kamikaze

• The poem "Kamikaze" by Beatrice Garland explores a daughter's reflection on her father, a Kamikaze pilot in WWII, who chose not to complete his suicide mission
• The daughter recounts her father's journey on a kamikaze mission
• She relates her father's experience to the natural beauty of the world
• The poem delves into the cultural expectations in Japan that led to the father being shunned by his family upon his return
• Context: Beatrice Garland was inspired to write "Kamikaze" by looking into the motivations of people who wanted to die for their country
• Kamikaze pilots in WWII flew manned suicide missions into military targets using planes filled with explosives
• Japanese culture during the war emphasized honour, bravery, and the importance of dying for the country
• The collection "The Invention of Fireworks" by Garland explores life, death, and the power of nature
• The poem contrasts conflicts such as societal expectations in Japan, conflicts within families, and the conflict between nature and man
• The poem explores the futility of avoiding a fate set by an authority or government
• The intimate tone of the poem contrasts the voices of the speaker and the daughter, highlighting the personal nature of the story
• The poem uses symbolism and imagery to convey themes of nature's power and the transience of human life
• Key details from the poem "Kamikaze":

  • The father embarked on a kamikaze mission with a flask of water, a samurai sword, and enough fuel for a one-way journey
  • He looked down at fishing boats on a green-blue sea, reminiscing about his childhood with his brothers
  • The daughter recalls her father's return and the rejection he faced from the community
  • The family, except the children, learned to live as though the father had never returned
  • The poem questions whether dying in battle or returning to be shunned was the better choice
• The poem "Kamikaze" explores the impact of war on those left behind
• The poem is written from a daughter's perspective in the third person
• There is a shift in narration from third person to first person when the speaker discusses her father's return, acting as the volta
• The structure of the poem reflects the theme of conflict within it
• The poem is structured into tightly controlled stanza lengths of 6 lines, reflecting the order and obedience expected of a soldier
• This structure is juxtaposed and undermined by free verse and enjambment, suggesting the father had desires and individuality within the constrictions put in place by the Japanese government
• The last word of the poem, "die," creates a sense of futility and inevitable fate
• Conflict vs Identity
• The contrast between the title "Kamikaze" and "her father" establishes conflict between identities
• The poem shows the conflicting roles of the man as a soldier and a father
• Patriotism
• The patriotism of kamikaze pilots is enforced by patriotic imagery throughout the poem
• The father's shift from a patriotic soldier to a father is shown through his appreciation of nature and rejection of death
• The adjectives used in the poem suggest that while the father has rejected death, the concept of it is now present forever in the family's life
• Roles of Soldier vs Father
• The transition from soldier to father is shown, highlighting the danger of patriotism in a soldier
• The theme of "Those Left Behind" is portrayed through the speaker's personal experience of war and its effects
• The speaker features four generations to show the impact of conflict on multiple generations
• Comparisons
• Kamikaze and Poppies both convey the impact of war on civilians and the struggle against culture
• Both poems show characters trying to process memories and the impact of conflict
• Kamikaze and Checking Out Me History both express the importance of a person's history and origins in forming their identity
• While Kamikaze presents conflict with culture, Checking Out Me History shows conflict with those restricting one's culture