Chainsaw vs The Pampass Grass

• Author


  Simon Armitage
• Messages


  -Considers the power dynamic of binary oppositional groups: female vs male, working-class vs upper-class, man-made world vs natural world, developing world vs developed world

  -Points towards the traditional form of masculinity being violent, excessive but ultimately absurd and an ephemeral form of power

  -mankind's persistent and reckless attempts to reign over nature are failed and pointless

  -These stereotypes for each binary opposition can be misleading and isolating
• Title

  -"Versus" establishes the opposition and power conflict in the poem from the very beginning and there's a strong sense that one cannot live whilst the other survives

  -Very in the face of the reader similar to the chainsaw and the plumes, indicating how these stereotypes and argument cannot be hidden from in society

  -Lack of definite article before "chainsaw" may seem strange but suggests that this is a mass force that cannot be avoided
• Themes

  -POWER AND CONFLICT: the governing force of the poem is power, the short term power lies in the violent behaviour of the personified chainsaw and this also makes the speaker feel invincible and masculine, but the subsequent victory lies with the pampas grass as their spiritual connection gives them an everlasting power to regrow and humiliate the man-made world. The brutality of the chainsaw only adds a dangerous edge to the chaotic power of the chainsaw and perhaps the reader feels more comfortable with the subtle and lifelong power of the grass. It's clear that power governs society and an extreme of power is exploited in this poem.

  -GENDER: the masculinity is highlighted through the poem with the phallic symbol of the chainsaw and the stereotypically masculine images of drinking and destruction. The lack of success of the chainsaw may allude to the way that masculinity and the male population cannot survive without femininity and the value of biological reproduction represented by the pampas grass.

  -DESTRUCTION: the chainsaw destroys what threatens the power of his man-made ability but it is shown to be excessive and almost humorous in parts, suggesting that oppressed rage at stereotypes restricting people is dangerous and manifests a dynamic tension. The excessive imagery may allude to gender and hierarchy stereotypes being too much.
• Irregular stanza/line length


  "Spider's wool.."

  -leaves a longer pause which is more natural but randomly placed

  -adopts a conversational tone which adds a dynamic depth to the persona of the speaker and perhaps the chainsaw too.

  -could also be interpreted as the chaotic and messy destruction that the chainsaw has produced, perhaps a broader allusion to the way society has destructively ordered itself around these stereotypes

  -unrestrained power breaking free

  Longer sentences: "The pampas grass, taking the warmth..."

  -creates a heightened dramatic tension as we anticipate what it continuing

  -may be seen to represent an infection of the plumes into the space of the chainsaw with a satirical disregard for the femininity and nature they symbolise

  -may be seen to create a sense of obsession on a rather bland and irrelevant description (which is an aspect of mock-heroic poetry) only to further emphasise the way that society focuses only on stereotypes and power

  Minor sentence: "Overkill"

  -ironic as the singular word itself is emphasising the out of control reaction to nature but the minor sentence tries to compress this concept, suggesting that simplicity is key

  -reinforces the speaker's pride; may be interpreted as a colloquial register from a lack of education and a more physical attraction to life than an academic and logical approach to life, alluding to both the masculine stereotype of working like and the working-class itself in a brainless presentation

  Lines get shorter towards the end of the poem: "I left it at that" "To try to forget"

  -represent the shrinking pride of the speaker and the entity of the chainsaw

  -faster pace may be interpreted as a building anger and a faster pulse rate at the frustration of being humiliated and their power undermined
• Caesura


  "It seemed an unlikely match."

  -from the very beginning of the poem a harsh stop is implored to emphasise the short opening sentence that reinforces the theme of conflict in it's simplicity

  -harsh stop may be an attempt to separate the two oppositions of the chainsaw and the grass

  -allusion to the mock-heroic poetry where a dramatised opening of the old-time conflict is presented
• End-stopped lines


  In contrast to the unrestrained line-length, each stanza is end-stopped so separates each stanza from the next:

  -creates a more stunted and uncomfortable tone and rhythm

  -may be seen as representing a man-made control over the nature as the natural and lyrical rhythm of a poem is manipulated by the speaker

  -some may read this as uneducated or a sign of masculinity as it opposes a lyrical tone which may be associated with femininity or spiritual power
• Enjambment


  "The chainsaw swung//nose down from a hook in the darkroom//under the hatch in the floor"

  -creates a sense of anticipation and a conversational tone

  -feels fable like as the story builds and the actions grow more chaotic which is emphasised by the enjambment
• Free verse


  -spoken voice is reinforced with the irregular form allowed through free verse

  -confirms the excess of power

  -the stanzas, like the chainsaw, have a "perfect disregard" for regularity and are straining to break free

  -could perceive this as breaking from stereotypes themselves or attempting to excessively establish them to compensate

  -natural rhythm humanises the chainsaw and personifies it as masculinity
• Personification of the chainsaw

  Symbolises masculinity, the working-class and man-made society/power. it is presented as aggressive, dominating and violent but is ultimately shown to be humiliated and lacking in sustainability.

  "Knocked back a quarter pint of oil"

  -ascribe traditional masculine images to the chainsaw, a typical working-class image of a man in the pub is represented in the thirsty and dominating image of the chainsaw being filled with oil

  -exaggerated relish at tearing the grass in a metaphorical and destructive "game"

  -"Knocked back" is also very colloquial which reinforces a sense of pride from the personified chainsaw and the speaker

  -reference to "engine oil" also alludes to the toxic chemicals harming the environment that man-made entities consume and violate the Earth with

  "Gunned the trigger"

  -phallic symbol of the gun really emphasised here

  -guttural plosives manifest a sense of pride and excitement, indicating the way the speaker feels with the powerful object of the chainsaw as an extended limb of himself as he holds a symbol of mankind at his disposal

  -emphasises how the dreams are "man-made", which could be read as an allusion to the man-made elements of the world taking over from the natural but also the man-made society that we live in as well as the stereotypes themselves

  -may be considered a sexual metaphor when the chainsaw is colloquially described as "wanting to finish things off" both physically and to ride a sexual high over the domination and abusive actions he has taken

  -to make sure everything is destroyed too

  "Felt the drive-wheel gargle in its throat"

  -lexical onomatopoeia in "gargle" that emits a cacophonous essence that disturbs the reader

  -suggests uneducated and physically repulsive, looking down upon the lower classes but there is still a significant emotional side to this too

  "Its mood to tangle with cloth, or jewellery, or hair"

  -clash of feminine semiotics and male destruction (verb "tangle") which presents a very negative and destructive angle considering the combining of male and female

  -the verb "tangle" suggests a kind of sexual conquest but instead of being loving and romantic a more disturbing and violent encounter is implied

  -"Ripped into pockets of dark, secret warmth" suggests that this sexual conquest was successful

  -makes the reader consider the poem as an allusion to domestic abuse and rape, the violent verbs "tangle, ripped, rear up, kick back, gargle" all allude to a brutal and horrific violation of the sacred feminine

  -suggests the only way to explore the taboo is to use metaphorical language and entities

  "The chainsaw seethed"

  -sibilance placed on "seethed" is emotive and emphasises the passionate anger the chainsaw has at not being worthy or able to control femininity, the royal class or nature itself

  -urge to persist suggests this will happen again or may be read as an urge to colonise and take over a new developing area or destroy the weak

  Overall:

  -by personifying the chainsaw the descriptions help to make the object seem more formidable though the combination of the existing qualities of the chainsaw with the added ability of the humans

  -may be a criticism of the human world for not owning up to or taking responsibility of their own actions, could go as far to say that the chainsaw is the speaker himself as the speaker only exists in the poem alongside the chainsaw, he is not an individual

  -chainsaw only knows how to destroy not how to create like the pampas grass
• Personification of the pampas grass

  Symbolises femininity, the upper-class, nature itself and rebirth. It is presented as vulnerable and delicate but also snobbish and spiritually powerful.

  "Ludicrous feathers and plumes"

  -infers that the beauty and richness of the plant is ridiculous because it is extravagant even when it doesn't need to be

  -seems very delicate and wealthy

  -may perceive as the upper-class who stick out from the working-class environment

  "Stealing the show with its footstools, cushions and tufts"

  -sibilance of this makes the speech of the grass seem lyrical and smoother than the chainsaw, over-exaggerating the femininity of the grass but also presenting them as weak; may be seen as a show of how well-spoken they are which marks them as 'posh' and 'privileged'

  -spiritual vibes of being traditional and one with nature

  -could be interpreted as the hissing of the snake in Genesis and the story of Adam and Eve which may suggest that the grass is filled with a desire for disobeying tyrannical power (that of the chainsaw) but this is possibly a warped and angry point of view from the chainsaw blinded by a destructive obsession

  -may allude to how women are sexualised and punished for the sin they may commit sexually whereas men are not

  "Pampas grass"

  -minimal pair with "pompous" which may suggest that the grass is viewed as royal and snobbish, especially when it is described as "sunning itself"

  -suggests disconnected from the world of manual labour and man-made chemicals which may place it at a disadvantage

  -could be argued to relate to the biblical quote: "all flesh is grass" that explains how the grass that dies will be resurrected as a form of life once again, it is not especially special but a human and real like everything else

  -links to a dependency on faith

  -symbol of frailty that highlights that the "chainsaw versus the pampas grass" is an unfair and exploiting match and may be argued to downplay the seriousness of the poem

  "Twelve-foot spears"

  -suggests a degree of power, mainly pooled into spiritual or native power

  -allusion to colonialism and the invader group coming to destroy the natural world where people have become connected with the powers and lifestyle as their home

  -links to the female power but the fact that it is ultimately "ripped" suggest that this never stood a chance anyway

  "Wearing a new crown"

  -metonym of the "crown" suggests that nature will always reign over man-made power

  -regal connotations which may elicit anger at the traditionalist and nepotistic lifestyle or triumph at the power of rebirth the feminine body holds powering over the violent and brutal power of the male sphere

  -"new" suggest "new generation" and the passing on of life, hence rebirth

  -may be an allusion to the resurrection of Jesus after he was placed on the cross and came back to atone for the sins of everyone; perhaps further implying that humanity is dependent on nature as we are dependent on faith and the gifts of God so these must be respected

  Overall:

  -in direct opposition to the violent and destructive masculine power of the chainsaw but also more ambiguous as several types of power and weakness are represented in the grass

  -may argue this ambiguity alludes to a deeper and more complex character in femininity that isn't present in the masculine genre

  -may argue the grass is positive from the continuous female and natural power that sustains the Earth and outlives the masculine abuse

  -may consider negative representations from the returning regal and upper-class power that seems inescapable
• Biblical allegory


  "Corn of Egypt"

  -is a saying to suggest that there is a lot of something dating back to the Bible (Genesis 42:2)

  -links to ideas of the resurrection of Jesus and divine regeneration as this is what happens to the grass

  -explores how man may wreak havoc on the grass for a short while but in the long run the grass will endure

  -may be seen to humiliate the chainsaw
• Colloquial idioms


  "Finish things off"

  "Stealing the show"

  "The sledgehammer taken to crack the nut"

  -reinforce the speakers pride

  -colloquial register manifested reflects the uneducated and weaker status of the chainsaw and masculinity that is stereotyped in a way that it cannot be escaped from but which may also make poetry readers look down on the chainsaw

  -mock-heroic poetry link as the mundane idioms come alive with a rejuvenated meaning that they previously lacked

  -the "Sledgehammer" becomes another phallic extension and a dangerous weapon of which the excessive power is exemplified

  -"Stealing" becomes cunning and highlights a regal and snobbish ownership that the grass is seen to have
• Anaphora


  "And felt...and felt"

  -emphasises the fear and awe that the speaker feels for the chainsaw and its power

  -suggests an enthusiasm for destruction

  -adds to the sense of excess that relate to the seven deadly sins and a greed that is obsessively unavoidable

  -perhaps a hint at frustration as he continues on the same monotonous acts of destruction