Analysing the poem 'War Photographer'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explore how Duffy uses language and structure to present complex emotions.
Key learning points
- The poem reveals the difficult and complex emotions that a war photographer may experience.
- The symbolic space of the dark room might suggest isolation and depression due to trauma.
- The use of a tight and predictable structure in the poem may contrast the chaos of war with the order of civilian life.
- The final stanza has a caustic tone created through sharp plosives and mocking the insensitivity of indifference.
- There is a sense of disillusionment communicated through the poem’s simple monosyllabic final line.
Keywords
Indifference - lack of interest, concern or sympathy
Repress - to keep something under control and not let it come to the surface
Disillusionment - disappointment and lost faith over something once regarded as good
Caustic - sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way
Common misconception
Students may zoom into the suffering within the photos and not realise the complex emotions in the photographer himself.
Duffy, having seen her friends do the job of photojournalism, may have been privy to the complex and difficult emotions involved in this job. This could be why she focuses on the quiet trauma within the photographer.
Teacher tip
The feedback for Task B can be adapted to help with whichever skill your students are struggling with.
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
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.Who may Duffy have based her poem 'War Photographer' on?
Q2.Which war might the poem 'War Photographer' be based on?
Q3.In Duffy's 'War Photographer', the reference to pain that is "ordinary", suggests the relative of the photographer's home country compared to the war zones he photographs.
Q4.Why might the war photographer in Duffy's 'War Photographer' see his job as a sacred duty?
Q5.What does Duffy accuse the reader/citizens of in the final stanza of the poem 'War Photographer'?
Q6.What tone does there seem to be in the final stanza of Duffy's 'War photographer'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which emotion is not explored in Duffy's 'War Photographer'?
Q2.Which word best suggests the way in which the horrors of war haunt the photographer in Duffy's 'War Photographer'?
Q3.In 'War Photographer', which technique is used to show the separation of the photographer's hometown with the war zones?
Q4.What is true of the stanzas in 'War Photographer'?
Q5.The structure of the poem 'War Photographer' can be described as...
Q6.Why might Duffy have chosen a predictable structure for the poem 'War Photographer'?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Analysing the poem 'War Photographer', 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 'War Photographer', 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.