15.1.2

Themes: Desensitisation &Trauma

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Dehumanisation of Soldiers

Like the soldiers in ‘Bayonet Charge’ and ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’, the soldiers here are following orders. There is no room for their thoughts or feelings about the value of human life. Armitage uses vague and colloquial (conversational) language to show that the speaker is desensitised to war:

Colloquial language

Colloquial language

  • The poem opens with the phrase “on another occasion” and includes other colloquial (conversational) language, such as “Well myself and somebody else and somebody else”.
  • This kind of language shows that experiences, such as the one described, were common.
  • The soldiers are almost desensitised to the horrors of conflict when they are immersed in it.
Vague language

Vague language

  • “This looter”.
  • This kind of language could show how soldiers dehumanised those they attacked.
  • They may have done this to make it easier to deal with taking another human’s life.
Colloquial verbs

Colloquial verbs

  • “Tosses” and “carted off”.
  • Casual, colloquial (conversational) verbs indicate the soldiers’ lack of regard or respect for human life in war.

Trauma

The poet explores a lesser discussed aspect of war: returning home and living with the traumatic memories of acts committed in war. Here are some of the techniques Armitage uses to explore post-war trauma:

Sensory language

Sensory language

  • “I see” conveys a sense of the trauma it has caused the soldier. It's as though it is branded on his memory.
  • The use of the present tense relates to the idea that this suffering is ongoing. It suggests he constantly re-plays the memories.
Metaphor

Metaphor

  • “His blood shadow stays”.
  • This metaphor creates the image of something dark that cannot be dispelled. It is related to his memory.
  • Blood is related to death.
  • Shadow relates to a memory that lingers. He is constantly reminded of what he did.

Trauma

The poet explores a lesser discussed aspect of war: returning home and living with the traumatic memories of acts committed in war. Here are some of the techniques Armitage uses to explore post-war trauma:

Violent verb

Violent verb

  • “Bursts”.
  • This verb highlights how the image erupts into his mind without warning.
"Flush"

"Flush"

  • “And the drink and drugs won’t flush him out”.
  • This phrase indicates the speaker’s desperation to rid himself of the harrowing memories.
  • The verb “flush” suggests that something needs to be cleansed or disposed of.
  • It links to the unpleasantness of his memories.
Short sentence and caesura

Short sentence and caesura

  • “End of story, except not really”.
  • The speaker believed the memories would remain at war when he left.
  • The short sentence and the caesura could reflect his stark (sudden) realisation that he will continue to be plagued by them.
Jump to other topics
1

Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

1.1

Ozymandias Analysis

1.1.1Summary1.1.2Key Ideas1.1.3Themes1.1.4Irony & Rhythm1.1.5Key Quotes & Comparisons1.1.6End of Topic Test - Ozymandias1.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Caesura1.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Caesura1.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Analysing Caesura
2

London - William Blake (1757-1827)

2.1

London Analysis

2.1.1Summary2.1.2Themes & Structure2.1.3Themes & Structure 22.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons2.1.5Exam-Style Questions - London2.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Repetition2.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Repetition2.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Analysing Repetition
3

Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

3.1

Storm on the Island Analysis

3.1.1Summary & Structure3.1.2Themes3.1.3Themes 23.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons3.1.5End of Topic Test - Blake & Heaney3.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fear
4

Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

4.1

Exposure Analysis

4.1.1Summary4.1.2Personification4.1.3Themes4.1.4Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons4.1.5End of Topic Test - Exposure4.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Define Personification4.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ident. Personification
5

War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)

5.1

War Photographer Analysis

5.1.1Summary5.1.2Themes5.1.3Imagery5.1.4Comparisons & Key Quotes5.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Similes5.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Similes
6

My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

6.1

My Last Duchess Analysis

6.1.1Summary6.1.2Characterisation & Themes6.1.3Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons6.1.4End of Topic Test - Duffy & Browning6.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cheating Wife
7

The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

7.1

Extract from The Prelude Analysis

7.1.1Summary7.1.2Personification & Imagery7.1.3Themes7.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons7.1.5End of Topic Test - The Prelude7.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - "Her"
8

Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson

8.1

Charge of the Light Brigade Analysis

8.1.1Summary8.1.2Themes8.1.3Rhetorical Techniques, Key Quotes & Comparisons8.1.4End of Topic Test - Charge of the Light Brigade8.1.5Exam-Style Questions - Charge of the Light Brigade8.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Tennyson a Soldier?
9

Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)

9.1

Bayonet Charge Analysis

9.1.1Summary9.1.2Themes9.1.3Themes 29.1.4Structure & Key Comparisons9.1.5End of Topic Test - Bayonet Charge9.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - NOT COTLB9.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Soldier Running Away
10

Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)

10.1

Poppies Analysis

10.1.1Summary10.1.2Theme of Motherhood10.1.3Imagery10.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons10.1.5End of Topic Test - Poppies10.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Enjambment
11

Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)

11.1

Tissue Analysis

11.1.1Summary11.1.2Themes & Symbolism11.1.3Religion & Conflict11.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons11.1.5End of Topic Test - Tissue
12

The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)

12.1

The Emigree Analysis

12.1.1Summary & Structure12.1.2Themes12.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons12.1.4End of Topic Test - The Emigree12.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Emigrant vs Immigrant
13

Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)

13.1

Kamikaze Analysis

13.1.1Summary & Structure13.1.2Themes13.1.3Themes 213.1.4Structure, Quotes & Comparisons13.1.5End of Topic Test - Kamikaze13.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining NP13.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying NP
14

Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)

14.1

Checking Out Me History Analysis

14.1.1Summary14.1.2Themes14.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons14.1.4End of Topic Test - Checking Out Me History
15

Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

15.1

Remains Analysis

15.1.1Summary15.1.2Themes: Desensitisation &Trauma15.1.3Themes: Guilt15.1.4Themes: Nature of War15.1.5Structure15.1.6Key Quotes & Comparisons15.1.7End of Topic Test - Remains15.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Casual Tone
16

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
17

Recap: Main Quotes

17.1

Recap: Main Quotes

17.1.1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)17.1.2London - William Blake (1757-1827)17.1.3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)17.1.4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)17.1.5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)17.1.6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)17.1.7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)17.1.8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson17.1.9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)17.1.10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)17.1.11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)17.1.12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)17.1.13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)17.1.14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)17.1.15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

Practice questions on Themes: Desensitisation &Trauma

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Examples of colloquial verbs and phrases in Remains:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    The quote “this looter” from Remains is an example of:Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What might the colloquial (conversational) verbs “tosses” and “carted off” suggest about the soldiers' attitudes in Remains?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    In the quote “his blood shadow stays” from Remains:True / false
  5. 5
    What techniques does Armitage use in the quote "I see":True / false
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Summary

Themes: Guilt