Analysing the Poem 'Kamikaze'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explore how Garland uses language and structure to explore the conflict between personal and national duty.
Key learning points
- The pilot’s national duty, reflected by the patriotic imagery and rigid stanzas, is to complete a sacrificial mission.
- The pilot chooses to abide by his personal duty to experience the beauty of life in the present moment.
- The use of perspective and pronouns reflects society’s attitudes to the pilot’s decision to turn back.
- Abundant natural imagery reflects the allure and power of nature.
- Nature is shown to have a more powerful grip on the pilot than the incantations of propaganda.
Keywords
Incantations - a magic spell or charm
Patriotism - love or devotion to one’s country
Alluring - powerfully or mysteriously attractive or fascinating
Common misconception
Students may not recognise the use of different perspectives in the poem to represent distance.
Explain to pupils that the dual narrative is a stylistic choice of Garland to show the mother telling the story to her own children as if she is not a part of it. She then slowly reveals the pilot is her own father.
Teacher tip
In learning cycle 2, you may want to conduct a shared quote explosion in which you annotate a quote together with pupils on the board or using a visualiser before they do their own in the practice task.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Whose perspective is the poem 'Kamikaze' told from?
Q2.What is honour?
Q3.What is the pilot's national duty in 'Kamikaze'?
Q4.Which quote taken from Garland's 'Kamikaze' contains sibilance?
Q5.What is a quote explosion?
Q6.What shows the importance of honour in 'Kamikaze'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The quote “powerful incantations” from the poem 'Kamikaze' may allude to...
Q2.In 'Kamikaze', which of these is revealed not to be part of the pilot's personal duty?
Q3.In 'Kamikaze', the quote “remembered how he and his brothers…built cairns” may depict how the pilot…
Q4.The free verse and enjambment in 'Kamikaze' may reflect...
Q5.The most powerful presence in the poem 'Kamikaze' is revealed to be...
Q6.Which quote from 'Kamikaze' reflects nature's omnipotence?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Analysing the Poem 'Kamikaze', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Analysing the Poem 'Kamikaze', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the 'Power and Conflict' unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.