15.1.6

Key Quotes & Comparisons

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Key Quotations in Remains

Here are key quotations to remember for your exam:

“Well myself and somebody else and somebody else”

“Well myself and somebody else and somebody else”

  • Colloquial 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.
“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”

“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”

  • Violent language.
    • The verb “rip” highlights the brutal nature of the attack.
  • Sensory language.
    • “I see” conveys a sense of the trauma it has caused the soldier, as though it is branded on his memory.
  • Present tense.
    • The use of the present tense links in with the idea that this suffering is ongoing and he constantly re-plays the memories.
“Sort of inside out…tosses his guts back into his body”

“Sort of inside out…tosses his guts back into his body”

  • Gruesome image.
  • Indicates the reality of war and the lack of glory or honour associated with such a job.
“His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out on patrol”

“His blood-shadow stays on the street, and out on patrol”

  • Metaphor.
  • Indicates something dark that cannot be dispelled, a constant reminder of what he did.
“Probably armed, possibly not”

“Probably armed, possibly not”

  • Uncertain language.
  • Reminds readers of the doubt that soldiers must deal with.
  • It links to the theme of guilt as there is an indication that the man who was killed was innocent.
“Torn apart by a dozen rounds”

“Torn apart by a dozen rounds”

  • Violent image.
  • Contrasts to ideas of peace and tranquillity, e.g. “sleep” and “dream”.
“And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out”

“And the drink and the drugs won’t flush him out”

  • An indication of the speaker’s desperation to rid himself of the harrowing memories.
  • The verb “flush” is indicative of something that needs to be cleansed or disposed of, linking to the unpleasantness of his memories.
“His bloody life in my bloody hands”

“His bloody life in my bloody hands”

  • Repetition.
    • Reinforces the sense of his frustration.
  • Bloody imagery.
    • The image of having blood on his hands symbolises the guilt he is unable to rid himself of.
  • “Bloody” could also be interpreted as a swear word and mark his anger or regret.

Key Comparisons: Remains

Here are some themes that come up in Remains and other texts:

Reality of conflict/effects of conflict

Reality of conflict/effects of conflict

  • You may want to compare the theme of the reality of conflict and/or effects of conflict in Remains to the following texts:
    • War Photographer.
    • Exposure.
    • Poppies.
    • Bayonet Charge.
    • Charge of the Light Brigade.
Powerful, memorable and/or unpleasant experiences

Powerful, memorable and/or unpleasant experiences

  • You may want to compare the theme of powerful, memorable and/or unpleasant experiences in Remains to the following texts:
    • Exposure.
    • Charge of the Light Brigade.
    • Bayonet Charge.
    • The Prelude.
Powerful memories

Powerful memories

  • You may want to compare the theme of powerful memories in Remains to the following texts:
    • Kamikaze.
    • Poppies.
    • The Emigree.
    • War Photographer.
    • The Prelude.
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 Key Quotes & Comparisons

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

  1. 1
    Which of these techniques is __NOT__ used in this key quote? <br><b>“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”</b> Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Complete the key quotes from Remains:Fill in the list
  3. 3
    Complete the key quotes from Remains:Fill in the list
  4. 4
    Which of these key quotes from Remains does _not_ emphasise the violence of war?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    On the theme of the reality and/or effects of conflict, you could compare Remains to:True / false
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Structure

End of Topic Test - Remains