‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ was first published in the poet’s 2002 collection The Universal Home Doctor. Within this piece, Armitage delvers into themes of man versus nature, violence, and defeat. The tone is direct, but also at times humorous.
Armitage makes use of personification throughout this poem, using it to describe the chainsaw as a snarling dangerous animal, but also its victim, the pampas grass. The fifth stanza opens with a metaphor comparing the chainsaw to a sledgehammer and the pampas grass to a nut it opened. In the final stanza of ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass,’ the speaker describes the anger, the chainsaw felt over being defeated.
‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ is a poem by Simon Armitage which considers the relationship between man made, physical objects, with nature and the natural world, specifically using the symbolism of a chainsaw to show man’s interaction. Readers may feel intimidated and apprehensive of what the next year may bring when the chainsaw returns, with this encouragement to imagine the future being an effective way to make the poem more memorable. Despite the chainsaw being the key negative image in the poem, there is still sibilance in this line describing the pampas grass, perhaps indicating to a reader the potential for power and danger which is held in nature. As shown through the remainder of the poem, the grass is able to survive despite all the effort to destroy it, even with relative calm and ease as this line suggests. ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ Key ThemesPower: There is extreme power exhibited by the chainsaw throughout the poem, with the potential of harm adding to the sense of power and brutality. How are different forms of power exhibited, and how could this link to another poem from the ‘Poems of the Decade’ collection? The use of different sounds created through the language in the poem makes ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ a very interesting which is notable in the anthology for its ease and enjoyability of reading.
Certain lines in the poem also suggest a conflict between nature and the man made; for example, the opening line, “It seemed an unlikely match.” could suggest that the speaker feels as though machinery such as the chainsaw was not intended to be used against nature in this way, while the fact that the pampas grass regrows itself without any human intervention while the chainsaw requires extensive assistance by the speaker hints that the speaker sees nature as being superior to anything created by humans. In summary, ‘Chainsaw versus the Pampas Grass’ is about a man taking a chainsaw and cutting down the pampas grass of South America. The speaker is clutching at straws trying to justify the destruction of the grass! See also, in this section of the poem, how we move from ‘light’ to ‘bulbs’; ‘cuttings’ suggests the unkindest cut of all, that of the chainsaw mowing down the grass; ‘sunning itself’ makes the grass sound indolent and vain against the proactive movement of the chainsaw; ‘spears’ suggests a primitive form of weapon contrasted with the modern machinery of the electric chainsaw.
This free verse poem is about the constant battle between man and nature, and Simon Armitage has demonstrated so beautifully that man will never win, which is the sad and unavoidable truth. The difference between figurative and literal language here is very pertinent because Armitage has shown that it is the perpetrator that matters in a fight, not the weapon they use, implying that the fight between man and machinery is over because man has won. The man is trying everything to cut the pampas grass down, such as ‘lifted the fringe of the undergrowth, carved at the trunk’ and ‘ripped into pockets of dark, secret / warmth.
The poem Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass is about a man who takes a chainsaw to cut down the pampas grass that continues to grow every year. Femininity – women are seen as weak and delicate as shown through the pampas grass and how men see women as ‘ludicrous’ and don’t like them ‘stealing the show’ with their beauty. The use of the a ‘sledgehammer’ gives us a visual of how large and powerful men are, sledgehammers are used to break down and destruct things much like the aggression men unleash does.
chainsaw vs the pampas grass themes Related Question:
What is chainsaw vs the pampas grass about?
In summary, ‘Chainsaw versus the Pampas Grass’ is about a man (we assume the speaker is male) taking a chainsaw and cutting down the pampas grass of South America. The chainsaw is ‘overkill’ where such a simple task is concerned: one doesn’t need to use an electric chainsaw to cut grass.
How is masculinity presented in chainsaw versus pampas grass?
In conclusion, both poems centre around a female versus male contest. Through the use of the chainsaw and the gun we see masculinity being a passionate, angry power while the pampas grass and the speaker in “The Gun” express femininity as consistent and gentle.
How is power presented in chainsaw vs pampas grass?
‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ Key Themes Power: There is extreme power exhibited by the chainsaw throughout the poem, with the potential of harm adding to the sense of power and brutality. However, the grass also shows power albeit more subtly in that it is able to survive.
What is Simon Armitage’s most famous poem?
Simon Armitage was born in 1963 in Yorkshire. He was a probation officer in Greater Manchester. He is the current Poet Laureate of the U.K (2019-2029). His most well-known poems include ‘Kid’, ‘Homecoming’, ‘Poem’, and ‘Remains’.
What is the poem Giuseppe about?
Summary. ‘Giuseppe’ by Roderick Ford tells of the moral consequences associated with the violent murder of a mermaid during the Second World War. The poem begins with the speaker setting the scene. There was a group of people in Sicily and in their desperate starved state they butchered a mermaid behind the aquarium.
How is power presented in Eat Me?
Power: Throughout ‘Eat Me’ the idea of power is very important because it is fundamental to the ‘feeder’ relationship. Without this power it wouldn’t be able to operate, and the objectification and possession would not be able to take place.
What is history by John Burnside about?
Within ‘History’ Burnside explores themes of war, loss, and human nature. The mood is solemn throughout with a few more peaceful and wistful sections woven in. Even when the mood lightens and the speaker depicts a scene that is more peaceful, it is never without the presence of darkness.
What is Ted Hughes most famous poem?
1. ‘The Thought-Fox’. This poem, from Hughes’s first collection The Hawk in the Rain (1957), explores the writer’s struggle to find inspiration, which is depicted in the poem by the fox.
What chainsaw do loggers use?
Stihl is the most popular chainsaw for professional loggers. It has a long-lasting chain, and you can also enjoy the exceptional cutting speeds available with this brand of chainsaw. Additionally, the chains are high-performance, low vibration, and quiet in their performance.
What was a chainsaw originally made for?
Two doctors invented the chainsaw in 1780 to make the removal of pelvic bone easier and less time-consuming during childbirth. It was powered by a hand crank and looked like a modern-day kitchen knife with little teeth on a chain that wound in an oval.
What does the mermaid represent in Giuseppe?
The poem suggests that in times of war normal morality is suspended. The mermaid, representing any outsider or enemy, is sufficiently ‘alien’ to allow us to suspend accepted standards. The title of the poem is the first name of the speaker’s uncle – Giuseppe, meaning Joseph.
What is on her blindness about?
‘On Her Blindness’ by Adam Thorpe describes a mother’s life, her struggle with blindness, her death, and the family’s inability to understand what she went through. The poem takes the reader through several emotional passages that depict the poet’s mother’s frustration at her disability.
What is from the journal of a disappointed man about?
‘From the Journal of a Disappointed Man’ by Andrew Motion describes the actions of construction workers who labor to build a pier. The poem takes the reader through the narrator’s initial impression of the men and then how that impression evolves as he studies them.
How is violence presented in Eat Me?
Her partner can only see the speaker as a sexual object rather than a real person; he treats her as though she’s food that exists solely for his consumption. Through this, the poem suggests that men’s sexist objectification of women is an act of violence, dehumanizing women and eating away at their sense of self.
How is guilt presented in the Lammas hireling?
He says the traditional “Bless me Father for I have sinned” line and adds at the end that its been only “an hour” since his last confession. This speaks to his unshakeable guilt over what he did to the hireling, as well as his fear that what he did wasn’t enough and that the creature is going to come back.