5 Key Quotes Kamikaze for Top Grades

Summary

This educational video provides a detailed analysis of the poem *Kamikaze*, helping students in grades 7-9 understand key literary devices, structure, and cultural context. The speaker explores how the poem uses symbols like fish and sunrise to convey themes of life, sacrifice, and family. By discussing the generational impact of the father’s decision not to die in a kamikaze mission, the video highlights the broader cultural and emotional significance. The speaker also offers a structured approach to analyzing poetry for exams, focusing on form, language features, and the development of themes through the poem's structure.

Takeaways

• 😀 The poem 'Kamikaze' is about a daughter reflecting on her father's experience as a kamikaze pilot and her thoughts on his life and death.
• 😀 The poem uses language features like symbolism (e.g., fish as symbols of life and death) and simile (e.g., comparing fish to a waving flag) to convey deeper meanings.
• 😀 The repeated 'S' sounds in the phrase 'flask of water, a samurai sword' symbolize peace and divinity, highlighting the father's spiritual journey.
• 😀 The fish imagery in the poem represents both life and patriotism. The figure-eight shape of the fish symbolizes infinity and the cyclical nature of life and death.
• 😀 The kamikaze pilot, initially set on suicide, ultimately changes his mind, influenced by the symbolism of the boat and his reflection on his family.
• 😀 The daughter, as an adult, reimagines her father's thoughts and tries to understand his internal conflict, ultimately bringing him back into the family narrative.
• 😀 The white bait fish symbolize betrayal, referencing the biblical betrayal of Jesus by Judas, drawing a parallel with the father's act of defying the kamikaze mission.
• 😀 The poem portrays the father's act of survival as both a dangerous and princely rebellion against societal expectations of sacrifice.
• 😀 The daughter reflects on how her father's survival led to him being ostracized by his family, but later welcomed back into the family through her children.
• 😀 The poem ultimately conveys a message of hope, showing how future generations can break from destructive traditions and rebuild a culture after war.

Q & A

What is the central theme of Beatrice Garland's poem 'Kamikaze'?

The central theme of 'Kamikaze' is the emotional journey of a kamikaze pilot who chooses not to commit suicide during his mission, and the impact of this decision on his family, particularly his daughter. It also explores themes of sacrifice, family relationships, cultural identity, and the changing values of post-war Japan.

What role does the sibilance in the first stanza of the poem play?

The sibilance in the first stanza, such as the repeated 's' sounds in 'sunrise with a flask of water', creates a peaceful and calming tone. It reflects the spiritual aspect of the pilot’s journey, symbolizing purification, peace, and even a sense of divinity. This sibilant sound also mirrors the pilot’s hope for a noble and peaceful death.

What do the fish in the poem symbolize?

The fish in the poem symbolize both life and patriotism. They are described in a way that also evokes a flag being waved, representing the sacrifice the kamikaze pilot is expected to make for his country. The figure-eight shape of the fish can be interpreted as a symbol of infinity, linking both eternal life and the permanence of death.

How does the form of the poem contribute to its meaning?

The poem’s form, written in free verse with six-line stanzas, reflects the natural speech of the narrator, enhancing the sense of personal storytelling. The lack of a strict rhyme scheme mirrors the fluid and evolving relationship the daughter has with her father. The regular six-line stanzas may symbolize the attempt to re-establish the father's identity as a grandfather, giving him a new role in the family.

What is the significance of the word 'embarked' in the first stanza?

'Embarked' is significant because it references a journey, both physical and emotional. The word is related to the idea of a boat (a 'barque'), symbolizing the father's connection to his family and his ancestral legacy as a fisherman. It suggests that the pilot is setting off on a path that will ultimately lead to him reconsidering his mission.

How is the theme of betrayal explored in the poem?

Betrayal is explored through the image of the 'white bait' fish, which are described as 'loose silver.' This imagery alludes to the biblical story of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The fish, in this context, symbolize the pilot's perceived betrayal of his country, as he chooses life over self-sacrifice.

What does the phrase 'he must have wondered which had been the better way to die' suggest?

The phrase 'he must have wondered which had been the better way to die' suggests the father's ongoing internal struggle and emotional trauma after returning from the mission. It implies that he may have questioned whether dying honorably as a kamikaze pilot would have been preferable to living with the shame of abandoning his mission.

What is the significance of the line 'till gradually we two learnt to be silent'?

The line 'till gradually we two learnt to be silent' signifies the painful process of the children adjusting to their father’s return. It reflects the unnatural silence and emotional distance created by his failure to fulfill his mission. The gradual nature of this silence emphasizes the cultural difficulty in accepting the father back into the family after his apparent 'betrayal'.

How does the poet use symbolism to contrast life and death in the poem?

The poet uses several symbols to contrast life and death. The fish represent life and vitality, but their figure-eight movement evokes infinity, symbolizing both eternal life and an endless cycle of death. The sun, water, and even the boat all symbolize purity, spiritual renewal, and the idea of death as a sacrifice for a greater cause, but they also represent the internal conflict the pilot faces about his purpose.

What does the poem suggest about the potential for cultural and familial healing?

The poem suggests that healing is possible both within families and cultures. While the father’s decision initially leads to his ostracism, the daughter’s retelling of his story to her children allows the father to be reintroduced into the family as a grandfather. This act symbolizes the healing of cultural wounds and the potential for future generations to reframe and reinterpret the past in a more forgiving and hopeful light.