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War Photographer Annotated

The poem describes a war photographer developing photos alone in his darkroom, where he finds solace from the chaos he witnesses. The religious imagery compares his work to that of a priest as he carefully handles images of human suffering. Though his goal is to document the truth, he struggles with the emotional toll of constantly confronting death and violence. While his photos aim to raise awareness, most viewers are desensitized to the realities of war and do little to prevent further conflict and suffering.

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2K views1 page

War Photographer Annotated

The poem describes a war photographer developing photos alone in his darkroom, where he finds solace from the chaos he witnesses. The religious imagery compares his work to that of a priest as he carefully handles images of human suffering. Though his goal is to document the truth, he struggles with the emotional toll of constantly confronting death and violence. While his photos aim to raise awareness, most viewers are desensitized to the realities of war and do little to prevent further conflict and suffering.

Uploaded by

Xeotiic
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Duffy was friends with a Word choice - place of peace and sanctuary Rigid structure contrasts

war photographer and after being confronted with horrors. with the chaotic images
was intrigued by the described in poem.
challenges they face. Alliteration draws attention They mirror the
War Photographer to the horrific images and photographer who tries to
the fact he tries to restore maintain a strict order.
Intimate and tranquil setting of
order to the chaotic images.
his dark room. He’s normally
Connotations of the light that
surrounded by chaos and values In his dark room he is finally alone burns in Catholic churches to
this time alone - enjambment
creates sense of reflection. with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows. symbolise the presence of
Christ - also bold - he’s seen
The only light is red and softly glows, a lot of this.
Religious imagery - simile as though this were a church and he
compares him to a priest -
sense of ritual in the way he
a priest preparing to intone a Mass. One word sentences for each
Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass. war zone he has photographed.
develops film - has seen
Each gets its own sentence to
difficult things - same respect
highlight how important it is to
a priest would have when From New Testament - emphasises how fragile
remember.
preparing for communion. life is and that all must die

Short sentence breaks calmness


of darkroom and reminds him of Alliteration - ambiguous
his responsibility. He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays meaning - could be the
beneath his hands, which did not tremble then chemicals used or his
hope that the pictures
In order to do his job he must though seem to now. Rural England. Home again may help to resolve the
remain detached and
professional - but when he’s to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel, conflicts they depict.
alone the emotion gets to him.
to fields which don’t explode beneath the feet
He notes the contrast
of running children in a nightmare heat. between home and the war
Our children don’t have to zones - our problems are
worry about landlines whilst Famous photo of kids running from napalm attack in sorted by good weather - no
playing - injustice. Vietnam helped end the conflict - but now we have idea of real suffering.
become desensitised to these images.
Adds drama and suspense - Suggests both the
suggests he is not fully in Something is happening. A stranger’s features development of the picture and
control. faintly start to twist before his eyes, the pain of his last moments.

a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries


Picture hasn’t developed fully Couldn’t communicate with the
but as the man no longer of this man’s wife, how he sought approval wife and had to rely purely on
exists he has become a ghost without words to do what someone must looks - like a priest - had to
- “ghost” has connotations of attend to his final moments -
haunting - idea that these and how the blood stained into foreign dust. profession is a calling.
images haunt him.
Word choice - connotations of something
permanent - always to be remembered. Careless indifference of editor
Connotations of extreme shows how little we care for the
pain - highlights the people suffering far away.
suffering of these people. A hundred agonies in black and white
from which his editor will pick out five or six He doesn’t feel that he
Bathos - insincere response for Sunday’s supplement. The reader’s eyeballs prick belongs to either world.
from us - we feel pity for a
while but then return to over with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.
indulgent lives. From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where
he earns his living and they do not care. Growing acceptance that despite
his best efforts his photos will make
Themes
no difference.
* Horrors of war
* Apathy
Carol Ann Duffy
* Loss Duffy shares an affinity with war photographers - they use
* Isolation photography to convey truths about the human condition -
she uses words and language to do the same.

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