August 6 1945 Essay

Lalith Sanathi

In the first stanza of the poem, we are straight away told that the person in the poem is in the Enola Gay, a plane that bombed Hiroshima. We are also told that he whistles a dry tune which gives the reader a sense of the calmness of the atmosphere, but dry also gives a sinister feel. He also does this five minutes before impact which gives the reader a sense of foreboding, which reflects on the emotions and tension for the soldiers. In the second stanza, an apricot ice is mentioned. This positive image of a popular drink is juxtaposed on the situation, to give it effect, and make it more impactful on the reader. This gives the reader a more visual sense of what is going on, because not many people have experienced war, but many more people have experienced drinking or seeing an apricot ice. This makes the scene more relatable to the reader. This visual image is further emphasized with the phrase Marilyns skirts which is a very famous image, and also symbolizes the mushroom cloud produced when the bomb goes off. The reader is also informed of the mixed emotions felt by the soldiers in battle when we are told that he will laugh and tremble which are two words put close together that are completely contrasted to impact the reader. The onomatopoeia in the next stanza when the bees drizzle also gives the viewer a more aesthetic feel for the poem. This is further emphasized with the contrast between the innocence of the rhododendrons and the heat of the explosion, which is illustrated with hot white rhododendrons In the next stanza, we are told about a scarlet girl who has been skinned because of the blast of the explosion. The scarlet is most likely the blood that the girl is covered in, which gives the reader a very intense, bloody, strong view of the victims of this type of warfare, and it is amplified when her skin is described as an old shoe sole or mermaids tail which the reader can easily visualize. The poem finishes by the repetition of the word ladybird which illustrates the black and red of the ash and bloody bodies. However, it could also be a reference to the childrens nursery rhyme Lady bird, lady bird fly away home, your house is on fire, your children are gone The poet uses this poem to show that war is a very violent, gruesome situation that is a very impactful event in the lives of both the victims, and the soldiers.

Lalith Sanathi