Question 1: What historical event inspired 'Kamikaze', and how does Garland present its emotional impact on the pilot's family?

Answer: The poem is inspired by the WWII kamikaze pilots; Garland shows the pilot's family feeling shame and loss, highlighting the emotional toll of war.

Question 2: Describe Garland's use of the sea as a metaphor in the poem. How does this imagery influence the reader's understanding?

Answer: The sea symbolizes both danger and beauty, representing the pilot's journey and the chaos of war, evoking a sense of unpredictability.

Question 3: Identify the tone of the poem's opening lines. How does Garland establish this tone?

Answer: The tone is reflective and somber; Garland uses calm, descriptive language to evoke a peaceful yet tense atmosphere.

Question 1: Analyze the line: 'Her father embarked at sunrise' — what is its significance in setting the scene?

Answer: It signifies the start of the pilot's journey, symbolizing hope and new beginnings but also foreshadowing danger.

Question 2: What does the phrase 'a shaven head full of powerful incantations' suggest about the pilot's state of mind or cultural background?

Answer: It suggests ritualistic preparation, emphasizing discipline and possibly a sense of spiritual or cultural significance.

Question 3: How does Garland use contrast in the lines describing the pilot's flight and return?

Answer: She contrasts the peaceful imagery of the flight with the chaos of war, highlighting the conflict between duty and personal morality.

Question 1: Find and explain a metaphor in the poem that relates to the pilot's experience.

Answer: The 'shattered reputation' can be seen as a metaphor for the damage to the pilot's honor and societal perceptions after his return.

Question 2: Quote a simile from the poem and discuss how it enhances the reader's understanding.

Answer: The simile 'like a huge flag waved by the wind' (if present) would depict the pilot's fragile mental state, emphasizing vulnerability.

Question 3: Identify personification in the poem and explain its effect.

Answer: Personification of the sea or wind as 'whispering' or 'calling' gives nature a voice, reflecting internal conflict or the pilot's subconscious.

Question 1: Discuss how the theme of conflict is portrayed in the poem.

Answer: Conflict is shown between duty and personal morality, as the pilot struggles with his decision to return or stay, reflecting inner and outer struggles.

Question 2: Explain how memory and history are presented as influences on the characters.

Answer: Memory is shown through the narrator's reflection, emphasizing how past events shape present identities and perceptions of honor.

Question 1: Quote: 'him with a shaven head full of powerful incantations.' What is the effect of 'powerful incantations' in this context?

Answer: 'Powerful incantations' suggests ritualistic or spiritual preparation, emphasizing the pilot's mental state and cultural background, and creating a sense of reverence or tension.

Question 2: Quote: 'a half-formed ghost' — analyze the connotations of 'ghost' and its impact on the reader.

Answer: The word 'ghost' connotes haunting, loss, and absence, evoking feelings of guilt and the lingering memory of the pilot's actions.

Question 1: Identify key similarities and differences in how Garland and Shelley portray the effects of power on individuals.

Answer: Both poems depict the destructive or fleeting nature of power—Shelley's 'Ozymandias' shows the inevitable decline of pride and authority, while Garland's 'Kamikaze' highlights the personal cost of wielding or losing power through war and societal expectations.