Poppies

Question 1

Summary:

Answer 1

1. She places a poppy on her son’s blazer
2. Recounts memories of her son
3. After he leaves the house she goes to his room
4. Leans on the memorial and watches a dove
5. Wishes she could still her son’s voice still.

Question 2

Context:

Answer 2

1. She lived in Northern Ireland during the troubles in the 1980s
2. Has 2 young boys which may have made her explore what caused young boys to fight
3. Weir was a textile designer
4. Poppies grew in battlefields
5. Symbols of remembrance.

Question 3

“spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade of yellow bias binding around your blazer.” 1

Answer 3

1. Red paper symbolises poppies
2. Spasms connote pain, mother’s pain, sons eventual pain
3. Delicate poppy vs rigid military
4. Disruption to order and structure
5. Intrusion of sentimental things into the strict military

Question 4

“A split second and you were away intoxicated.” 2

Answer 4

1. Suddenness of departure, how quick life can change
2. Son is swept away by adrenaline
3. Caught up in the thrill, momentarily disconnected from the gravity of the situation
4. Clouded his judgement, leaves him vulnerable

Question 5

“I was brave…the world overflowing like a treasure chest.” 3

Answer 5

1. Struggles to maintain a brave facade
2. Conscious effort to stay composed, inner turmoil
3. Throwing the door open, shows gesture of support
4. Opportunities that await the soldier beyond the home
5. Ironic as it leads to his death

Question 6

“dove pulled freely against the sky” 4

Answer 6

1. Poignant picture of a departing soldier
2. Captures the speaker’s sense of loss and longing
3. Yearns for freedom
4. Symbolic of the sons departure.

Question 7

“hoping to hear your playground voice catching on the wind.” 5

Answer 7

1. Deliberate effort to remember, highlights how important he was to her
2. Captures innocence, joy and carefree moments
3. Suggests a time before the harsh realities
4. Wind shows the ephemeral nature of life.
5. The once vibrant voice is now a fleeting echo
6. Yet still deeply resonates with the speaker.

Question 8

Comparisons:

Answer 8

Kamikaze: psychological impacts, non-conventional POVs but physical loss vs shunned
Remains: impacts of war, different POVs and grief vs guilt