a person’s moral sense of right or wrong

Understanding the poem 'War Photographer'

English

In 'AQA Power and Conflict Poetry', pupils compared the language, form and structure of a variety of poems connected by the themes of power and conflict. In 'AQA Power and Conflict Poetry continued', pupils work on making more nuanced comparisons between poems.

In 'A World at War: Poetry', pupils explore how poets presents the atrocities of World War One through their poetry. In 'AQA Power and Conflict Poetry', pupils analyse how a variety of different wars have been presented through poetry.

In this unit, pupis explore 12 of the 15 poems from the 'Power and Conflict' anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. Pupils study the poems in three groups, and they pause after each group to compare how those poems present common themes.

Poetry anthology: first study

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

The photographer begins to develop photos.

The photographer reflects on the fact he is now on safe territory.

The photographer experiences horrific flashbacks of warzones.

The photographer reflects on the indifference that is shown towards suffering.

Starting with the first, put the events in the poem 'War Photographer' in chronological order.

Who might Duffy have based the poem 'War Photographer' on?

‘War Photographer’ was published ten years after…

The photographer's photos are not put in the newspaper.

The people where the photographer lives are indifferent to the war photos.

The war photographer does not get paid enough for his job.

Why is there a critical tone in the last stanza of 'War Photographer'?

On line 17 of the poem 'War Photographer', the job of war photography is depicted as...

He isn't taken seriously by the people in his hometown.

He has flashbacks of the harrowing events of the battlefield.

He gets severely injured whilst taking photos.

What evidence is there that the war photographer is traumatised?

How would you stereotypically describe the job of taking pictures of war zones?

The title 'War Photographer' alludes to big ideas of...

turning a blind eye to someone's suffering

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Adult supervision recommended

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