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22 Dec 2025
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Kamikaze Poem by Beatrice Garland - Analysis, Structure & Quotes
Harriet
@harrietnewsome
Pilot's Journey and Decision
The Kamikaze poem begins by describing the pilot's departure on his suicide mission. Garland uses vivid imagery to set the scene and establish the gravity of the situation.
Quote: "Her father embarked at sunrise / with a flask of water, a samurai sword / in the cockpit, a shaven head / full of powerful incantations"
The poem then shifts to speculation about the pilot's thoughts and experiences during his journey. The daughter imagines her father looking down at the sea and remembering his childhood.
Highlight: The use of modal verbs like "must have" emphasizes that this is a speculative account, reminding readers that the story is second-hand.
The natural imagery of the sea and fish contrasts sharply with the military purpose of the pilot's mission, suggesting a conflict between the beauty of life and the demands of war.
Example: The description of fish "flashing silver as their bellies / swivelled towards the sun" creates a peaceful, almost playful image that stands in stark contrast to the pilot's intended kamikaze mission.
Memories and Turning Point
The poem delves into the pilot's memories of his family and childhood, which ultimately influence his decision to turn back.
Quote: "and remembered how he and / his brothers waiting on the shore / built cairns of pearl-grey pebbles"
These memories of family life and the natural world serve as a powerful counterpoint to the military propaganda and expectations placed on the pilot.
Vocabulary: Cairns - mounds of stones built as memorials or landmarks.
The vivid descriptions of sea life and fishing further emphasize the richness of the life the pilot would be leaving behind.
Example: "cloud-marked mackerel, / black crabs, feathery prawns, / the loose silver of whitebait and once / a tuna, the dark prince, muscular, dangerous."
Consequences of Return
The final section of the Kamikaze poem deals with the aftermath of the pilot's decision to return home. Garland portrays the severe social consequences of this choice.
Quote: "my mother never spoke again / in his presence, nor did she meet his eyes / and the neighbours too, they treated him / as though he no longer existed"
The poem highlights the stark contrast between the children's initial acceptance and the adults' rejection of the returned pilot.
Highlight: The use of "we" in "only we children still chattered and laughed" emphasizes the generational divide in the response to the pilot's return.
The Kamikaze poem concludes with a poignant reflection on the pilot's possible regret and the question of whether his choice was truly the better option.
Quote: "And sometimes, she said, he must have wondered / which had been the better way to die."
This final line encapsulates the central conflict of the poem, questioning the nature of honor, duty, and the true cost of survival in a society that values sacrifice above all.
Structure and Narrative Perspective
The Kamikaze poem by Beatrice Garland is structured as a narrative, told from the perspective of the pilot's daughter. This choice of narrator adds a personal and reflective tone to the poem.
Highlight: The poem uses enjambment to emphasize the personal tone and create a flowing narrative.
The structure includes a significant volta, or turn, that marks a shift in the poem's direction and tone. This occurs when the pilot returns home, highlighting the consequences of his decision.
Quote: "And though he came back / my mother never spoke again / in his presence"
Imagery and Symbolism
Garland employs rich imagery throughout the Kamikaze poem, contrasting peaceful natural scenes with military symbolism.
Example: The "samurai sword" and "shaven head" represent military discipline, while the "green-blue translucent sea" and "dark shoals of fishes" evoke a sense of natural beauty and freedom.
The poem uses symbols of Japanese culture, such as the samurai sword, to represent the code of honor (bushido) that the pilot is expected to follow.
Vocabulary: Bushido - the traditional Japanese code of honor and morals developed by the samurai class.
Themes Explored
The Kamikaze poem analysis reveals several key themes:
- Duty vs. Personal Choice
- Family and Memory
- Social Ostracism
- Nature vs. War
The poem explores the tension between societal expectations and personal desires, as well as the long-lasting impact of choices on family and community relationships.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Kamikaze Poem by Beatrice Garland - Analysis, Structure & Quotes
Harriet
@harrietnewsome
The Kamikaze poem by Beatrice Garland explores themes of honor, duty, and the consequences of choice through the story of a Japanese pilot who turns back from his suicide mission. This narrative poemuses vivid imagery and structural devices to... Show more
Pilot's Journey and Decision
The Kamikaze poem begins by describing the pilot's departure on his suicide mission. Garland uses vivid imagery to set the scene and establish the gravity of the situation.
Quote: "Her father embarked at sunrise / with a flask of water, a samurai sword / in the cockpit, a shaven head / full of powerful incantations"
The poem then shifts to speculation about the pilot's thoughts and experiences during his journey. The daughter imagines her father looking down at the sea and remembering his childhood.
Highlight: The use of modal verbs like "must have" emphasizes that this is a speculative account, reminding readers that the story is second-hand.
The natural imagery of the sea and fish contrasts sharply with the military purpose of the pilot's mission, suggesting a conflict between the beauty of life and the demands of war.
Example: The description of fish "flashing silver as their bellies / swivelled towards the sun" creates a peaceful, almost playful image that stands in stark contrast to the pilot's intended kamikaze mission.
Memories and Turning Point
The poem delves into the pilot's memories of his family and childhood, which ultimately influence his decision to turn back.
Quote: "and remembered how he and / his brothers waiting on the shore / built cairns of pearl-grey pebbles"
These memories of family life and the natural world serve as a powerful counterpoint to the military propaganda and expectations placed on the pilot.
Vocabulary: Cairns - mounds of stones built as memorials or landmarks.
The vivid descriptions of sea life and fishing further emphasize the richness of the life the pilot would be leaving behind.
Example: "cloud-marked mackerel, / black crabs, feathery prawns, / the loose silver of whitebait and once / a tuna, the dark prince, muscular, dangerous."
Consequences of Return
The final section of the Kamikaze poem deals with the aftermath of the pilot's decision to return home. Garland portrays the severe social consequences of this choice.
Quote: "my mother never spoke again / in his presence, nor did she meet his eyes / and the neighbours too, they treated him / as though he no longer existed"
The poem highlights the stark contrast between the children's initial acceptance and the adults' rejection of the returned pilot.
Highlight: The use of "we" in "only we children still chattered and laughed" emphasizes the generational divide in the response to the pilot's return.
The Kamikaze poem concludes with a poignant reflection on the pilot's possible regret and the question of whether his choice was truly the better option.
Quote: "And sometimes, she said, he must have wondered / which had been the better way to die."
This final line encapsulates the central conflict of the poem, questioning the nature of honor, duty, and the true cost of survival in a society that values sacrifice above all.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Structure and Narrative Perspective
The Kamikaze poem by Beatrice Garland is structured as a narrative, told from the perspective of the pilot's daughter. This choice of narrator adds a personal and reflective tone to the poem.
Highlight: The poem uses enjambment to emphasize the personal tone and create a flowing narrative.
The structure includes a significant volta, or turn, that marks a shift in the poem's direction and tone. This occurs when the pilot returns home, highlighting the consequences of his decision.
Quote: "And though he came back / my mother never spoke again / in his presence"
Imagery and Symbolism
Garland employs rich imagery throughout the Kamikaze poem, contrasting peaceful natural scenes with military symbolism.
Example: The "samurai sword" and "shaven head" represent military discipline, while the "green-blue translucent sea" and "dark shoals of fishes" evoke a sense of natural beauty and freedom.
The poem uses symbols of Japanese culture, such as the samurai sword, to represent the code of honor (bushido) that the pilot is expected to follow.
Vocabulary: Bushido - the traditional Japanese code of honor and morals developed by the samurai class.
Themes Explored
The Kamikaze poem analysis reveals several key themes:
- Duty vs. Personal Choice
- Family and Memory
- Social Ostracism
- Nature vs. War
The poem explores the tension between societal expectations and personal desires, as well as the long-lasting impact of choices on family and community relationships.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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Most popular content: Eden Rock Poem
Most popular content in English Literature
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user