7/29/2019 August 6 1945 Essay Lalith Sanathi

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August 6 1945 Essay Lalith Sanathi

In the first stanza of the poem, we are straight away told that the person in

the poem is in the Enola Gay, a plane that bombed Hiroshima. We are also

told that he whistles a dry tune which gives the reader a sense of thecalmness of the atmosphere, but dry also gives a sinister feel. He also

does this five minutes before impact which gives the reader a sense of

foreboding, which reflects on the emotions and tension for the soldiers.

In the second stanza, an apricot ice is mentioned. This positive image of a

popular drink is juxtaposed on the situation, to give it effect, and make it

more impactful on the reader. This gives the reader a more visual sense of

what is going on, because not many people have experienced war, but

many more people have experienced drinking or seeing an apricot ice. This

makes the scene more relatable to the reader. This visual image is furtheremphasized with the phrase Marilyns skirts which is a very famous

image, and also symbolizes the mushroom cloud produced when the bomb

goes off. The reader is also informed of the mixed emotions felt by the

soldiers in battle when we are told that he will laugh and tremble which

are two words put close together that are completely contrasted to impact

the reader.

The onomatopoeia in the next stanza when the bees drizzle also gives

the viewer a more aesthetic feel for the poem. This is further emphasized

with the contrast between the innocence of the rhododendrons and the

heat of the explosion, which is illustrated with hot white rhododendrons

In the next stanza, we are told about a scarlet girl who has been skinned

because of the blast of the explosion. The scarlet is most likely the blood

that the girl is covered in, which gives the reader a very intense, bloody,

strong view of the victims of this type of warfare, and it is amplified when

her skin is described as an old shoe sole or mermaids tail which the

reader can easily visualize.

The poem finishes by the repetition of the word ladybird which

illustrates the black and red of the ash and bloody bodies. However, it

could also be a reference to the childrens nursery rhyme Lady bird, lady

bird fly away home, your house is on fire, your children are gone

The poet uses this poem to show that war is a very violent, gruesome

situation that is a very impactful event in the lives of both the victims, and

the soldiers.

Lalith Sanathi