To begin with I think this poem is really sad. I am not sure in which war he thought whether it was the First or the Second World War, but the consequences are still the same. I think it is very unfair that just because he is disabled women won’t look at him and that many people did not thank him and the rest of the soldiers for all their effort.
Now looking closer at the poem, well actually at the very end, he repeats the phrase “Why don’t they come?” (lines 45 & 46). Now what I wonder is who he means. Does he mean the nurses to lay him down on bed or does he mean something else maybe death? What do you think it means?
Mica, I think the poem is very sad as well. I agree with you, I think this man is very sad, he has lost all hope and is ready to die. When he says "Why don't they come?" I believe he is talking about the angels who will take his soul to heaven. I believe this because of lines (38 & 39) "Only a solemn man who brought him fruits, Thanked him; and then inquired about his soul." This quote to me shows that the man interested in his soul must be an angel since no human payed attention to him. I think this soldier regrets joining the army and questions his motive for doing so. He was to young to know better. Just as we make mistakes he made the mistake to join the army. The army took advantage that he was just a young boy and in listed him. We see this in line 28 where it says "He didn't have to beg;" to be in listed. Moreover, I believe that he wasn't even 19, that he was younger and he lied to be able to join. I believe this because of the line "Smiling they wrote his lie; aged nineteen years" (29). To me this line means that he wasn't even 19, the lie is that he is actually younger. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteWell yes, when they refer to “his lie” they mean that he lied about his age (29). However, I also think that a very important part of the 4th stanza is that it shows how the army would recruit anyone, even if they were drunk. Moreover, “he’d drunk a peg”, therefore he was probably a bit drunk and not thinking clearly and so the Army took advantage on his state to recruit him (23).
ReplyDeleteNow about the man inquiring “about his soul”, I do not think it’s an angel but I think it just shows how only a person who wasn’t very important in his life actually asked him how he was and was grateful for what he did (39). I think Owen does this to show how after the soldiers returned from war, they did not feel fully appreciated for all they did, since the destruction all the cities experienced overshadowed their victory and glory
I definitely think that this poem is about how the Army takes advantage of its soldiers by enlisting them at an early age and by not letting the men about to enlist him think twice about what they are doing. I found it interesting when Owen writes, "Someone had said he'd look a god in kilts, that's why; and maybe, to, please his Meg; Aye, that was it, to please the giddy jilts" (lines 25-27). I think that Owen introduces a bit of irony into the poem with these lines. When the soldier in the poem was young he had everything (a woman, good looks, his fitness, etc), but he desired to join the army for some innocent reason, like impressing a girl. Now, when he has been in the army, he has nothing but the army and he now desires everything he used to have. His life has literally changed to the complete opposite all because of one innocent decision.
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