A Doctor’s Journal Entry - Reference to Context Q&A

Question 1.

"The morning stretched calm, beautiful and warm.
Sprawling half-clad, I gazed out at the form
Of shimmering leaves and shadows. Suddenly
A strong flash, then another, startled me."

(i) Who is the speaker and where is he at this moment? (3)
(ii) What is the mood created in the first two lines and how is it contrasted by the last two? (3)
(iii) What does the word "shimmering" suggest about the scene outside? (3)
(iv) What does the "strong flash" actually turn out to be later in the poem? (3)
(v) How does this opening help to highlight the anti-war message of the poem? Answer briefly but clearly. (4)

Answer:

(i) The speaker is the unnamed doctor who narrates the poem in the first person. He is in his house in Hiroshima, lying half-clad on his bed and looking out at the garden on the morning of 6 August 1945.

(ii) The first two lines create a peaceful, relaxed and pleasant mood, with warmth, calm and natural beauty in the garden. This tranquil atmosphere is sharply contrasted by the sudden, frightening flashes in the last two lines, which introduce shock, fear and impending disaster.

(iii) "Shimmering" suggests that the leaves and shadows are gently moving and sparkling in sunlight, creating a delicate, almost magical play of light. It emphasizes how normal, attractive and undisturbed the morning appears just before the catastrophe.

(iv) The "strong flash" is later understood to be the flash produced by the atomic bomb that is dropped on Hiroshima. It is the first sign of the nuclear explosion that will destroy the city and change the doctor's life.

(v) The opening sets up a perfect picture of peace and ordinary domestic comfort, which war suddenly shatters. By moving abruptly from beauty to horror, the poet shows how war destroys innocent lives without warning. This contrast makes the cruelty and senselessness of war more striking and prepares the reader to see the bombing as an assault on normal human happiness, strengthening the poem's anti-war message.

Question 2. 

"Magnesium flares? While I debated it,
The roof, the walls and, as it seemed, the world
Collapsed in timber and debris, dust swirled
Around me – in the garden now – and, weird,
My drawers and undershirt disappeared."

(i) Why does the speaker think of "magnesium flares"? (3)
(ii) How does the poet exaggerate the scale of destruction in these lines? (3)
(iii) What has happened to the speaker's clothes and what does this suggest about the intensity of the blast? (3)
(iv) Quote one phrase from the extract which shows confusion or disorientation. Explain its effect. (3)
(v) How does this extract reveal both the physical destruction and the psychological shock experienced by the doctor? (4)

Answer:

(i) The doctor, being educated and familiar with war reports, momentarily thinks the flash might be caused by magnesium flares used in warfare and photography. His trained mind tries to interpret the sudden, intense light in terms of known wartime technology before he realises the scale of the disaster.

(ii) The poet uses hyperbole in the phrase "as it seemed, the world / Collapsed", suggesting that not just the house but the entire world is falling apart. Listing "The roof, the walls and, as it seemed, the world" gives a sense of total collapse and overwhelming destruction.

(iii) The doctor's drawers and undershirt have disappeared, burnt or torn away by the force and heat of the explosion. This indicates that the blast is extremely powerful and close, capable of stripping clothes off bodies and causing severe burns in an instant.

(iv) The phrase "as it seemed, the world / Collapsed" shows confusion. It suggests that the doctor cannot clearly distinguish between his own house and the outside world in the chaos. This highlights his shock and the sense that normal reality has been violently shattered.

(v) Physically, the collapsing roof and walls, swirling dust and vanished clothes show the violent, material destruction caused by the bomb. Psychologically, the doctor's uncertain guess about magnesium flares and his impression that the whole world is collapsing show his confusion, disbelief and mental shock. Together they reveal how war simultaneously breaks bodies, homes and the human mind.

Question 3.

"Where was my wife? Alarmed, I gave a shout,
'Where are you, Yecko-san?' My blood gushed out.
The artery in my neck? Scared for my life,
I called out, panic-stricken, to my wife."

(i) What has just happened before the doctor calls out to his wife? (3)
(ii) What injury does the doctor fear he has suffered, and why is it dangerous? (3)
(iii) What do these lines reveal about his feelings for Yecko-san? (3)
(iv) How do the words "alarmed" and "panic-stricken" contribute to the tone of the extract? (3)
(v) In the larger context of the poem, how does the doctor's concern for his wife deepen our understanding of his character? (4)

Answer:

Question 4.

"'Let's get out quickly.' Stumbling to the street
We fell, tripped by something at our feet.
I gasped out, when I saw it was a head:
'Excuse me, please excuse me –' He was dead."

(i) Who are "we" in the above lines and why are they trying to get out quickly? (3)
(ii) What do they trip over and why is this discovery shocking? (3)
(iii) Comment on the doctor's reaction: "Excuse me, please excuse me –". What does it show about his state of mind? (3)
(iv) How does the enjambment between line 2 and 3 intensify the impact of the revelation? (3)
(v) How does this moment illustrate the dehumanizing effect of war on both victims and survivors? (4)

Answer:

(i) "We" refers to the doctor and his wife, Yecko-san. They are trying to get out quickly because their house has collapsed after the blast, fire is spreading and staying inside is dangerous; they must escape to safety.

(ii) They trip over a severed human head lying in the street. This is shocking because it reveals the brutal violence of the explosion and confronts them suddenly with the mutilated remains of another victim.

(iii) His polite apology is strangely out of place in this horrific situation. It shows that he is still clinging to normal manners and social behaviour even when surrounded by death, which indicates shock, disbelief and an inability to process the full horror of what he sees.

(iv) The enjambment carries the reader quickly from "something at our feet" to "I gasped out, when I saw it was a head", creating suspense and then a sudden, dramatic revelation. The break after "something" heightens curiosity, and the abrupt mention of "a head" intensifies shock.

(v) The victim has been reduced to a dismembered head in the street, showing how war literally tears bodies apart and robs them of identity. The survivors, forced to step over such remains and continue running, must suppress their normal feelings. The doctor's automatic "excuse me" reflects how his human responses are confused. Both victims and survivors are treated as objects by war, highlighting its dehumanizing power.

Question 5.

"A house standing before us tilted, swayed,
Toppled, and crashed. Fire sprang up in the dust,
Spread by the wind. It dawned on us we must
Get to the hospital: we needed aid –
And I should help my staff too."

(i) What situation are the doctor and his wife in when they see this house? (3)
(ii) How does the poet use movement verbs like "tilted, swayed, toppled, crashed" to create a visual picture? (3)
(iii) What does the spreading fire symbolize in the context of the poem? (3)
(iv) What decision do they take after witnessing this scene, and why? (3)
(v) What do these lines reveal about the doctor's sense of duty even in the midst of personal suffering? (4)

Answer:

(i) They are outside on the street after escaping from their own collapsed house. Injured, shocked and trying to make sense of the devastation, they are moving through a destroyed neighbourhood when they see another house collapsing and catching fire.

(ii) These verbs show the falling of the house step by step: first leaning, then rocking, then falling completely and finally hitting the ground. The sequence creates a vivid, cinematic picture of a building breaking apart in slow but inevitable stages, emphasising the instability around them.

(iii) The spreading fire symbolizes the uncontrollable, consuming nature of war and the atomic blast. It shows how destruction multiplies rapidly, turning homes and lives to ashes, and suggests chaos that no one can easily stop.

(iv) They decide that they must go to the hospital at once. They realise they need medical treatment for themselves and that there will be many injured people needing help, so the hospital becomes both a place of aid and a place where the doctor must perform his duty.

(v) Even though he is wounded and terrified, the doctor thinks not only of his own need for aid but also of his responsibility to his staff and patients. His thought "I should help my staff too" shows his professional commitment and compassion. This underscores his humanity and contrasts sharply with the inhuman cruelty of war.

Question 6

"My legs gave way. I sat down on the ground.
Thirst seized me, but no water could be found.
My breath was short, but bit by bit my strength
Seemed to revive, and I got up at length."

(i) Why do the doctor's legs "give way" at this point in the poem? (3)
(ii) How does the poet show the doctor's physical condition through the images of thirst and short breath? (3)
(iii) Explain the significance of the phrase "bit by bit my strength / Seemed to revive". (3)
(iv) How does this brief pause in the journey affect the pacing of the narrative? (3)
(v) In what way do these lines show the theme of human resilience in the face of extreme hardship? (4)

Answer:

Question 7

"My legs, stiff with dried blood, rebelled. I said
To Yecko-san she must go on ahead.
She did not wish to, but in our distress
What choice had we? A dreadful loneliness
Came over me when she had gone."

(i) Why are the doctor's legs "stiff with dried blood"? (3)
(ii) What does he ask Yecko-san to do and why is this decision difficult for both of them? (3)
(iii) Explain the phrase "A dreadful loneliness / Came over me". What feelings does it convey? (3)
(iv) How does this separation scene develop the emotional tone of the poem? (3)
(v) Comment on how the poet uses this moment to suggest the isolation of survivors in a war-torn landscape. (4)

Answer:

(i) His legs are stiff because he has been wounded in the blast and the blood from his injuries has dried on his skin and clothes. This makes movement painful and difficult, adding to his fatigue.

(ii) He asks Yecko-san to go on ahead to the hospital without him. The decision is difficult because they do not want to separate in such a dangerous situation, but they realise that she must seek help quickly and that he cannot keep pace with her.

(iii) The phrase conveys a deep sense of isolation, fear and emotional emptiness. Once his wife leaves, the doctor feels abandoned in a ruined city full of suffering strangers, unsure of whether he will see her again.

(iv) The separation adds a personal, emotional layer to the general destruction. It turns the abstract tragedy of war into a private experience of fear, loss and vulnerability, intensifying the poem's sadness and pathos.

(v) By showing the doctor standing alone after his wife has gone, the poet captures how survivors must face the ruined world with little support. Their bonds are broken by circumstances beyond their control. The "dreadful loneliness" suggests that, in war, people are not only physically endangered but also emotionally cut off and spiritually isolated.

Question 8

"My mind ran at high speed, my body crept
Behind. I saw the shadowy forms of people, some
Were ghosts, some scarecrows, all were wordless, dumb –
Arms stretched straight out, shoulder to dangling hand;
It took some time for me to understand…"

(i) What contrast is presented between the doctor's mind and body in the first line? Name the figure of speech. (3)
(ii) How do the descriptions "ghosts" and "scarecrows" help you visualize the survivors? (3)
(iii) Why does the poet say "all were wordless, dumb"? What does this silence reflect? (3)
(iv) What explanation does the doctor later give for the outstretched arms? (3)
(v) How do these lines as a whole capture both the physical condition and psychological trauma of the victims? (4)

Answer:

Question 9

"A splinter jutted from my mangled thigh.
My right side bled, my cheek was torn, and I
Dislodged, detachedly, a piece of glass,
All the time wondering what had come to pass."

(i) List the injuries the doctor has sustained as described in these lines. (3)
(ii) What does the word "detachedly" suggest about the doctor's state of mind? (3)
(iii) How does the poet use vivid imagery to convey the severity of the injuries? (3)
(iv) What does the doctor's action of removing the glass reveal about his character? (3)
(v) How does this extract illustrate the psychological impact of sudden trauma on the human mind? (4)

Answer:

(i) The doctor has a splinter jutting from his mangled thigh, bleeding on his right side, and a torn cheek. He also has a piece of glass embedded in his body that he needs to remove.

(ii) The word "detachedly" suggests that the doctor is emotionally numb or disconnected from his injuries. Despite the severity of his wounds, he is functioning in a dissociative state, mechanically removing the glass as if observing himself from a distance. This indicates shock and psychological detachment as a coping mechanism.

(iii) The poet uses concrete, brutal imagery: "mangled thigh", "bled", "torn cheek" and "piece of glass". These specific, visceral details create a graphic picture of the doctor's injuries. The progression from one injury to another emphasises the multiple traumas his body has endured.

(iv) The doctor's methodical action of removing the glass shows his practical, medical training and his resilience. Even while wondering what has happened, he attends to his wounds with the calm of a trained professional, suggesting composure and a desire to address immediate physical problems.

(v) The contrast between his severe injuries and his detached wondering "what had come to pass" shows how trauma can create psychological distance. The mind sometimes protects itself from overwhelming horror by separating consciousness from reality. This mental dissociation is as significant as the physical damage, revealing how war damages both body and psyche.

Question 10

"I was still naked, but I felt no shame.
This thought disturbed me somewhat, till I came
Upon a soldier, standing silently,
Who gave the towel round his neck to me."

(i) Why does the doctor initially feel no shame at being naked? (3)
(ii) Why is the doctor later "disturbed" by his lack of shame? (3)
(iii) What does the encounter with the soldier reveal about human compassion in crisis? (3)
(iv) What is the significance of the soldier's gift of a towel? (3)
(v) How does this extract show the restoration of human dignity even in the midst of chaos and destruction? (4)

Answer:

(i) The doctor feels no shame because the disaster is so overwhelming and urgent that social conventions about nudity become meaningless. In a life-or-death situation, his mind is focused on survival and helping others rather than on modesty or appearance.

(ii) The doctor becomes disturbed by his lack of shame because it represents a departure from normal social behaviour. His awareness that he should feel shame—but doesn't—makes him reflect on how deeply the catastrophe has altered his psychological responses and moral framework.

(iii) The soldier's silent gift shows that even amid devastation, humans retain compassion and empathy. The soldier, though also a victim of the blast, thinks of the doctor's dignity and offers his towel. This act of kindness reveals that shared suffering creates human connection and mutual care.

(iv) The towel is not merely a practical covering but a symbol of restoring human dignity. It represents an attempt to maintain civilized, humane standards even when civilization has crumbled. The gesture is quietly profound, showing that even small acts of humanity matter in moments of ultimate suffering.

(v) This extract shows resilience of the human spirit. Despite nakedness, injury and chaos, a stranger offers help to preserve dignity. The exchange between the doctor and soldier reveals that even when material civilization is destroyed, the ethical and emotional bonds between humans survive. This small act of grace counters war's dehumanizing force and suggests that humanity, at its core, cannot be entirely destroyed.

Question 11

"They feared to chafe flesh against flesh again.
Those who could, shuffled in a blank Parade
Towards the hospital. I saw, dismayed,
A woman with a child stand in my path –
Both naked. Had they come back from the bath?
I turned my gaze, but was at a loss
That she should stand thus, till I came across
A naked man – and now the thought arose
That some strange thing had stripped us of our clothes."

(i) Why did the survivors hold their arms outstretched and fear to chafe flesh against flesh? (3)
(ii) Describe the "blank Parade" towards the hospital. What does "blank" suggest? (3)
(iii) Why does the doctor initially wonder if the woman and child have come from the bath? (3)
(iv) At what point does the doctor realize the truth about the nakedness of the survivors? (3)
(v) How does this extract capture both the physical horror and the dawning realization of the catastrophe? (4)

Answer:

(i) The survivors had severe burn injuries covering their bodies. Their burnt skin was extremely raw and sensitive, so any contact between burnt flesh surfaces would cause excruciating pain. By holding their arms outstretched and avoiding touching themselves or others, they attempted to minimize additional agony.

(ii) The "blank Parade" refers to the silent procession of survivors shuffling toward the hospital. "Blank" suggests they are emotionally numb, psychologically empty and devoid of normal human expression. They move mechanically, like automatons, having lost their individual humanity in shared trauma.

(iii) The doctor initially wonders if the woman and child have come from the bath because he cannot immediately comprehend why they are naked. His mind seeks rational, everyday explanations for the extraordinary horror before him, showing how shock makes the mind struggle to accept reality.

(iv) The realization dawns gradually as the doctor encounters more naked survivors. When he sees a naked man in addition to the woman and child, the pattern becomes clear. The thought "that some strange thing had stripped us of our clothes" marks the moment he understands that the blast has stripped people of their clothing, not bathtime or choice.

(v) The extract vividly portrays physical horror through the details of outstretched arms and shuffling movements. Simultaneously, it shows the doctor's psychological journey from confusion (wondering about the bath) to dawning horror (realizing the atomic blast has stripped people). The growing understanding moves from innocent speculation to horrified comprehension, mirroring how survivors gradually process unimaginable disaster.

Question 12

"The face of an old woman on the ground
Was marred with suffering, but she made no sound.
Silence was common to us all. I heard
No cries of anguish, or a single word."

(i) Describe the condition of the old woman mentioned in these lines. (3)
(ii) What does "marred with suffering" convey about her physical and emotional state? (3)
(iii) Why is the silence of the survivors significant? What does it symbolize? (3)
(iv) How does the repetition of silence ("no sound... Silence was common... No cries... no... word") create emphasis? (3)
(v) What does this extract reveal about the psychological and spiritual impact of the atomic bomb on the survivors? (4)

Answer: