Kamikaze

• Who is the speaker in the poem "Kamikaze"?

  A daughter talking about her father
• What does the father embark with at sunrise?

  A flask of water and a samurai sword
• What does the repeated 'S' sound in the poem symbolize?

  Peace and tranquility
• What does the sunrise symbolize in the poem?

  Japan and divinity
• How is water symbolically used in the poem?

  As a symbol of purity and baptism
• What does the word "embarked" imply in the context of the poem?

  Beginning a journey, specifically on a boat
• What does the father's boat symbolize in the poem?

  His connection to family and memories
• What do the schools of fish represent in the poem?

  Life that the father does not want to give up
• What does the simile comparing fish to a flag suggest?

  Patriotism and sacrifice for one's country
• What does the figure of eight symbolize in the poem?

  Infinity and the cycle of life and death
• How does the line break affect the poem's structure?

  It shows a shift in the daughter's thoughts
• What does the daughter reflect on regarding her father's decision?

  It was painful and wrong for the family
• What does the phrase "which had been the better way to die" imply?

  The father feels emotionally dead to the family
• How does the daughter change the narrative for her children?

  She introduces her father as their grandfather
• What are the implications of the father's living death in the poem?

  • Family's refusal to acknowledge him
  • Daughter's acceptance allows a new relationship
  • Represents cultural and emotional disconnection
• What does the "Dark Prince" tuna fish symbolize?

  Potentially the Japanese royal family or rebellion
• What does the daughter's perspective reveal about cultural recovery?

  Next generations rebuild and change culture
• What historical events does the poem reference regarding Japan?

  The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• How does the poem reflect on the nature of war?

  It offers a message of hope and change
• What is the significance of the poem's structure and form?

  • Each stanza has six lines
  • Written in free verse, resembling natural speech
  • Reflects the narrator's storytelling style
• What should students focus on in their exam regarding form?

  Discuss form first to anchor expectations
• How does the daughter's narrative change the father's identity?

  She reestablishes him as a grandfather
• What is the overall message of the poem "Kamikaze"?

  Hope and cultural transformation after war