Remains - Context And Writer's Intentions

Question 1

when and where was simon armitage born

Answer 1

• 1963

- in west yokshire

Question 2

what did he love doing when he was a boy and how did this impact his writing in general

Answer 2

• he loved walking across the moors

- the yorkshire landscape has inspired and influenced him since

Question 3

who was amitage inspired by when he was young to write

Answer 3

• ted hughes

- another yorkshire poet

Question 4

why did armitage move to manchester university from portsmouth where he was previously studying geography

Answer 4

• he wanted to study psychology there

- so he could go into the probation service like his dad

Question 5

what does the fact hat armitages thesis on the effects of television violence on young offenders show about him

Answer 5

he was not afraid to tackle controversial and challenging topics

Question 6

what are three main themes that his poem remains focuses on

Answer 6

• war
• death
• post-traumatic stress

Question 7

what perspective are we reading from remains and how has armitage integrated himself into the poem

Answer 7

• it is a 3rd person perspective

- as armitage uses his voice and dresses himself up as the central character

Question 8

what did the stanza stone project, where poems were carved onto stones in yorkshire, show about armitages intentions

Answer 8

• he wanted to bring poems into the real world
• remains reflects this as it is a poem which focuses on real world issues
• and attempts to bring them back to life

Question 9

what collection is remains from

Answer 9

The Not Dead

Question 10

how was the collection The Not Dead written and inspired from

Answer 10

• a documentary armitage did

- in which he interviewed a number of ex-servicemen from various conflicts

Question 11

what did armitage discover when he interviewed the ex-servicemen and how is this reflected in remains

Answer 11

• he discovered that most of them were still traumatised by war
• which is shown in remains through the second half being about the trauma and stress the soldier has been in
• and how their memories of the past gaunt them

Question 12

what is the poem remains about

Answer 12

a soldier experiencing traumatic flashbacks

Question 13

what does the poem show through its simple content

Answer 13

• the death of an iraqi by a group of servicemen
• ## we know its in iraq due to the documentary