August 6, 1945 – Lecture Review

100 question-and-answer flashcards reviewing the lecture’s analysis of Millen Brand’s poem “August 6, 1945,” covering context, imagery, themes, and historical references

What is the title of the poem discussed in the lecture?

“August 6, 1945.”

Who wrote the poem “August 6, 1945”?

Millen Brand.

On what exact historical date is the poem set?

6 August 1945.

Which Japanese city is central to the poem’s subject matter?

Hiroshima.

What major wartime event occurred on 6 August 1945?

The United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

How many nuclear bombs did the United States drop on Japan in 1945?

Two.

What is the name of the airplane that carried the first atomic bomb?

Enola Gay.

What nickname was given to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima?

Little Boy.

Which two countries are represented by the two men in the poem?

The United States and Japan.

What ordinary home-repair task is the American man considering?

Painting a cracked windowsill.

Why does the American man decide the windowsill can wait?

Because the cracks have not yet let rain through, so there is no urgency.

What everyday sound foreshadows the bomb’s fall for the American man?

The thud of a falling apple.

Which fruit falls with a “thud” in the American’s orchard?

An apple.

The falling apple metaphorically anticipates what larger event?

The dropping of the atomic bomb.

What type of orchard does the American man survey?

An apple orchard.

Besides apples, which two small fruit trees are mentioned?

Plum trees.

What red-flowered plant is described beneath the trees?

Bee balm.

What gardening activity is the American’s wife enjoying?

Trowelling a flower bed along the house wall.

How does the lecture describe the imagery in lines 5–10?

Peaceful, natural, and life-giving.

What feeling is conveyed by the phrase “nice lethargy of the day”?

A relaxed drowsiness and lack of urgency.

In the poem, what does the slow rhythm of “floats in the air slowly descending” convey?

The unobtrusive, gradual descent of the bomb.

How is the atomic bomb initially described to downplay its danger?

As a “hardly visible thin tube with a small fuse.”

Which phrase signals the bomb’s blinding power?

“A light brighter than the sun.”

The phrase “light brighter than the sun” refers to what?

The overwhelming flash of the atomic explosion.

What material were many buildings in Hiroshima made of, according to the poem?

Wood.

Why is the term “wooden city” ominous?

Wooden structures are highly flammable, foreshadowing devastation.

What ordinary task is the Japanese man postponing?

Painting his shutters.

Which flowers on bamboo sticks is the Japanese man admiring?

Morning glories.

What emotion does the Japanese man express with “Let me enjoy it”?

Contentment and appreciation of the morning’s beauty.

How does the poem highlight similarities between the two men?

By showing both absorbed in peaceful, routine home chores.

What literary device contrasts the men’s shared routines with the war?

Juxtaposition.

What tragic irony surrounds the Japanese man’s postponed shutters?

He will die moments later, so the task will never be done.

Which side of the war does Fred Braun represent?

The American side.

Which side of the war does the unnamed man in Hiroshima represent?

The Japanese side.

What broader theme about humanity does the poem explore?

Shared human vulnerability regardless of nationality.

How is peaceful imagery contrasted with impending destruction?

Calm domestic scenes are set against the silent approach of the bomb.

Why is the bomb described as “hardly visible” and “thin”?

To emphasize its stealth and the unsuspecting nature of its victims.

What does the term “filament” metaphorically reference?

The bomb’s core that will ignite with immense light.

How many parts of the bomb are mentioned before detonation?

Two parts.

Which sensory detail underscores calmness in the American scene?

The soft thud of an apple falling.

What term highlights the men’s common “everyday normalities”?

Routine domestic tasks.

What color metaphor is used to describe the bee balm?

It is likened to a “red napkin.”

What role does nature play in the poem’s opening?

It establishes tranquility and life before catastrophe.

How does the poem signal a geographic shift?

With the phrase “across the world.”

What single word in line 16 foreshadows the Japanese man’s danger?

“Below.”

What does the phrase “across the world” emphasize?

The vast distance yet simultaneous events linking the two scenes.

Why is the bomb’s descent described as unobtrusive?

To show how silently disaster can intrude on ordinary life.

What literary technique is the apple’s thud an example of?

Foreshadowing.

How does the poem humanize people on both sides?

By portraying them as ordinary, caring for homes and gardens.

What is the poem’s central juxtaposition, according to the lecture?

Everyday peace versus sudden nuclear destruction.

What do the notes call attention to about the men’s “normalities”?

Their shared routines that ignore looming catastrophe.

How do gardens function symbolically in the poem?

They symbolize life, growth, and innocence.

In the analysis, what does painting the windowsill represent?

A mundane concern overshadowed by historical tragedy.

What emotion does the poem evoke by showing chores before catastrophe?

A poignant sense of vulnerability and loss.

Which lines introduce the Enola Gay?

Lines 12–15.

How are long vowel sounds used in lines 14–15?

To slow the rhythm, mirroring the bomb’s slow fall.

Which word indicates Japan’s architectural vulnerability?

“Wooden.”

What does the Japanese man’s view of the “blue sky” contrast with?

The imminent fiery explosion.

How is the bomb portrayed before it explodes?

As small, thin, almost unnoticeable.

What meaning is attached to the phrase “they can wait” in both scenes?

A false sense of time and security.

Why is the atomic bomb’s nickname “Little Boy” poignant?

It belies the weapon’s vast destructive power.

How does the poem connect private life and global history?

By interrupting routine domestic moments with a historic atrocity.

What lesson about war might readers draw from the poem?

War destroys ordinary lives that mirror our own.

What feeling might dramatic irony evoke in readers?

Unease or sorrow, knowing tragedy while characters remain unaware.

How does the lecture define lethargy in context?

A calm drowsiness free of concern.

What indicates rain has not yet caused damage in the American’s house?

No water has come through the windowsill cracks.

What do the windowsill cracks symbolize?

Small flaws unnoticed amid larger impending danger.

Who is Millen Brand?

An American author and poet who wrote “August 6, 1945.”

What genre is “August 6, 1945”?

A narrative poem with historical commentary.

How does the poem’s setting move geographically?

From the U.S. apple orchard to the Japanese home in Hiroshima.

Which sense is engaged by the word “thud”?

Hearing.

What does the lecture say about urgency in the American scene?

There is none; tasks are casually postponed.

How is the Japanese man’s fate foreshadowed by “below”?

He is physically beneath the descending bomb.

What does the analysis say about the men’s ignorance?

Both are oblivious to the impending atomic strike.

How many atomic bombs had been dropped before Hiroshima?

None; Hiroshima was the first.

Which natural element is repeatedly emphasized to show peace?

The garden and sky imagery.

How does the poem’s imagery support anti-war sentiment?

By depicting the loss of peaceful, innocent life.

Which family member appears alongside the American man?

His wife.

What tool is the American’s wife holding?

A garden trowel.

How does the lecture describe the bomb’s fuse?

A small fuse on a thin tube.

What comparison describes the bomb’s light?

“Brighter than the sun.”

What effect results from calling the bomb “almost unnoticeable”?

Highlights the stealth and surprise of mass destruction.

Which device spotlights similarities between enemies?

Parallel structure of daily actions.

Why is the gardener’s contentment important?

It underscores the innocence of those caught in war.

How does “living-room shutters” anchor the Japanese scene?

It places the event in an ordinary domestic space.

What does the lecture suggest about reader empathy toward the Japanese victim?

Readers are positioned to see him as an innocent casualty.

What summarizes lines 1–4?

Fred Braun noting cracked windowsills needing paint.

What atmospheric mood dominates lines 5–10?

Serene, pastoral tranquility.

Which word group in lines 14–15 slows the tempo?

Long-vowel words like “floats,” “air,” “descending.”

In context, what does “trowelling” mean?

Digging and smoothing soil for planting.

Why is it significant that both men think repairs can wait?

It shows shared complacency before unforeseeable disaster.

How does the poem critique perceptions of enemy “otherness”?

By portraying both men as relatable, ordinary humans.

What symbolic role does light play?

It represents both life (sunlight) and lethal explosion.

How does the poem illustrate war’s unpredictability?

Peaceful mornings can end suddenly in catastrophe.

What does the poem reveal about ordinary life during wartime?

Daily routines continue unaware of monumental events.

What is the shocking contrast between the men’s thoughts and reality?

They focus on chores while a nuclear bomb approaches.

How does the poem address innocence?

By showing victims engaged in harmless, everyday acts.

Which Japanese image mirrors the American orchard scene?

Morning glories in the Japanese garden.

How does the poem demonstrate shared vulnerability?

Both men’s lives hinge on events beyond their control.

What overarching message does Millen Brand convey?

War’s devastation unites humanity in suffering and loss.