war photographer

• Who is the author of "War Photographer"?

  Carol Ann Duffy
• What does the war photographer contemplate while developing photos?

  The public's indifference to war issues
• In what setting does the poem "War Photographer" begin?

  A darkroom
• How is the mood described in the darkroom?

  Calm but sombre
• What locations are mentioned as experiencing conflict?

  Belfast, Beirut, Phnom Penh
• What does the photographer feel relieved about?

  Being in England away from violence
• What does the photographer remember as his photos come into focus?

  The suffering of his subjects
• How does the photographer feel about the impact of his photos on the public?

  They affect the reader only momentarily
• What does the photographer do while on the aeroplane?

  Stares impassively out the window
• What does the religious simile in the poem suggest?

  His work is important like a priest's
• What does the phrase "All flesh is grass" imply?

  Life is transitory and fleeting
• How does the photographer's mood change from the conflict scene to England?

  He feels calm in conflict but agitated now
• What does the photographer compare himself to in the poem?

  A priest preparing to intone a Mass
• What does the phrase "spools of suffering" suggest?

  The ongoing nature of war's pain
• What does the use of the word "eyeballs" imply about the readers' reactions?

  Their tears are mechanical and insincere
• How does the photographer feel about the public's response to his work?

  He feels they do not care
• What is the structure of the poem "War Photographer"?

  Six lines per stanza, ABBCDD rhyme
• What does the rigid form of the poem contrast with?

  The chaos caused by conflict
• What does the cyclical structure of the poem suggest?

  Futile repetition and unchanged circumstances
• How does the photographer's work reflect his emotions?

  It helps him maintain a sense of normality
• What does the photographer's tone convey about his feelings towards the English public?

  Anger and alienation
• What does the juxtaposition of violence and religious imagery imply?

  People are hypocritical about war
• How does Duffy use sibilance in "spools of suffering"?

  To create a hushed impression of war
• What does the phrase "pick out five or six" suggest about public interest?

  People only want limited exposure to suffering
• What does the term "foreign dust" signify?

  A distinction between conflict zones and England
• How does the photographer feel about his solitude?

  He feels alone in dealing with emotions
• What does the asyndetic listing of conflict locations achieve?

  Highlights the extensive scale of conflict
• What does the half rhyme between "tears" and "beers" suggest?

  People quickly return to their lives
• What are the similarities and differences between "War Photographer" and "Charge of the Light Brigade"?

  Similarities:

  • Both present characters with a sense of duty.
  • Duty towards victims of war.

  
  

  Differences:

  • "Charge of the Light Brigade" glorifies war.
  • "War Photographer" shows harsh realities of war.
• When was the poem "War Photographer" published?

  1985
• What does the phrase "running children in a nightmare heat" reference?

  A famous photo from a napalm attack
• What does the photographer's anger towards the public reveal?

  His frustration with their indifference
• How does the photographer's sense of vocation contrast with the public's indifference?

  His commitment is met with apathy
• What does the phrase "he stares impassively" suggest about the photographer's feelings?

  His emotional detachment from his surroundings
• How does the poem's perspective reflect the photographer's feelings?

  It shows his detachment from conflict
• What does the use of the accusatory pronoun "they" imply?

  His alienation from the British public
• What does the phrase "the only light is red" symbolize?

  The violent nature of the photographer's work
• What does the phrase "the reader's eyeballs prick with tears" suggest?

  Superficial emotional responses to suffering
• How does the photographer's work serve as a connection between people?

  It documents the suffering of war victims
• What does the phrase "solutions slop in trays" imply about the photographer's role?

  He attempts to raise awareness of conflicts