pain that must be held by soldiers who
behind enemy which could suggest the PTSD. have gone to war and understand the
lines”. 3. Sibilance – slows down the pace of the poem. Could desperation of trying to escape from the
5. “On another symbolise the perpetual nature of the PTSD and the memories. They may recognise that it was
occasion”, permeance in his brain. Compound adjective- not the right way to deal with the situation.
“probably juxtaposition of positive and negative – nothing is 3. PTSD – mental illness that caused dire
armed, possibly comforting, his mind has been changed to negative. effects to many soldiers. Could show the
not” Could also show that Iraq as a place was no home to reader the detached nature of war and how it
civilians and was dangerous and threatening. Violent can ruin not only soldiers life but also civilians
vocab. Far away as well. This causes the reader to understand
4. Monologue – casual tone, conversation, natural the harsh and dangerous condition of the war
speech – causes to wonder who he is talking to – not only for soldiers but also for the civilians
paranoia? Colloquial language- casual tone but could and how the feeling of constant attack
also show the disrespect of war. “tosses” discarding, doesn’t’ leave.
ideas of rubbish. Change to military jargon – life has 4. PTSD – war life is invading his home life, he
changed, no longer casual, that has been lost. Lifelong has changed as a person – as many soldiers
effect of war. His territory (mind) has been invaded did. Reader reflects on the idea that war has
and he cannot escape. a permanent effect on lives, not just in death
, 5. Dropped in the action – the chaos of war and how but also in the aftermath of the experiences
even the soldiers didn’t understand what was fully and how they can destroy people and the
happening. Suggests the normality of events during remains are fragments of the people they
wars. Uncertainty- plaguing the man and how it has used to be and causes pathos and empathy.
destroyed his sense of moral code, he has been 5. Guilt plagues the man’s mind – which
changed by this because the guilt and chaos of war would be seen as normal by a reader as it is a
makes him question whether the death was justified. traumatic experience killing someone and
Cyclical structure – repetition – trauma is inescapable even more traumatic when the uncertainty is
– could show the constancy of the questioning and inescapable, and so the reader would have
second- guessing. sympathy for the soldier. The true story had a
man look down and see the man still dying
and so this could be symbolic of the constant
reminder of watching someone die.
War 1. Idea of 1. “He a priest 1. Metaphor – laying out equipment for development, 1. Mass is a catholic tradition which is very
Photographe responsibility preparing to sense of respect and solemn nature – like a mass. reflective and so a religious audience would
r 2. Idea of intone a Mass”. Could also be used to symbolise war graves that the see this as the photographer having great
Guilt “Ordered Row”. people never got. Serious and understanding of the respect for the photos he is laying out. It was
3. 2. “Remembers role he plays in preserving and tending to the memory also common in wars for men to not receive a
Abundance the cries of the of the soldiers and people who have died. He has a proper burial and so the ordered layout of
of pain man’s wife”. significant job in the memory of these people. Just like the spools is a respectful burial, linking to the
4. Disregard 3. “All flesh is Mass, it symbolises the suffering of the people in the responsibility the War Photographer felt
of the public grass”. photographs. towards his job. Carol Ann Duffy was friends
5. Obligation 4. “The reader’s 2. “remembers”- the use of the verb helps to convey with WP, so understood the experiences.
to return eyeballs prick the idea that the experience plays on his mind, and in 2. Duffy is highlighting the importance of
with tears a difficult situation he remembers the fear and pain he remembering the wars and effects of war but
between the heard. “cries” suggests pain and also sadness and is is also showing the pain that comes with it,
bath and pre- aural imagery of the woman- showing that the not only from soldiers but also civilians and
lunch beers.” photographer had a connection of sorts to this woman how the turmoil of the wars is continuous
5. “From the – also an awkward situation, which causes him guilt as and doesn’t stop as soon as they return
aeroplane … at he understands he has to be respectful, as a woman home. This causes the reader to feel as sense
where/ he earns has just become a widow. It reminds that death of pathos and sympathy for the
his living and doesn’t just come to soldiers, there are other victims photographer, as he is trying to shed light on
they do not of war. the atrocities whilst also trying to be
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