Compare how poets present the wider effects of conflict in Kamikaze and
in one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’. [30 marks]
Both the poets of Kamikaze (written by Garland) and Exposure (written by Owens) present the wider
effects of conflict through presenting the futility of warfare and the devastating – and even fatal –
effect it has on those who fight in war. Whilst Garland presents the fatal effects of conflict by
presenting the Kamikaze pilot’s inner conflict between his yearning towards nature and his patriotic
duties, Owens presents the same effects but by presenting the domineering power of nature over
mankind, in order to present the futility of warfare, and criticise the patriotic ideologies that were
appraised during his time as a war poet.
In Kamikaze, Garland sets a precedent for the damaging effects of conflict through portraying the
pilot’s inner conflict. She does this by using both free verse and a strict stanza length of 6 lines a
stanza. These two structural devices juxtapose one another, as the free verse symbolises freedom,
liberty and the pilot’s ability to embrace his love and desire to experience the beauty of nature,
whilst the strict stanza length symbolises the regimented nature of the pilot’s duty as a Kamikaze
pilot. Garland presents from the very beginning how conflict caused by warfare did not solve any
problems – indeed, all it did was create more conflict, but in the form of inner conflict within those
who participate in warfare. Perhaps Garland wishes to demonstrate the futility of war, as it leaves
the pilot in a state of permanent sadness, as he cannot fulfill both his patriotic duty of sacrificing
himself in the name of war, as well as his desire to embrace nature. In Exposure, Owens also uses a
strict stanza length, similar to what Garland has done, but whilst Garland has used free verse to
juxtapose the strict regime enforced on the pilot, Owens uses pararhyme throughout his poem,
which symbolises the oppressive power of nature upon the soldiers – the soldiers are at nature’s
mercy, as the pararhyme fails to grant the soldiers a sense of closure, fulfillment and ease,
portraying how the soldiers were at a constant height of adrenaline and fear. Whilst both poets
present the power of nature over mankind, Garland presents nature in a positive light to create
inner conflict within the pilot, however, Owens presents nature as oppressive and domineering to
show how warfare and conflict had detrimental effects on both one’s physical and mental strength.
Owens, through the strict stanza length, then presents how these effects are lasting and
permanent, just like the permanence of nature’s power of mankind. The poets, therefore, have
presented differing ideas of the effects of conflict, but with equal intention: to present and criticise
the futility of warfare.
Furthermore, in Kamikaze, Garland demonstrates, through the power of nature over the Kamikaze
pilot, the oppressive power that conflict (from warfare) has on an individual. The narrator of the
poem mentions the ‘tuna, the dark prince’ which was ‘muscular, dangerous’. This powerful imagery
of the tuna presents how, in the face of nature, the pilot is insignificant and small, which suggests
how he turned back home not just out of his desire to embrace nature, but by a moral obligation to
in one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’. [30 marks]
Both the poets of Kamikaze (written by Garland) and Exposure (written by Owens) present the wider
effects of conflict through presenting the futility of warfare and the devastating – and even fatal –
effect it has on those who fight in war. Whilst Garland presents the fatal effects of conflict by
presenting the Kamikaze pilot’s inner conflict between his yearning towards nature and his patriotic
duties, Owens presents the same effects but by presenting the domineering power of nature over
mankind, in order to present the futility of warfare, and criticise the patriotic ideologies that were
appraised during his time as a war poet.
In Kamikaze, Garland sets a precedent for the damaging effects of conflict through portraying the
pilot’s inner conflict. She does this by using both free verse and a strict stanza length of 6 lines a
stanza. These two structural devices juxtapose one another, as the free verse symbolises freedom,
liberty and the pilot’s ability to embrace his love and desire to experience the beauty of nature,
whilst the strict stanza length symbolises the regimented nature of the pilot’s duty as a Kamikaze
pilot. Garland presents from the very beginning how conflict caused by warfare did not solve any
problems – indeed, all it did was create more conflict, but in the form of inner conflict within those
who participate in warfare. Perhaps Garland wishes to demonstrate the futility of war, as it leaves
the pilot in a state of permanent sadness, as he cannot fulfill both his patriotic duty of sacrificing
himself in the name of war, as well as his desire to embrace nature. In Exposure, Owens also uses a
strict stanza length, similar to what Garland has done, but whilst Garland has used free verse to
juxtapose the strict regime enforced on the pilot, Owens uses pararhyme throughout his poem,
which symbolises the oppressive power of nature upon the soldiers – the soldiers are at nature’s
mercy, as the pararhyme fails to grant the soldiers a sense of closure, fulfillment and ease,
portraying how the soldiers were at a constant height of adrenaline and fear. Whilst both poets
present the power of nature over mankind, Garland presents nature in a positive light to create
inner conflict within the pilot, however, Owens presents nature as oppressive and domineering to
show how warfare and conflict had detrimental effects on both one’s physical and mental strength.
Owens, through the strict stanza length, then presents how these effects are lasting and
permanent, just like the permanence of nature’s power of mankind. The poets, therefore, have
presented differing ideas of the effects of conflict, but with equal intention: to present and criticise
the futility of warfare.
Furthermore, in Kamikaze, Garland demonstrates, through the power of nature over the Kamikaze
pilot, the oppressive power that conflict (from warfare) has on an individual. The narrator of the
poem mentions the ‘tuna, the dark prince’ which was ‘muscular, dangerous’. This powerful imagery
of the tuna presents how, in the face of nature, the pilot is insignificant and small, which suggests
how he turned back home not just out of his desire to embrace nature, but by a moral obligation to
