“War Photographer” by Carol Ann Duffy, is a powerful thought-provoking poem, describing the experiences of someone whose job is to capture terrible crimes against humanity in a photograph. The poem deals with themes such as isolation, war and suffering. With the clever use of effective language and poetic techniques Duffy encourages the reader to explore more deeply the life they live and to feel grateful for all they have.
Throughout the course of “War Photographer” the reader is lead to sympathise with the photographer, it is written from his perspective and the trauma he puts himself through daily is evident. The photographer realises that he has to endure things we wouldn’t even begin to believe, but that everything he does has very little influence on the viewer; that nobody cares or appreciates about the photos he takes or the danger he puts himself in to do so. The character of the war photographer is used well to convey the story on either side of the battlefield as he is between these two vastly different worlds and realities. On one side he experiences a world which is torn apart by war, where mine fields explode “beneath the feet of running children,” and on the other, he is faced with people who do not have time in their busy lives “between their baths and pre-lunch beers” to care about matters which do not directly affect them. These two different worlds provoke a feeling of isolation for the photographer as he lives in both of these worlds yet belongs to none of them.
The photographer feels a sense of duty and responsibility to carry out his job. This is implied when Duffy incorporates religious symbolism into the poem by comparing the etiquette of the photographer to that of a church ceremony. She uses the comparison of the photographer carrying out the development process of the photos to “a priest preparing to intone a mass”. Both a Priest and the Photographer have similar incentives, they both want to spread a message and make people think about their actions; whilst a priest uses his bible, the photographer uses his photos as Holy Scripture. This idea is further developed by the use of the short and simple statement “He has a job to do.” This simple sentence juxtaposes the fact that his job is far from simple. This also shows his dedication towards his job that he cannot turn away from what he must finish; he feels that the people in these countries deserve more than that but he is helpless, as all he can do is his job!
However, in order to do his job, the photographer has to put himself through the traumatic experience of witnessing these terrible crimes against humanity, and being able to do nothing except capture these moments through the medium of photography. With the use of effective emotive language Duffy reveals the experiences that the photographer has been through and the damage this has caused him. The use of the metaphor “a half-formed ghost” raises the implication that as the photograph develops, the photographer’s memories do too, and the use of the word “ghost” is ambiguous as it implies that the photograph and memory is of someone dying but also that these memories haunt the photographer just as a ghost does. Likewise, “blood stained into foreign dust” literally and metaphorically suggest that both the land and the photographer have been permanently stained/damaged by the horrific scenes that have occurred. The use of the word “dust” juxtaposes the word “stain” as dust can be easily swept away and forgotten about, whereas a stain can never be removed. Perhaps the “dust” refers to the humans and their indifference as they easily forget about what has happened whereas the “stained” refers to the photographer who will never forget what has happened. Duffys use of powerful and graphic disturbing imagery to convey the brutality of war makes the reader feel a sense of guilt and wretchedness.
Throughout the poem, Duffy compares and contrasts the two different world which the photographer lives in. On one side he experiences a world which is torn apart by war. Duffy conveys this through her use of powerful emotive language like, “fields which don’t explode beneath the feet of running children”. The use of this image that we would usually associate with something innocent and happy Duffy subverts into something much more sinister to emphasise that contrast between the two life’s; the safe and peacefully life at home that many of us take for granted, and the violent life of people in these war stricken places that the photographer has visited. Also children are normally associated with innocence so by creating an image were young and innocent children are in danger/ unsafe emphasises the danger of the places the photographer has visited and also proves a feeling of remorse for the reader as they are safe, yet do nothing to help stop what is happening to these innocent. On the other, he is faced with a world full of self-regarding people who are unappreciative of simple thing in life like their safety. Duffys use of the oxymoron “an ordinary pain” suggests that the pain he experiences at home in “Rural England” is nothing in comparison to the real pain experiences in the war zones; that pain at home is something that can be solved by mere sunshine. This also indicates that we feel no real pain or suffering compared to others in the world.
with people who do not have time in their busy lives “between their baths and pre-lunch beers” to care about matters which do not directly affect them.
From the “hundred agonies” that the photographer captured the editor only picks out a “fix or six for Sundays supplement”. The fact that the photographs are not for the front page of the newspaper, that they are in fact only an addition, shows just how indifferent the editor is towards the suffering that these people go through in war zones areas. Duffy extends this convey the “readers eyeballs prick” b
Duffy is critical of our indifference she is suggesting the selfishness and self absorption of society as their “bath” and “pre-lunch beers” are more important that these peoples sufferings.
The careless indifference in the way the editor selects the images reinforces how little regard we have for the people in the photographs. Duffy extends this disingenuous response to us, using bathos when describing how are
The photographer, realises that no matter what he does humans indifference towards war stricken places where suffering does not affect them will never change
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Duffy’s use of powerful, imagery and emotive language create a sense of
Even though Duffy does not show her feeling towards the photographer her word choice reveals her admiration for him and what he does. The form of the poem also divulges Duffy’s reluctant attitude towards the indifference of humanity changing for the better. The fact that the form of the poem is unchanged that each stanza is off equal lengths and the rhyme scheme is constant, re-enforces the idea that despite he photographer’s efforts nothing will ever change!