Page 2: The Lasting Psychological Impact
The second page of "Remains" delves deeper into the long-term psychological effects of the soldier's experience. Armitage uses vivid imagery and repetition to convey the intrusive nature of the soldier's memories.
The soldier's attempts to escape the memory through sleep, dreams, alcohol, and drugs prove futile. The looter's image persistently "bursts again through the doors of the bank," emphasizing the inescapable nature of the trauma.
Example: The lines "Sleep, and he's probably armed, possibly not. / Dream, and he's torn apart by a dozen rounds" illustrate how the event replays in the soldier's mind, blurring the lines between reality and nightmare.
Armitage employs military metaphors to describe the entrenched nature of these memories:
Quote: "he's here in my head when I close my eyes, / dug in behind enemy lines"
This imagery suggests that the soldier's mind has become a battlefield, with the memory of the looter as a persistent enemy.
Definition: PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) - While not explicitly mentioned, the poem vividly portrays symptoms associated with PTSD, including intrusive memories, nightmares, and the inability to escape traumatic experiences.
The poem concludes with a powerful image that encapsulates the soldier's guilt and the weight of his actions:
Quote: "his bloody life in my bloody hands."
This line, with its repetition of "bloody," emphasizes both the literal blood spilled and the figurative burden of responsibility the soldier carries.
In the context of War Photographer and Bayonet Charge Comparison, "Remains" offers a unique perspective on the psychological toll of warfare. Unlike poems that focus on the immediate physical dangers of combat, Armitage's work explores the long-lasting mental scars that soldiers carry long after they've left the battlefield.
This GCSE English Literature Poetry Analysis of "Remains" highlights Armitage's skill in using vivid imagery, colloquial language, and repetition to create a powerful exploration of guilt, memory, and the dehumanizing effects of war.
