Religion & Conflict
English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Power & Conflict, topic 11.1.3
Religious Imagery
Dharker uses light imagery to comment on the power of God and religion.
Light metaphor
- "Paper that lets the light / shine through, this / is what could alter things."
- If the “light” is a metaphor for God, this could be read as a comment on the power of religion to change things.
Human Greed for Control
Dharker uses these techniques to comment on human greed for control and power:
Simile
- "what was paid by credit card / might fly our lives like paper kites”.
- This simile could suggest how humans are dominated and controlled by money.
- The poet could be suggesting that humans have caused conflict by assigning significance to such things.
Listing
- “the marks / that rivers make, roads, / railtracks, mountainfolds”.
- This list highlights the idea that man is determined to control, dominate and make sense of nature.
Test yourself on Religion & Conflict
"Paper that lets the light / shine through, this / is what could alter things"
What technique is being used in this quote?"Paper that lets the light / shine through, this / is what could alter things"
What do some people think light is symbolic of in this quote?Religious Imagery
Which of these quotes could be used to show human's greed for control?
What techniques does Dharker use to show human's greed for power?