War Photographer

• Who is the author of the poem "War Photographer"?


  Carol Ann Duffy
• What does the war photographer contemplate while developing his photos?


  He realizes that the public does not care about the issues he is trying to highlight.
• What is the mood in the darkroom where the war photographer works?


  • Calm but sombre
  • Reflects the serious nature of his work
• What locations are mentioned in the poem as experiencing conflict?

  Belfast, Beirut, and Phnom Penh
• How does the photographer feel about being in England away from violence?


  He feels relieved to be away from the threat of violence.
• What does the phrase "spools of suffering" suggest about the photographs?


  It implies that the photographs capture the pain and suffering of war.
• What does the photographer remember as he develops his photos?


  He remembers the suffering of his subjects.
• What does the phrase "the reader's eyeballs prick with tears" imply about the audience's reaction?


  It suggests that their emotional response is superficial and mechanical.
• What is the significance of the religious simile in the poem?


  • Compares the photographer to a priest
  • Suggests the importance of his work
  • Reflects on the exposure to death and suffering
• What does the phrase "All flesh is grass" refer to?


  It refers to the transitory nature of life.
• How does the photographer feel about the English people's indifference?


  He feels alienated and disgusted by their frivolity.
• What does the structure of the poem reflect about the photographer's work?


  • Rigid form with six lines per stanza
  • Reflects the chaos of conflict
  • Suggests the photographer's meticulous nature
• What does the cyclical structure of the poem imply?


  It suggests a sense of futile repetition and that nothing has changed.
• How does the photographer's internal conflict manifest in the poem?


  He struggles to reconcile his life in rural England with the horrors of war.
• What themes are explored in "War Photographer"?

  • Response to conflict
  • Suffering
  • Impact on civilians
  • Futility of war
• What does the use of sibilance in "spools of suffering" convey?


  It creates an impression of the true nature of war being hushed and quietened.
• How does Duffy contrast the photographer's experiences with those of the English public?


  She highlights the indifference of the public to the suffering depicted in the photographs.
• What similarities exist between "War Photographer" and "Charge of the Light Brigade"?


  • Both present characters with a sense of duty
  • Duty towards victims of war in Duffy's poem
  • Duty towards leaders in Tennyson's poem
• What differences exist between "War Photographer" and "Charge of the Light Brigade"?


  • Tennyson glorifies war
  • Duffy shows the harsh reality of war
  • Different emotional tones towards conflict