English Knowledge Organiser: Remains
Structure:
The poem is written in 8 stanzas,
the last stanza is a couplet which
leaves the poem on a dramatic end
note.
The poem does not have a rhyme.
The poem is a monologue and it is
very conversational, “end of story,
not really.”
There is enjambment and caesura
used to emphasise natural speech.
The Poem uses asides and syntax to
emphasise the atmosphere.
Language:
Colloquialism: “legs it” – slang for
runs of. Gives a realistic tone to the
voice of the speaker.
Remains
by Simon Armitage
Context:
This poem deals with post traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) and mental illness,
which is very common in soldiers after
they come back from war.
They struggle to come to terms with the
horrific things they have experienced.
This can cause nightmares, panic attacks
as well as depression and sometimes
suicidal tendencies.
Dehumanising: “looter”, “sort of
inside out” – the victim becomes
more of an object.
Colloquialism: “mates” – makes it
appear like a night out with the
boys, something casual and social.
Metaphor: “his blood-shadow stays
on the street” – for the memory of
the man and events. Blood – death,
shadow – lingering memory.
The poem is written from the
perspective of a soldier stationed
in Iraq or Afghanistan (it could be
any warzone).
Three soldiers are on patrol and
open fire on some bank robbers,
“looters”. The soldiers open fire
because one of the “looters”
appear to have a gun, “probably
armed, possibly not.”
The soldier telling the story
cannot let this image out of his
head and is haunted by the
memory.
Throughout the poem this soldier
tries to escape the images, “And
the drink and the drugs won’t
flush him out…”
Narrator:
Aside: “possibly not” – undermines
severity, if he was not armed
should he have been shot?
Hyperbole: “I see broad daylight on
the other side.” – this killing is not
pretty, the soldier describes it as
being able to see through the
looter.
The story of the poem:
Themes:
The poem is set in a warzone and the
main theme in this poem in conflict. The
poem looks at conflict in a direct way,
addressing war and how it affects the
soldiers.
Power is a theme in this poem as well.
The poem looks at the soldiers power
over life and death. Later in the poem the
power over their own memory and
experiences is dealt with.
Mental health and morality is key in
taking about this.
1st person narrator.
The narrator appears to be numb
to the horror of the experience of
war. The horrific images of death
and killing are juxtaposed to the
casual nature of the way the
soldier speaks in the poem, using
slang and clichés. “legs it”,
“letting fly” and “flush”.
Key words:
Looters, raiding, legs it, probably
armed, possibly not, open fire,
letting fly, rips through his life, a
dozen times, sort of inside out,
pain, agony, mates, guts, bloodshadow, patrol, sleep, dream,
drink, drugs, won’t flush him out,
enemy lines, distant, sunstunned, sand-smothered, sixfeet-under, desert sand, knuckle,
bloody life.
Links to other literature:
Repetition: “probably armed, and
possibly not.” - guilt, this thought
keeps replaying in the soldiers
mind.
Sibilance: “sun-stunned, sandsmothered” – this gives the
impression
of
a
sinister
dream/nightmare like state.
The repeated guilt and mention of blood
stains, could link to the guilt in Macbeth.
This can be seen right after the murder of
Duncan and when Lade Macbeth cannot
get the blood off her hands later in the
play.
Something to think about:
The poet suggests a conflict in the
speaker’s mind, an avoidance of
the reality of what happened
which haunts him.