power and conflict quotes

🟥 - quotes 🟪 - intentions 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 - methods

remains form, structure, language

remains form, structure, language

FORM:

dramatic monologue - made up of mostly regular 4-line stanzas

makes poem seem mundane, like a normal occurrence

lack of rhyme + structural elements (e.g. enjambment) - imply chaos and turmoil underneath

STRUCTURE:

heavy enjambment - can’t separate past from present + shift view of responsibility caesura - interrupts life

LANGUAGE:

colloquial language + violent imagery - accepts fact that he is struggling + structured like a stream of consciousness, centered around uncensored memories and emotions + contrasts expectations of soldiers being strong and masculine

blood as a symbol of guilt - blend past with present

remains quotes

O A O W G S O

I S E R A I R T H L

O O M M G B A T H G B I H B

A T D A T D W F H O

B N T T K H A N H B L I M B H

“on another occasion, we got sent out“

“i see every round as it rips through his life“

“one of my mates goes by and tosses his guts back into his body“

“and the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out“

“but near to the knuckle, here and now, his bloody life in my bloody hands“

REMAINS ANALYSIS - “on another occasion, we got sent out“

monologue, in media res

“we got sent out“ - working as part of team/unit, under someone else’s orders

colloquial language - young + emotionally unprepared for what will come next

INTENTIONS:

suggests soldier has to deal with this on a regular basis + speaker’s tone implies element of weariness

no glory/honour in war + focuses on realities of conflict

social comment on soldiers having to do things they don’t understand

REMAINS ANALYSIS - “i see every round as it rips through his life“

volta -

INTENTIONS:

suggests soldier alone seems to understand consequences of actions

colloquial language - young/inexperienced at life + loses innocent - gruesome imagery transitions from colloquial to emotional

REMAINS ANALYSIS - “one of my mates goes by and tosses his guts back into his body“

colloquial language -

sibilance -

“tosses his guts“ - juxtaposition between casual moment back then and feeling sick now in the moment + lack of care/respect

INTENTIONS:

reflects soldiers have to disengage with reality to cope

dehumanises looter - remains nameless

commenting on conflict - causes devaluation of human life, gruesome death is an everyday occurrence

REMAINS ANALYSIS - “and the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out“

allusion excrement -

military terminology - “flush him out“ - describe soldier’s efforts in trying to dislodge memory of dead looter

INTENTIONS:

haunted by memories

suffering from PTSD - however doesn’t receive any support

REMAINS ANALYSIS - “but near to the knuckle near and now, his bloody life in my bloody hands”

“hands“ - rhymes with land and sand

discordance of line not rhyming - lack of control,

“his bloody life in my bloody hands” - literal allusion - suggest looter’s life was precious/had a worth + consequence - suicide/self-destruction + literal blood or curse, event cursing him + hands are metaphorically stained with looter’s blood

“his/my” accepts his responsibility/guilt

“here and now” - might be able to escape thoughts of suicide, ALTERNATIVE - memory of suffering

“near to the knuckle” - not distant memory, but is immediate/risky + fist, reference to how he will fight his guilt, seeking help to recover

INTENTIONS:

no resolution - mirrors lack of escape + resolution of soldiers affected by PTSD forever

title “remains” - physical remains of looter + stubborn determination of memories that refuse to leave speaker alone

REMAINS - context

war in Iraq

modern conflict

create awareness about PTSD/recognition in society

changing public opinion of war after Iraq