Objectives

• Analyse how Duffy uses religious imagery in stanzas 1 and 2 to construct the photographer as a moral witness.
• Explain how the shift from 'did not tremble then' to 'tremble now' in stanza 3 marks the poem's emotional and ethical turning point.
• Analyse how Duffy uses the figure of the editor and the phrase 'a hundred agonies in black-and-white' in stanza 4 to critique Western media indifference.
• Analyse how the four-stanza structure and the circular return to flight create a sense of futility and moral entrapment.
• Write a fully evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds quotation, names a technique, and links it to a named theme from the poem.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Ordered Rows and Chaos: First Reading of All Four Stanzas

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On the board, we have three place names: Belfast, Beirut, and Phnom Penh. Write one sentence about each one: what comes to mind when you think of these locations? What similarities do you see among them? You have four minutes. No phones and no talking.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of stanza 1, lines 1–6: 'In his darkroom he is finally alone / with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.' Read it aloud twice. Think aloud: what does 'finally' reveal about the photographer's state of mind? Why does Duffy pair 'suffering' with 'ordered rows'? Highlight how the contrast between the domestic tranquility of 'Spilsby' and the three war-zone names in line 4 establishes the poem's central tension between distance and atrocity.

   Independent task

   Students annotate their own copies of all four stanzas, noting the photographer's physical location and emotional state for each stanza. They fill out a four-row table: Stanza / Where is he? / What is he doing? / One word for how he feels / One quotation as evidence. At the end of the lesson, they submit the completed table, which is checked for accurate quotations and inferences.

   Exit ticket

   Duffy specifies Belfast, Beirut, and Phnom Penh instead of using the term 'war zones' to evoke a more personal and vivid image for the reader, making the experiences associated with these cities feel more immediate and relatable.

2. Lesson 2: A Priest's Solemnity: Religious Imagery in Stanzas 1 and 2

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On the board: the words 'priest', 'mass', 'anoints', 'solutions', 'holy'. Without glancing at the poem, jot down your expectations for what a poem featuring these words might explore. After that, take a look at the poem—did it match your expectations? Spend two minutes writing and two minutes reflecting.

   Teacher input

   Model analysis of stanza 2, lines 7–12: 'he is priest-like, / intoning a Mass for the dying'. Annotate on the visualiser: Duffy's simile 'priest-like' transforms the photographer's role from mere technician to a guardian of morality. Highlight how 'solutions' serves as a pun—referring both to photographic chemicals and moral resolution—and how 'All flesh is grass' (drawing from Isaiah 40:6) presents the dead as universally human. Illustrate how to incorporate this into a Point–Evidence–Explanation paragraph.

   Independent task

   Students should write a complete analytical paragraph (Point–Evidence–Explanation–Link) in response to the question: 'How does Duffy use religious imagery in stanzas 1 and 2 to depict the war photographer as a moral witness?' They need to include quotes from at least two phrases found in stanzas 1–2, identify at least one technique, and connect their response to the theme of guilt or identity. The paragraphs will be collected and assessed according to the AQA AO2 criteria.

   Exit ticket

   Calling the darkroom a place of "priest-like" solemnity suggests a sacred atmosphere where the act of developing photographs is treated with reverence, akin to religious rituals. Duffy likely chooses religion over science or art to emphasize the spiritual and transformative nature of the process, highlighting its deep emotional significance rather than just its technical or aesthetic aspects.

3. Lesson 3: The Trembling Hands: Stanza 3 as the Poem's Moral Turning Point

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On the board: 'His hands, which did not tremble then, / though seem to now.' Take a moment to jot down anything unusual or intriguing about this sentence. Consider aspects like grammar, word arrangement, and what might be implied but not explicitly stated. You have three minutes for this individual written exercise.

   Teacher input

   Model the volta in stanza 3, lines 13–18. Read aloud and annotate on the visualiser: 'A stranger's features / faintly start to twist before his eyes.' Discuss how the present tense 'start to twist' creates a sense of immediacy and urgency in the developing photograph. Next, examine 'Rural England. Home again / to ordinary pain' — analyze how the enjambment between 'Home again / to ordinary pain' compels the reader to linger on 'Home again' before confronting the harsh reality introduced by the qualifier. This structural choice illustrates the photographer's struggle to re-assimilate.

   Independent task

   Students will compose a comparative paragraph addressing the prompt: "In what ways does the portrayal of the photographer's hands evolve from stanza 1 to stanza 3, and what does this change indicate about his feelings of guilt?" They should include the quotes "did not tremble then" and "seem to now," identify the technique of juxtaposition or structural contrast, and connect their analysis to the theme of guilt. The paragraph should consist of at least eight sentences. Submissions will be collected and graded.

   Exit ticket

   What does the word 'seem' in 'though seem to now' contribute to the meaning? Why not just say 'do now'?

4. Lesson 4: A Hundred Agonies: The Editor, the Reader, and Structural Circularity in Stanza 4

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On the board: 'He earns his living and they do not care.' Who do you think 'he' is? And who might 'they' refer to? Jot down all the answers you can think of. After that, check stanza 4 — does the poem align with your thoughts? You have three minutes to work on this individually.

   Teacher input

   Model stanza 4, lines 19–24: 'From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where / he earns his living and they do not care.' In the visualizer, note the shift in pronouns from 'he' (referring to the photographer) to 'they' (indicating readers or editors), which subtly implicates 'we' as the audience. This transition prompts the reader to reflect on their own role in this dynamic. The phrase 'a hundred agonies in black-and-white' transforms human suffering into a mere commodity, quantified and depersonalized. The concluding image of the photographer boarding a plane echoes the beginning of stanza 1, establishing a circular structure that emphasizes the futility of witnessing — despite the effort, nothing changes, and the cycle begins anew.

   Independent task

   Students will craft a structured response consisting of two paragraphs addressing the question: 'How does Duffy use stanza 4 to criticise the way Western audiences respond to images of war?' The first paragraph should concentrate on the editor's role and the phrase 'a hundred agonies in black-and-white.' The second paragraph must examine the circular structure and the concluding image of the aeroplane. Each paragraph should include quotations and identify a specific technique. Responses will be collected and graded.

   Exit ticket

   Duffy ends the poem with the photographer on a plane instead of remaining in the darkroom to suggest that the act of capturing life is a journey that transcends the confines of a sterile workspace, emphasizing the poem's argument about the transformative power of photography in revealing the world's beauty.

5. Lesson 5: Synthesis: Writing a Full Essay Paragraph Across All Four Stanzas

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On the board: today's essay question — 'How does Duffy explore the conflict between witnessing and indifference in War Photographer?' Take four minutes to plan: jot down three quotations (one from at least three different stanzas) and one technique for each. No full sentences needed just yet.

   Teacher input

   Certainly! Here’s a humanized version of the text:

   ---

   Model a complete high-band paragraph on the visualiser based on the question above. Incorporate the phrase 'solutions slop in trays' from stanza 2, pointing out the pun on 'solutions' and connecting it to the theme of guilt and the challenge of achieving moral resolution. Clearly demonstrate how to transition from technique to effect to theme in one seamless argument, rather than treating them as three distinct observations. Annotate the model paragraph according to the AQA mark scheme descriptors for AO1 (argument) and AO2 (language analysis).

   ---

   Changes Made:

   • Adjusted phrasing for a more natural flow while retaining the original meaning.
   • Ensured clarity and simplicity in language without altering the overall structure or length.

   Independent task

   Timed independent writing: Students will write one complete analytical paragraph (at least 120 words) in response to the question, "How does Duffy present the conflict between witnessing and indifference in 'War Photographer'?" They should reference at least two stanzas, include at least two quotations, identify a minimum of two techniques, and maintain a consistent line of argument throughout. This task will be done silently and submitted at the end. It will be assessed according to AQA AO1 and AO2 criteria.

   Exit ticket

   Underline the sentence in your paragraph that most clearly represents your argument — not the quotation, but your own argument. If you can't identify one, go ahead and write it in the margin now.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 tracking table: checks whether students can accurately locate the photographer's physical and emotional position stanza by stanza using direct quotation from the poem.
• Lesson 2 exit ticket: checks whether students can explain the effect of 'priest-like' beyond surface identification — looking for reference to moral authority or the elevation of witnessing.
• Lesson 3 exit ticket: checks whether students can explain the semantic weight of 'seem' — looking for recognition that it introduces doubt, performance, or psychological suppression.
• Lesson 4 independent paragraphs: checks whether students can link the circular structure (aeroplane in stanza 1 and stanza 4) to the poem's argument about futility, not just describe it.
• Lesson 5 underlining task: metacognitive check — students must identify their own argument sentence, revealing whether they have written analysis or description.
• Ongoing: teacher circulates during independent tasks checking that quotations are embedded grammatically (not dropped in as block quotes) and that technique labels are followed by effect, not just identification.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated from what is really meant.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that interprets a literary text and requires defence with evidence.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of figurative language in a literary text, including simile, pun, and allusion.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure and its contribution to meaning, including stanza form and circular narrative.
• Narrator and Speaker (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view and the relationship between the speaker and implied audience in a dramatic monologue.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology such as metaphor, pun, enjambment, and structural circularity.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written, including the role of photojournalism in 1980s Western media culture and Duffy's engagement with Don McCullin's work.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Develop an informed response to a text; use detailed reference to the text to support interpretation.
• AO2 — Explain how writers use language, form and structure to create effects and influence readers, with reference to relevant terminology.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance of contexts and make relevant connections, including the critique of Western media consumption of conflict imagery.