Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)
English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Power & Conflict, topic 17.1.15
Key Quotations in Remains
Here are key quotations to remember for your exam:
“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”
- 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”
- 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”
- Metaphor.
- Indicates something dark that cannot be dispelled, a constant reminder of what he did.
“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”
- Violent image.
- Contrasts to ideas of peace and tranquility, e.g. “sleep” and “dream”.
“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”
- 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 suggestions for texts you could compare in your exam. Of course, the list of possibilities is endless!
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
- 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
- You may want to compare the theme of powerful memories in Remains to the following texts:
- Kamikaze.
- Poppies.
- The Emigree.
- War Photographer.
- The Prelude.
Test yourself on Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)
Which of these techniques is NOT used in this key quote?
“I swear I see every round as it rips through his life”Which of these key quotes from Remains does not emphasise the violence of war?