The Manhunt (Simon Armitage)

    OCR
    GCSE

    Simon Armitage's poem, from the collection 'The Not Dead', explores the lingering physical and psychological aftermath of war through the perspective of a wife, Laura, tending to her husband, Eddie, a veteran of the Bosnian War. The narrative follows a somatic journey where the speaker traces her husband's physical scars, utilizing them as a map to access his deeper, hidden mental trauma. Through a sustained extended metaphor of exploration and fragility, the text examines the impact of PTSD on domestic intimacy. The poem concludes with a tentative moment of connection, suggesting that healing is a continuous, delicate process rather than a finite event. It serves as a poignant commentary on the enduring legacy of conflict on relationships.

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    Objectives
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    Exam Tips
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    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
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    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • AO1: Interpret the 'manhunt' as a metaphorical search for the husband's lost personality, moving beyond the physical examination to the psychological reclamation.
    • AO2: Analyse the cumulative effect of the unrhymed couplets and the shift from inanimate adjectives ('porcelain', 'grazed') to the visceral 'foetus of metal'.
    • AO3: Integrate understanding of the Bosnian peacekeeping context and the poem's origin in 'The Not Dead' documentary to explain the specific nature of the trauma.
    • AO4: Establish sustained connections with poems dealing with the domestic impact of conflict (e.g., 'Poppies' or 'War Photographer') if comparing.

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have identified the metaphor of the 'ladder', now explain how this verb choice reflects the effort required in the relationship"
    • "Your context regarding Bosnia is accurate, but you must link it to a specific feeling or image in the poem"
    • "Ensure you are comparing the *methods* used by Armitage with your second poet, not just the content of the stories"
    • "Develop your analysis of the couplet structure—how does the visual fragmentation on the page mirror the husband's state?"

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • AO1: Interpret the 'manhunt' as a metaphorical search for the husband's lost personality, moving beyond the physical examination to the psychological reclamation.
    • AO2: Analyse the cumulative effect of the unrhymed couplets and the shift from inanimate adjectives ('porcelain', 'grazed') to the visceral 'foetus of metal'.
    • AO3: Integrate understanding of the Bosnian peacekeeping context and the poem's origin in 'The Not Dead' documentary to explain the specific nature of the trauma.
    • AO4: Establish sustained connections with poems dealing with the domestic impact of conflict (e.g., 'Poppies' or 'War Photographer') if comparing.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Allocate 5-10 minutes to plan the comparison points before writing; OCR rewards sustained, integrated comparison
    • 💡Focus on the progression of the poem; analyse how the speaker moves from the outside (physical) to the inside (psychological)
    • 💡Memorise key quotations from potential partner poems (e.g., 'Poppies') as the second text is not printed
    • 💡Use the printed poem to anchor your analysis of form; note the visual fragmentation of the stanzas on the page

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Describing the injuries literally without linking them to the psychological impact on the relationship
    • Identifying the 'frozen river' metaphor without explaining its implication of halted emotional flow
    • Bolting on biographical facts about Eddie Beddoes without relevance to the specific line being analysed
    • Failing to maintain a balanced comparison with the second text throughout the response

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    Key Terminology

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