Power And Conflict In Carol Ann Duffy's Poem 'War Photographer'

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How does Duffy use language to present the themes of power and conflict in her poem ‘War Photographer’
In the first stanza, Duffy uses juxtaposition and metaphors to portray a theme of conflict. The poet’s use of juxtaposition, “Spools of suffering set out in ordered rows”, could suggest that the photographer is feeling a sense of inner conflict. When Duffy uses the noun ‘spools’ it could suggest that the conflict and suffering is ceaseless; the suffering he witnessed is forever imprinted in his memory. However, when Duffy says “in ordered rows”, it might imply that the photographer is trying to control the chaos that developing the photos brings by filing them away, dealing with them neatly. It could also suggest that he is trying to depersonalise …show more content…

Also Duffys use of caesura at the end of the stanza could suggest that even though the photographer is feeling conflicted he still feels he must remember each place, “Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.” The use of caesura shows that even though similar events happened in all three conflicts, they each need their own personal reflection as the events that happened there were so horrific, the people affected must be remembered. Also, full stops make the reader pause reading which will in turn make the reader think about the conflict which will make readers more aware of their importance. Duffy’s use of the metaphor, “All flesh is grass” could imply that the poet was trying to connote that the photographer blames God for the events he witnessed. “All flesh is grass” is a bible reference taken from Isaiah 40:6; it tells us that we have no power over our own lives, God has the power, and it reminds us of the fragility of life. The poet may have used this to imply that the photographer blames God and doesn’t like the control and power he has over his life. The references to Beirut, Belfast and Phnom Penh could resonate with some readers because they may understand the events that happened in each

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