Kamikaze by Beatrice Garland

Kamikaze

1. testimony of the pilot's daughter

   • italics are her actual words. the rest being third person

2. no rhyme-free verse- allows the story to be told simply

3. tone

   • informal
   • reminiscing
     • at the end of poem, it turns to regret and sympathy for him
       • he turned back from the war and was condemned to a living death

4. 6 lines per stanza

   • represents the control of the Japanese

5. verse 1

   • the pilot leaves to do his job
   • 'embarked'
     • set off
     • ambiguous
       • usually means to go on a quest with excitement
         • he is NOT excited - he knows what will happen (lose his life)
   • 'samurai sword'
     • symbolic of being a fierce warrior
   • 'shaven head'
     • to demonstrate that they (the soldiers) are ready
   • 'into history'
     • they will never be forgotten
     • makes sacrifice seem noble

6. verse 2

   • he sees the beautiful image of nature
     • he doesn't want to miss it
   • 'strung out like bunting'
     • bunting is usually used for celebrations
       • but he isn't celebrating, he is going to die

7. verse 3

   • focuses on the sea and the fish
   • sibilance
     • reminiscent of the sound of the sea and nature
       • But what he is doing is unnatural

8. verse 4

   • he remembers his childhood memory of his fathers boat
     • memories flash through his head as he is about to die

9. verse 5

   • describes the fish found in his grandfather's boat
   • 'Yes, grandfather's boat'
     • confirming that it is HER grandfather's boat
   • more punctuation in this verse
     • he is slowing down, making his decision to survive
   • 'tuna, the dark prince, muscular, dangerous.'
     • like our soldier - tuna is a metaphor for the soldier
     • rule of three - emphasises how much the soldier is like the tuna

10. verse 6

    • quotes the daughter's words exactly
      • 'he'
        • we know the daughter is talking about the soldier, but he is always referred to though a pronoun
          • He lost his identity with the family when he came back
      • 'only we children still chattered and laughed'
        • too young and innocent to understand
    • how the family and neighbours pretended he never existed. he brought dishonour to the family

11. verse 7

    • final verse, comes to a close
      • 'we too learned to be silent'
        • copying the manner of their families who pretend he doesn't exist
      • which had been the better way to die
        • in the family's eyes, he is already dead