Remains

Question 1

context

Answer 1

based on a true story a man who was a machine gunner in the Iraq war
after affect of conflict

Question 2

How is the poem structured at the start?

Answer 2

Begins mid action not fully aware whats happening suggest something has happened before shows the lack of ease its chaos unstable opening like the solider they are unstable as they weren’t told were and why there were going to places

Question 3

What does the title suggest?

Answer 3

solider has been used in the machine of war all is left is his broken pieces
Description of a persons body after death for shadows what will happen. Metaphorically the solider dies the memory remains

Question 4

How is colloquialism shown?

Answer 4

“LEGS IT UP THE ROAD”
point out its an every day situation constantly did just another occasion no surprise
Casual language stops after the solider kills the looter-horrific imagery
Juxtapose 2 different type of language shows the before and after affect of conflict goes from relaxed and calm to a disturbance

Question 5

Analyse the quote “DRUGS WONT FLUSH HIM OUT”

Answer 5

the looter will not disappear. Verb cliche “FLUSH” links to sickness get rid of unpleasant ideas solider is now unclean and sick and can’t get rid of something
unwanted, this is no longer a matter of war but everyday life.

Question 6

Analyse the quote “GOES BY AND TOSESS HIS GUTS”

Answer 6

shows disrespect for the man the fact he is tossed in the lorry suggest the solider are bin men doing their daily duty
The nature of what is happening, a violent killing is
juxtaposed to the relaxed way he talks about the event.

Question 7

Give analysis for the quote “dug”

Answer 7

when he was at home he was using war imagery but when he was at war he was using language you use at home reflects impact war has on him ine

Question 8

Analyse the quote “SUN-STUNNED SAND-SMOTHERED”-

Answer 8

sibilance causes us to stop and look closely goes from positive-negative reflect nothing is positive everything he is seeing is linked to war
smothered, six, sand: gives the
impression of a sinister dream/nightmare like state.

Question 9

Analyse “bloody life..bloody hands”

Answer 9

Refer to Macbeth murder stains
Pun, bitter/dark humour bloody meaning covered in blood but also an expression of anger/hate. The soldier is at conflict with this dead man, but more with his own mind. Ends the poem with a
sense of despair and open ended., no resolution.

Question 10

What does the use of vague language show

Answer 10

also uses vague language to show his indescribable horror of war “SORT OF”-possibility off what is actually happening doesn’t have the words to describe the scene

Question 11

Analyse “sort of”

Answer 11

Dehumanised ‘looter’ ‘sort of inside out’ makes the victim appear more of an object than what was moments ago a living breathing person

Question 12

What does “somebody else” and “my” suggest?

Answer 12

“SOMEBODY ELSE”-repeats it to minimise his role feels guilty shifts blame to someone else but the end its just about the narrator “MY”-he deals with the consequences alone but it maybe a collective decision enjambment-to show life changing moment when the solider shoot the looter

Question 13

What does the stanza break show?

Answer 13

“THREE OF A KIND…RIPS THROUGH HIS LIFE”whole stanza breaks which emphasizes this precise moment which ruined his life he is a different person solider became broken

Question 14

How does the poem end?

Answer 14

“THEN IM HOME ON LEAVE “ caesura suggest finality going home will change things but that doesn’t happen

Question 15

What is the structure of the poem?

Answer 15

The poem is written in 8 stanzas, the last of which is a couplet which leaves the poem on a dramatic end
note.

Question 16

Does the poem rhyme?

Answer 16

It does not rhyme and the poem is a monologue, using very conversational asides and syntax to structure the
sentences into a very conversational tone “end of story, not really”.

Question 17

How is natural speech shown?

Answer 17

There is also a lot of enjambment and caesura used to
emphasises the natural speech patterns of the speaker. Another key factor in this poem is the use of colloquialism (slang)
and personal pronouns to give it a sense of realism, “One of my mates,”.

Question 18

What does the loose set of rhyme show?

Answer 18

There is a loose set of rhymes in the poem, often internal and used to give an almost childish aspect to the horror of the
warzone. It perhaps suggests how numb this soldier is to what is happening.

Question 19

What does the poem explore?

Answer 19

explores the events in a soldiers life which in turn trigger PTSD, it is worth noting the memory hurts him more than the event itself.