Remains By Simon Armitage Flashcards
The soldier in Remains is conditioned to follow orders, like the soldiers in:
Bayonet Charge
Charge of the Light Brigade
Two-part structure
In the first half of the poem, the speaker focuses on an event in the past. It begins in an anecdotal (telling a story) fashion as he describes an occasion on which he and his team raided a bank and killed a looter.
The second half of the poem focuses on the aftermath of war. Even in the present, the speaker still lives through the horrors of that day.
The poem is structured to convey the reality of PTSD.
Dramatic monologue
The poem is written in the form of a dramatic monologue – we, therefore, get an insight into the personal experiences and thoughts of one individual.
These could be applicable to many soldiers who have suffered in a similar way.
Repetition
Repetition of “probably armed, possibly not” creates an almost cyclical (happening in cycles) structure.
This reinforces the idea that the memories are inescapable and that he is stuck in a never-ending cycle of torment.
No rhyme
The poem is made up of unrhymed quatrains (stanzas of four lines).
The lack of rhyme not only gives the monologue a more natural, speech-like feel but could indicate the speaker’s unstable state of mind.
Rhythm break
The fact that the last two lines break the pattern of four-line stanzas could represent his mental disintegration.
Regular stanzas
The regular pattern of stanzas could reflect the ongoing, relentless (never-ending) suffering of the soldier.
“His bloody life in my bloody hands”
Repetition.
Reinforces the sense of his frustration.
Bloody imagery.
The image of having blood on his hands symbolises the guilt he is unable to rid himself of.
“Bloody” could also be interpreted as a swear word and mark his anger or regret.
“Probably armed, possibly not”
Uncertain language.
Reminds readers of the doubt that soldiers must deal with.
It links to the theme of guilt as there is an indication that the man who was killed was innocent.
“Sort of inside out…tosses his guts back into his body”
Gruesome image.
Indicates the reality of war and the lack of glory or honour associated with such a job.
“And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out”
An indication of the speaker’s desperation to rid himself of the harrowing memories.
The verb “flush” is indicative of something that needs to be cleansed or disposed of, linking to the unpleasantness of his memories.
“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”
Violent language.
The verb “rip” highlights the brutal nature of the attack.
Sensory language.
“I see” conveys a sense of the trauma it has caused the soldier, as though it is branded on his memory.
Present tense.
The use of the present tense links in with the idea that this suffering is ongoing and he constantly re-plays the memories.
“His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out on patrol”
Metaphor.
Indicates something dark that cannot be dispelled, a constant reminder of what he did.
“Torn apart by a dozen rounds”
Violent image.
Contrasts to ideas of peace and tranquillity, e.g. “sleep” and “dream”.
“Well myself and somebody else and somebody else”
Colloquial language.
Shows that experiences, such as the one described, were common.
The soldiers are almost desensitised to the horrors of conflict when they are immersed in it.
