Kamikaze

• “Shaven head full of powerful incantations and enough fuel for a one way journey into history“


  Stands for the Japanese rituals according to which Japanese soldiers have to shave their heads

  Forgetful nature of war becomes apparent as he is supposed to be going 'into history' however the records only care for the martyrdom and the self-sacrifice, not those who managed to make it out alive

  'Powerful incantations' being propaganda?
• “he must have wondered / which had been the better way to die.”


  Speaker realises that their family had condemned her father to a kind of living death

  Mental and emotional pain over the physical pain of dying
• “little fishing boats strung out like bunting“


  Ironic as it is suggesting the serenity and beauty of life for the seafaring peoples of Japan
• “silver of whitebait“


  Suggests a comparison with coins or possibly sunken treasure

  Sunken treasure being the glory the father would have had if he died?
• The daughter narrates the story, suggesting the pilot had doubts halfway through his mission
• The pilot looks down at the ocean and sees fish swimming below, which may symbolise doubt in his mind
• The children continue to interact with the pilot, unaware of the cultural implications of his return
• The narrator compares the boats in the ocean to bunting in a "blue-green translucent sea", conveying a positive scene below
• Garland illustrates the power of nature and family to reverse the nationalistic ideals the pilot has been taught
• 'tuna, the dark prince, muscular dangerous'


  Shows the power of nature and how it is a virtue

  Should be treated with respect

  Sees the danger within nature and perhaps adds to him turning around from death?
• 'nor did she meet his eyes'


  Eyes are the window to the soul

  Wife is so disappointed that she did not want to see the person he has become
• Form 


  Consistent and regular. 7 stanzas, each containing 6 lines. This regular structure could be seen to represent the regimented order of Empirical Japan.

  No apparent consistent rhyme scheme, meaning a lack of flow. This could represent the confusing influences in the pilot’s mind.
• The structure ( tightly controlled stanza lengths of 6 lines) is juxtaposed by the free verse and enjambment