Kamikaze Flashcards
(6 cards)
Her father embarked at sunrise
Her father embarked at sunrise. Sunrise”
Traditionally a symbol of hope and renewal, “sunrise” is used ironically to mark the beginning of a suicide mission. Garland subverts this natural image to show how nationalism distorts beauty, turning a symbol of life into one of death. It exposes the illusion of patriotic glory — the idea of honour masking inevitable destruction.
“Embarked”
The verb “embarked” has formal, ceremonial connotations, suggesting the pilot’s journey is not a personal choice but a duty imposed by the state. It reflects how war strips individuals of autonomy, turning soldiers into instruments of ideology. The cold tone emphasises the loss of identity and emotional detachment enforced by military expectations.
Effect on the Reader
The clash between a peaceful image and a deadly purpose creates tragic irony, forcing the reader to question how noble ideals can lead to dehumanisation. We feel the pilot’s loss of agency — a man approaching demise, celebrated not as a person, but as a symbol.
Garland’s Intentions
Garland critiques how war manipulates symbols and language to justify sacrifice. By choosing “sunrise” and “embarked”, she exposes the emotional cost of blind patriotism, showing how soldiers become nameless figures in a glorified national myth.
“A tuna, the dark prince, muscular, dangerous
“Dark prince”: The metaphor elevates the tuna to a figure of power and danger. “Prince” conveys nobility, but paired with “dark,” it creates a sinister image, reflecting the pilot’s internal struggle between duty and fear.
Dark”: The adjective conveys mystery and moral ambiguity, mirroring the pilot’s conflicted emotions. It also highlights the uncertainty of the mission and the shadow of blind patriotism.
“Muscular”: This adjective suggests strength and vitality, aligning the tuna with masculine power. It contrasts with the pilot’s vulnerability, emphasizing the tension between societal expectations of strength and his own emotional fragility.
“Dangerous”: The adjective reinforces the tuna’s threat, symbolizing both physical danger and emotional peril. It underscores the unpredictability of nature and the violence of war.
Symbolism: The tuna represents the uncontrollable forces of nature and fate, mirroring the seductive yet destructive allure of the pilot’s mission. Its majesty hides the harsh reality of war’s cost.
Impact on Reader: The tuna’s beauty and danger evoke unease, prompting readers to question the glorification of war and the pressure to conform to ideals of honor, which can erase individuality.
Garland’s Intentions: Garland employs the tuna to critique the romanticization of sacrifice, exposing the pilot’s internal conflict between nationalism and the loss of humanity.
They treated him as though he had been dead
Simile – “As though he had been dead”:
The simile captures the pilot’s emotional exile. Though physically alive, he’s treated as if he no longer exists — a ghost within his own home. This reflects the societal mindset that values honour in death over the complexity of human choice.
Juxtaposition – Life vs Death:
The clash between survival and symbolic death exposes brutal irony. The pilot’s decision to live leads to emotional annihilation, revealing a culture where death is glorified and life, when dishonourable, is condemned.
Connotations of “Dead”:
“Dead” implies more than absence — it suggests the erasure of identity. The family’s emotional withdrawal shows they’d rather mourn a hero than accept a living ‘coward,’ underscoring how war rewrites personal value.
Verb Choice – “Treated”:
“Treated” is cold and clinical, stripping emotion from the family’s response. It dehumanises the pilot, reducing him to a social disgrace rather than a person. The verb encapsulates how war fractures not just bodies, but bonds.
Message
powerfully explores the conflict between national duty and personal morality, illustrating how the natural world and human memories can challenge the glorification of war, while exposing the devastating consequences of societal shame and familial rejection.
Context
🔹 Historical Context
Kamikaze pilots were seen as heroes in WWII, sacrificing themselves for Japan. This poem critiques the emotional toll of survival, showing how the pilot is treated as if he’s already dead.
🔹 Literary Context
Post-WWII poetry often highlights disillusionment, showing how war heroes are left emotionally broken and socially rejected after their sacrifices.
🔹 Cultural Context
In Japan, honour and death were intertwined. The pilot’s return breaks this code, making him a “living ghost” punished by silence and shame.
🔹 Romantic Influence
Garland, like Romantic poets, values personal emotion over blind duty. The pilot’s internal conflict and decision to return to life reflect a rejection of nationalistic ideals, returning to personal humanity over patriotic sacrifice.
Form and structure
🔹 Perspective & Voice
Although narrated by the daughter, the use of third person creates emotional detachment, mirroring the father’s alienation. This distance reflects how war fragments relationships, leaving even close family emotionally divided.
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🔹 Volta
The sudden shift into first person marks a personal intrusion into an otherwise detached narrative. It humanises the trauma, but the final return to third person — ending with an unanswered question — reflects the pilot’s erasure from both family and society.
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🔹 Structure & Sestets
The consistent sestet form contrasts with the emotional chaos beneath. The longer focus on the journey versus the brief mention of his return highlights how a single moment condemned him to a lifetime of silence.
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🔹 Meter & Tone
Garland’s free verse and lack of consistent rhythm mirror the pilot’s inner turmoil. The poem later adopts a steadier iambic flow, echoing the tone of an elegy — mourning a man who is alive, yet treated as though dead.
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🔹 Enjambment & Form
Enjambment drives momentum, reflecting urgency and psychological unrest. It clashes with the poem’s rigid form, symbolising the conflict between state control and personal freedom.
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🔹 Absence of Rhyme
The lack of rhyme gives the poem a spoken, almost confessional tone. It strips away poetic beauty, forcing the reader to confront the uncomfortable reality of war’s emotional aftermath.
