Kamikaze

• Who wrote Kamikaze

  Beatrice Garland
• Context of Kamikaze

  • interest in why men give up their lives for patriotism
  • the conflict is between the personal and patriotic impulses
  • inspired by 911 attacks
• structure of Kamikaze

  • 6 lines per stanza represents the strict confinements of the military
  • in contrast the free verse and common enjambment shows his wish for freedom and own personal thoughts

  start of the poem is in 3rd person with' her father''she' but then as it progresses it shifts to first person with 'my mother, showing her disregard and shame for her father
• quotes of kamikaze

  • her father embarked at sunrise
  • head full of powerful incantations
  • dark shoals...flashing silver...swivelled towards the sun
  • tuna, the dark prince, muscular and dangerous
  • safe...safe
  • my mother never spoke
  • wondered which had been the better way to die
• analyse

  • her father embarked at sunrise

  her father reflects the separation and shame the daughter wants to oppose between herself and her father

  sunrise shows both the beauty and power of nature, setting the scene and also the Japanese's military flag suggesting the inner conflict inside the pilot
• analyse 'head full of powerful incantations'

  • reflects the overwhelming array of emotions in the pilots head.
  • incantations connote to magical ritual like form showing how he is indoctrinated by the nationalistic and militaristic views.
  • also shows how people valued the act of suicide in war as honourable as it is seen as a magical ritual
  • it gives a glimpse into the phycological and emotional state of the pilot and his conflict
• analyse dark shoals...flashing silver...swivelled towards the sun

  . begins the vivid description of nature that can be seen to emotionally impact the pilot, showing what he has to live for and the beauty of nature.

  sibilance links to the sound of waves
• analyse' tuna, dark prince, muscular and dangerous'

  and 'safe...safe'

  highlights both the beauty and power of nature. the full stop that follows this emphasises its impact. the fact his father returns home safe and prosperous with the tuna that can feed a family for weeks shows how the pilot battles his plaguing turmoil. the daughter can also be seen to consolidate and ponder over this. the dark prince also highlights the power of nature and a subtle hint at the looming death.
• analyse 'wondered which had been the better way to die'


  • this line grapples with the concept that his death is an inevitable choice and highlights the inhumane system that leadsto death no mater the choice whether that be the emotional toll on return or the physical death in battle. Wondered suggests the pilot never truly consoles his thoughts and spends the rest of his life still suffering under the weights and pressure from both patriotism and free will. This acts as a microcosm for the greater war efforts
• Themes in Kamikaze

  • identity
  • power of nature
  • powerful people
  • abuse of power
  • war
  • memories
  • heroism
  • pride and glory