War Photographer -> narrative dramatic monologue

“Running children in nightmare heat”

• Designed to make the reader understand the intensity of the suffering caused by war

• Refers to the children to remind the readers of the innocent live taken by and affected by war

“Spools of suffering set out in ordered rows”

• Hints at the photographer’s efforts to make sense of and order something horrific

• Contrasts between what the photographer tries to do and the reality of conflict that happens

• “Ordered rows” could symbolise a grave yard

“The reader’s eyeballs prick with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers”

• Shows the comfort of those at home who are not directly affected by war

• Contrasts with the images of pain that run throughout the poem

“He stares impassively at where he earns his living and they do not care”

• “Impassively” perhaps suggests that the photographer is numb to the significance of his task as are the readers and his editor

• Perhaps he feels guilty for making money off the suffering

• Implies hopelessness as he cares about what is happening yet feels the readers do not - his work has become meaningless

Themes

• The horror of war

• People’s increasing indifference to the victims of conflict

Structure - ABBCDD rhyme scheme

• could reflect the photographer’s futile attempt to establish order in a chaotic and distressing situation

Structure - dramatic monologue

• Allows readers to get an insight into the first-hand experiences of the photographer

Context

• war photography started during the Crimean war

• photos were mostly of soldiers standing with guns → later on photos of dead bodies were taken appeared in magazines

• the consequences and realities of war were not seen in the images shared

Poems to compare to

• remains → effects of war, memory, guilt, individuals experience

• Poppies → effects of war, memory, individuals experience

• kamikaze → effects of war, memory, individuals experience