Exploring Humanity Through "War Photographer" by Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy prompts readers to contemplate the grim realities of war and its impact on humanity through her poem "War Photographer." The poem delves into the isolated world of a photographer developing harrowing images captured in conflict zones, contrasting the peace of his darkroom with the chaos and suffering he witnesses. Duffy skillfully portrays the photographer's emotional numbness, the callousness of those who view his work, and the complex dynamics of bearing witness to atrocities. Through vivid imagery and poignant reflections, the poet compels us to confront the unsettling aspects of human existence exposed by war.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy How does Duffy incite us to consider the state of humanity in her poem War Photographer ? Name:
Read through the following text. As you are reading, make notes on your response to the text. You may wish to consider What you think is happening in the poem What you think the message of the poem is Any words, phrases or images that particularly strike you The way in which the poem is organised How you feel reading the poem War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy 1 2 3 4 5 6 In his darkroom he is finally alone with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows. The only light is red and softly glows, as though this were a church and he a priest preparing to intone a Mass. Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass. 7 8 9 10 11 12 He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays beneath his hands, which did not tremble then though seem to now. Rural England. Home again to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel, to fields which don t explode beneath the feet of running children in a nightmare heat. 13 14 15 16 17 18 Something is happening. A stranger s features faintly start to twist before his eyes, a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries of this man s wife, how he sought approval without words to do what someone must and how the blood stained into foreign dust. 19 20 21 22 23 24 A hundred agonies in black and white from which his editor will pick out five or six for Sunday s supplement. The reader s eyeballs prick with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers. From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where he earns his living and they do not care.
Now watch the video lecture by Miss Odell entitled How does Duffy incite us to consider the state of humanity in her poem War Photographer ? As you are watching, annotate the poem to record the contextual backdrop to the poem, the key ideas, key words, phrases and images and key structural points. War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy 1 2 3 4 5 6 In his darkroom he is finally alone with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows. The only light is red and softly glows, as though this were a church and he a priest preparing to intone a Mass. Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass. 7 8 9 10 11 12 He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays beneath his hands, which did not tremble then though seem to now. Rural England. Home again to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel, to fields which don t explode beneath the feet of running children in a nightmare heat. 13 14 15 16 17 18 Something is happening. A stranger s features faintly start to twist before his eyes, a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries of this man s wife, how he sought approval without words to do what someone must and how the blood stained into foreign dust. 19 20 21 22 23 24 A hundred agonies in black and white from which his editor will pick out five or six for Sunday s supplement. The reader s eyeballs prick with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers. From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where he earns his living and they do not care.
Harkness discussion / reflection sheet War Photographer How does Duffy convey the experience of the photographer to evoke a more empathetic understanding of war? How does she present the recipients of the photographs? Do we feel sympathy for the photographer? How might Duffy s relationship with Don McCullin have influenced the way in which she presents the photographer? What particular language choice from Duffy stands out for you? What do you think of the way in which the poem is structured?
