Remains

• I see every round as it rips through his life


  1. Imagery - "every round" and "rips" highlights the extreme scene that the person has been through. This harsh description could show the PTSD the person is having
  2. Verb "rips" - suggests how easily the bullets went through the looter like someone ripping a piece of paper (can link back to imagery)
• What is the title of the poem by Simon Armitage discussed?

  Remains
• From which poetry collection is "Remains" taken?

  The Not Dead
• In what year was "The Not Dead" published?

  2008
• Who is the poem "Remains" based on?

  Guardsman Tromans
• What role did Guardsman Tromans have in the Iraq War?

  Machine gunner
• What event triggers the narrative in "Remains"?

  Shooting a looter during a patrol
• What does the soldier see week after week after the incident?

  The bloodstain on the ground
• How does the soldier cope with the trauma of the event?

  By abusing drink and drugs
• What does the soldier struggle to forget?

  The image of the man he shot
• What does Armitage suggest about the effects of war on domestic life?

  It has lasting consequences on the soldier
• How does Armitage use repetition in the poem?

  To reflect the soldier's guilt
• What literary device does Armitage use to show the soldier's trauma?

  Enjambment
• What does the short sentence "I'm home on leave" imply?

  That the soldier believes he can move on
• How does the cyclical structure of the poem affect its meaning?

  It suggests trauma is inescapable
• What does the phrase "dug in behind enemy lines" symbolize?

  The soldier's mental state after the war
• Which poems compare well with "Remains" regarding the horror of war?

  Charge of the Light Brigade, Exposure
• Which poems compare well with "Remains" regarding the effects of conflict on domestic life?

  War Photographer, Poppies
• What are the main themes presented in "Remains"?

  • The true horror of war
  • The effects of conflict on domestic life
  • Guilt and personal responsibility
  • The inescapability of trauma
• How does Armitage convey the soldier's transformation after the incident?

  • Use of enjambment to show trauma
  • Shift in pronouns to indicate guilt
  • Cyclical structure to reflect ongoing trauma
  • Vague language to express horror
• What literary techniques does Armitage employ in "Remains"?

  • Repetition to show guilt
  • Enjambment for emotional impact
  • Cyclical structure for trauma
  • Vague language for horror
• His bloody life in my bloody hands

  1. Possessive pronoun - "my" shows that the soldier is responsible for the bank looter's death
  2. Repetition - "bloody" is referring to actual blood and an insult (this shows his responsibility). This highlights how severe the soldier's trauma is when fighting in Iraq