CLUSTER 2: POWER AND CONFLICT

CLUSTER 2: POWER AND CONFLICT

SAMPLE QUESTION CLUSTER 2:
WHAT DO I NEED TO INCLUDE IN MY ANSWER?

You need to use

You need to give your own
evidence to support
views on the poems and their
your ideas
message

You need to explain

how the poet uses You need to compare the poems
language, form and
structure to create
effects
COMPARISON IS KEY MUST HAPPEN IN EVERY
PARAGRAPH

Words/Phrases to show
differences

Comparison

Words/Phrases to show
similarities
AN EXAMPLE PLAN FROM THE EXAM BOARD
WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT THE
STRUCTURE OF THE ESSAY?
 ER
P H
R A
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T O
H O
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Which one of these photographs has the most impact on you and
why?
What are the feelings of the subjects in each?
What might the feelings of the photographers have been?
Why were these pictures taken?
 CAROL ANN DUFFY WHAT DID YOU FIND
OUT?
Duffy was born in Glasgow in 1955 to a Scottish father and an Irish mother she was raised
Catholic

A sense of the ritual of language learned in her school days pervades Duffy's work,
although she is no longer a practising Catholic. she explains. "I write quite a lot of
sonnets and I think of them almost as prayers: short and memorable, something you
can recite.

In May 2009, she was appointed Britain's poet laureate. She is the first woman, the first
Scot, and the first openly LGBT person to hold the position

She was inspired to write the poem by a friend of hers who is a war photographer she was
intrigued by the difficulties such a job creates

"War Photographer" by Carol Ann Duff

y - YouTube
 In his dark room he is finally alone
Structure: with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.
The only light is red and softly glows, The rhyme scheme
The tone of the poem
as though this were a church and he (abbcdd) juxtaposes the
shifts halfway through
a priest preparing to intone a Mass. theme. Suffering is an
and again in the last
Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass. abstract it should not be
stanza into the apathy of
pre-lunch beers and do neatly controlled like the
He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays
not care a shocking
beneath his hands, which did not tremble then
rhyming scheme
contrast to the images presented.
though seem to now. Rural England. Home again
of war.
to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,
The structure of this to fields which dont explode beneath the feet Each stanza is perfectly
poem supports this
dichotomy in that there
of running children in a nightmare heat. regular 6 lines
are
two contrasting worlds: Something is happening. A strangers features
the world of war zones faintly start to twist before his eyes, The fact that the
("Belfast. Beirut. a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries structure is so rigid (6
Phnom Penh.") and the of this mans wife, how he sought approval lines, rhyming
calmer world of "Rural without words to do what someone must
England". The war scheme etc.) it could
and how the blood stained into foreign dust. suggest that despite
photographer is the man
who goes between these the photographers
two worlds. A hundred agonies in black and white
from which his editor will pick out five or six efforts, nothing will
This idea is reinforced as
the poem starts and ends for Sundays supplement. The readers eyeballs prick The form is a way of
change.
with the photographer at with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers. containing, controlling and
home. The poem is From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where dealing with the anger and
circular suggesting he earns his living and they do not care. pain the photographer/poet
 In his dark room he is finally alone Juxtaposition: Within this
Assonance: with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.The juxtaposition
The vowel sound o (oh) The onlyrows.
ordered light is red and softly glows, of this phrase with
poem there
is repeated throughout as though
The thisiswere
only light a church
red and softlyand he
glows, the list of places is is:
the first stanza. This aas
priest
though
preparing
this wereto a
intone
church
a Mass.
and he perhaps an ironic Alliteration
recurring sound reflects Belfast.
a priest Beirut.
preparing Phnom
to intone
Penh.aAll
Mass. comment: yes, all
flesh is grass. Assonance
the sound of the priest human life ends
intoning a mass eventually, but in Juxtapositi
solemn, low and deep He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays such places as on
adding to the serious beneath his hands, which did not tremble then
these it is ended Oxymoron
and solemn though seem to now. Rural England. Home again much sooner.
Enjambment: The
Pain is something unexpected a
Metaphor
atmosphere. to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,
photographers hands are
reaction to something unusual and steady when taking photos
to fields which dont explode beneath the feet Enjambme
unpleasant: it is never ordinary. The
of running children in a nightmare heat. they have to be, nt
oxymoron ordinary pain, then, otherwise the pictures
makes the reader consider what is would be blurry and
would be blurry and
meant. Something is happening. A strangers featuresunsalable. In contrast,
The kind of pain experienced in faintly start to twist before his eyes, when he gets home and he
rural England is not really pain at a half-formed ghost. He remembers the criesdoes not need to suppress
all, but unhappiness which can be of this mans wife, how he sought approval his emotions, his hands
solved by mere sunshine. This without words to do what someone must tremble with fear/anxiety.
makes us wonder what kind of pain The enjambment
and how the blood stained into foreign dust.
in experienced abroad: it must be emphasises the contrast by
terrible, agonising, serious and real putting though seem to
Metaphor: The man in the A hundred agonies in black and white Metaphor: In this metaphor the
pain. now on a new line.
from which his editor will pick out five or six photographs have become physical
photo has become a ghost.
manifestations of pain and suffering:
This suggests his death. for Sundays supplement. The readers eyeballseach prick
one tells a story.
Perhaps too, the with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers. The pictures are literally
photographer is haunted by From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where monochrome. Alternatively, there is
memories of it. he earns his living and they do not care. no doubt or uncertainty about the
agony in the pictures: the suffering is
 In his dark room he is finally alone
Imagery: with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.
The only light is red and softly glows,
as though this were a church and he Religious Imagery
a priest preparing to intone a Mass.
Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.

He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays

beneath his hands, which did not tremble then
though seem to now. Rural England. Home again The different places
to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,the photographer has
to fields which dont explode beneath the feet been to
of running children in a nightmare heat.

Something is happening. A strangers features

faintly start to twist before his eyes, The dichotomy in that
a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries there are
of this mans wife, how he sought approval two contrasting worlds:
without words to do what someone must the world of war zones
and how the blood stained into foreign dust. ("Belfast. Beirut.
Phnom Penh.") and the
A hundred agonies in black and white calmer world of "Rural
from which his editor will pick out five or six
England".
for Sundays supplement. The readers eyeballs prick
with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.
From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where
he earns his living and they do not care.

All Flesh is Grass
This is a biblical quotation from
Isaiah 40:6-8
The point being made is that
compared to the eternal and
everlasting word of God,
human life is fleeting and
transient. It is a reminder that
we are all mortal.
In the poem this reference
adds to the images of death
which abound: mass...explode
beneath the feet of running
children...half-formed
ghost...blood stained into
In his dark room he is finally alone
Sanctuary Lamps
with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.
The only light is red and softly glows, Christian churches often have
as though this were a church and he at least one lamp continually
a priest preparing to intone a Mass. burning, not only as an
Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass. ornament of the altar, but for
the purpose of worship. In the
He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays Catholic Church, for instance:
"In accordance with traditional
beneath his hands, which did not tremble then
custom, near the tabernacle a
though seem to now. Rural England. Home again special lamp, fuelled by oil or
to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,
wax, should be kept alight to
to fields which dont explode beneath the feet indicate and honour the
of running children in a nightmare heat. presence of Christ."
The sanctuary lamp can
Something is happening. A strangers featuresrepresent the eternal
presence of God or show that
faintly start to twist before his eyes,
the light of Christ always
a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries burns in a sin-darkened world.
of this mans wife, how he sought approval Such sanctuary lamps are
without words to do what someone must often coloured red. This
and how the blood stained into foreign dust. distinguishes this light from
other candles and lights
A hundred agonies in black and white within the church and
highlights its importance.
from which his editor will pick out five or six
for Sundays supplement. The readers eyeballs prick
with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.
From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where
he earns his living and they do not care.

Belfast = In all, over 1,500 people
were killed in political violence in the
city from 1969 until 2001. (IRA
Bombings etc.)
Beirut = Lebanese Civil War. About
60,000 people died in the first two
years of the war (19751976), and
much of the city was devastated.
Phnom Pen = During the Vietnam War,
Cambodia was used as a base by the
North Vietnamese Army and the Viet
Cong. Tuol Sleng High School was
taken over by Pol Pot's forces and was
turned into the S-21 prison camp,
where Cambodians were detained and
tortured. Pol Pot sought a return to an
agrarian(farming-based) economy and
therefore killed any people perceived
as educated, "lazy", or political
enemies.
In his dark room he is finally alone
with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.
The only light is red and softly glows,
as though this were a church and he
a priest preparing to intone a Mass.
Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.
He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays
beneath his hands, which did not tremble then
though seem to now. Rural England. Home again
to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,
to fields which dont explode beneath the feet
of running children in a nightmare heat.
Something is happening. A strangers features
faintly start to twist before his eyes,
a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries
of this mans wife, how he sought approval
without words to do what someone must
and how the blood stained into foreign dust.
A hundred agonies in black and white
from which his editor will pick out five or six
for Sundays supplement. The readers eyeballs prick
with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.
From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where
he earns his living and they do not care.
SUMMARY:

What is the message of the poem?

What is Duffy suggesting about conflict?

 E
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POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) IS AN
ANXIETY DISORDERCAUSED BY VERY
STRESSFUL,FRIGHTENING OR DISTRESSING EVENTS.

The type of events that can cause PTSD include:

serious road accidents; violent personal assaults,
such as sexual assault, mugging or robbery;
prolonged sexual abuse, violence or severe neglect;
witnessing violent deaths; military combat; being
held hostage; terrorist attacks; natural disasters,
such as severe floods, earthquakes or tsunamis.
PTSDcan develop immediatelyafter someone
experiences adisturbing event or itcan occur
weeks, months or even years later.
PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3
people who have a traumatic experience.
HOW DOES PTSD AFFECT PEOPLE?
Someone with PTSD will often relive the traumatic
event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may
experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt.
They may also have problems sleeping, such as
insomnia, and find concentrating difficult.
These symptoms are often severe andpersistent
enough to have a significant and often extremely
damaging impact on the persons day-to-day life.
REMAINS, BY SIMON ARMITAGE

On another occasion, we got sent

out
to tackle looters raiding a bank.
And one of them legs it up the road,
probably armed, possibly not.
Well myself and somebody else and somebody else
are all of the same mind,
so all three of us open fire.
Three of a kind all letting fly, and I swear

I see every round as it rips through his life -

I see broad daylight on the other side.
So we've hit this looter a dozen times
and he's there on the ground, sort of inside out,

pain itself, the image of agony.

One of my mates goes by
and tosses his guts back into his body.
Then he's carted off in the back of a lorry.
End of story, except not really.
His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out
on patrol
I walk right over it week after week.
Then I'm home on leave. But I blink

and he bursts again through the doors of the

bank.
Sleep, and he's probably armed, and possibly
not.
Dream, and he's torn apart by a dozen rounds.
And the drink and the drugs won't flush him
out -
he's here in my head when I close my
eyes,
dug in behind enemy lines,
not left for dead in some distant, sun-
stunned, sand-smothered land
or six-feet-under in desert sand,

but near to the knuckle, here and now,

his bloody life in my bloody hands.
WHAT THE POET SAID

From a collection of
poetry called The
Not Dead.
Inspired by a
Channel 4
documentary of the
same name (youtube)
about soldiers who
returned from
conflicts (Malaysia,
Afghanistan and
Bosnia) and how they Watch from 46.05 51.00 (Some expletives
coped. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvA3K-
 WHAT THE POET SAID

These are poems of

survivors the damaged,
exhausted men who return
from war in body but
never, wholly, in mind.
 THESE ARE POEMS OF SURVIVORS THE DAMAGED,
EXHAUSTED MEN WHO RETURN FROM WAR IN BODY BUT
NEVER, WHOLLY, IN MIND.
 THESE ARE POEMS OF SURVIVORS THE DAMAGED,
EXHAUSTED MEN WHO RETURN FROM WAR IN BODY BUT
NEVER, WHOLLY, IN MIND.
 THESE ARE POEMS OF SURVIVORS THE DAMAGED,
EXHAUSTED MEN WHO RETURN FROM WAR IN BODY BUT
NEVER, WHOLLY, IN MIND.
EXAM STYLE RESPONSE
Compare the ways poets present ideas about conflict
in Remains and in one other poem from Power and
conflict.

Underline the key words in the question.

Brainstorm key ideas for Remains.
Link to one other poem add ideas to your
brainstorm.
Pick your top idea and write a point/topic sentence
which you could write to answer this question.