War Photographer

Question 1

What is the context of Carol Ann Duffy’s ‘War Photographer’?

Answer 1

*War photographer returned home and developing photos
*Darkness and red light to develop photos creates sinister tone
*Contrast of war zones and safety of being back home, cannot be understand simply or shown in a photo
*War photographers do a very dangerous job, many killed and injured

Question 2

“All flesh is grass”

Answer 2

• quote from Bible, means life is temporary
• metaphor emphasises scale of death suggesting this life was as meaningless as mowing the lawn

Question 3

“soloutions slop in trays beneath his hands, which did not tremble then”

Answer 3

• irony, steady hand taking the photo, but now at home in safety he is suffering from PTSD
• symbolises we are not aware of the consequences of our actions till we have processed and faced the effects of them

Question 4

“readers eyeballs prick with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers”

Answer 4

• juxtaposition of “tears” with comfortable images
• suggestion of anger?
• tears are meaningless

Question 5

“blood stained into foreign dust”

Answer 5

• emphasis on fact its far away - shows its mentally far away aswell as physically
• bitterly?

Question 6

“they do not care”

Answer 6

• ambiguous - could refer to readers not caring or wider world being apethetic of others suffering
• emphasis on resentment
• accusation like tone