War Photographer Flashcards
(30 cards)
“darkroom”
W.c.
Connotations of isolation. Suggests the photographer is choosing to be alone to process what he has seen. Darkness foreshadows the theme of death that is developed.
“set out in ordered rows”
Imagery
Connects to images of ordered graves = again emphasises the theme of death. Also suggests an attempt to restore order and take control. He has been in a chaotic warzone and now he is trying to organise his feelings. Also sense of routine = calm.
” the only light is red and softly glows, as though this were a church and he
a priest preparing to intone a mass”
Extended metaphor
What happens in the darkroom is similar to a church. Church is a place of worship and dedication so is he committed to making these photos to help ease conflict. He respects his work and the people the photos are about just like churches respect god.
“Softly glows”
Can picture the candlelight in a church.
Theme of peace and spirituality is strengthened with the reverence the photographer feels for the people within his photos.
“Belfast. Beirut.Phnom Penh”
Short sentences
Encourage you to reflect on these warzones like he wants people to think on his photos. Sense that these are places he has been and feel connected to. Plosive sounds emphasises the bloody history of these places.
“All flesh is grass “
Biblical allusion
Refers to the idea of the fragility of human life. All life is transitory, eventually everything must come to an end. Duffy is referring to the physical and emotional danger of war photography, that they begin to find life meaningless. Nihilistic tone here.
“He has a job to do”
W.c.
Emphasises how he needs to stay emotionally detached from his photos. There is also anxiety in that he does not know if his photos have worked. It will all be for nothing if they haven’t
“solutions slop in trays”
W.c./ alliteration
Onomatopoeic quality creates the sounds of the chemicals. “Solutions “ simultaneously means chemicals but also describes his hope that these photos will focus minds and end the wars.
“tremble”
W.c.
Emphasises just how much he has supressed his emotions while working.
He could only distance himself from his feelings for so long.
“beneath his hands”
Imagery
Gives the photographer a type of power. Tells us he is aware of his responsibility to keep the people in his photos alive by preserving their memory.
“Rural England”
Short sentence/ w.c.
Connotations of peace and quiet. Contrasts the chaos of war zones and emphasises the safety of home. Short sentence emphasises shock of coming home from the war. Suggestion that home does not feel like home anymore , sense of guilt.
“Home again”
Enjambment/ irony
Although he is back home he does not feel like it. Although he does not feel comfortable at home there is a sense of relief. “again” emphasises how many times he has gone out to the wars, yet he is still not used to coming home.
“To ordinary pain”
Oxymoron
Usually pain is not described as every day. Again a juxtaposition between warzones and home. Shows his difficulty fitting back in to normal people’s worries and concerns. He cannot relate or sympathise with people at home.
“To fields which don’t explode beneath the feet”
Imagery
Contrast between home and warzones is emphasised. Tells us he is still wary of fields. He is not accustomed to the safety of home. Again there is guilt that he is home safe and the people he left behind still have to be wary of fields.
“Of running children in a nightmare heat”
Cultural allusion
Refers to one of the most well known war photographs that helped end the Vietnam war. Emphasises the importance of war photography and what it can achieve. This is what the photographer wants, to use his photos to end wars.
“something is happening”
Short sentence
Tells us the image is starting to develop. Injects tension and suspense and we don’t know if it has worked. Also a suggestion that the photographer’s memories of the events in the photograph are becoming clearer.
“start to twist”
W.c.
Image is developing. Means to buckle and change = the photo in front of home slightly different to how he remembers it. Connotations of contortion emphasises the horror of how this person died and the atrocities of war.
“A half formed ghost”
Metaphor
W.c. “half formed” emphasises the gradual development of the photograph. Suggestion that the body is not fully there = emphasises the horror of war. This photograph is the last evidence of this person and it seems to haunt the photographer. Half-formed also suggests how the photographer has only captured half the person, only his physical form but his soul has left.
“cries”
Enjambment
Emphasises her distress. The photographer’s memory is so vivid now he can hear it, he almost has a visceral reaction to her grief. Demonstrates the power of the photograph.
“approval”
Enjambment
Duffy is dealing with moral ambiguities of war photography. Suggests he knows this moment is very personal and private. Despite this he says he must take the photo no matter = emphasises how he sees asking her as an acknowledgement of her pain.
“stained into foreign dust”
Juxtaposition
Contrast between the unchanging nature of a stain and the impermanence of dust = symbolises the conflict within the photographer. Simultaneously feels a duty to document but also feels like an intruder.
“A hundered agonies”
Synecdoche
The photos are described as something that all have in common; pain and suffering = emphasises the horror of war and what the photographer had to go through to achieve these photos. Irony here that the subject of the photos have been reduced, dehumanised= refers to readers reactions.
“in black - and - white “
Imagery
Emphasises how clear the photos are, there is no ambiguity = the readers have no excuse for not comprehending what they are seeing. Duffy is showing us the frustration of the photographer, for people to ignore the clear message of his photos
“From which his editor will pick out five or six”
Juxtaposition
Contrast between how many the photographer took = emphasises his frustration that he put in work to get these photos only for most to be thrown away. Contrast between the effect the photos had on him compared to his readers and editor
