The short story “Sudden” written by Duncan Long and the poem “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen presents how war has corrupted our humanity throughout history. Writers reflect their belief on the tragedy of war. This is presented through Duncan Long’s story which shows the reality of war that is brutal and violent through imagery and characterisation, suggests that war destroys innocence in youth. Through the use of symbolization, the poet, Wilfred Owen explores the idea that deaths in war are not truly commemorated. Therefore, the authors convey a message that war is not glorious or honourable and will never bring peace; however war destroys lives and is meaningless.
Duncan Long highlights the notion that war is brutal and violent, …show more content…
Owen expresses his idea through the use of symbolization. Wilfred Owen has experienced war directly as a soldier fighting in World War One and like many other, his life was sacrificed to the meaningless cause of war. The battlefields in wars are scattered with soldiers who lie dead and rotting. Their bodies will never return to their home and family to have a proper funeral and commemoration they truly deserve as honourable soldiers who fought and died for their nation’s cause. Owen strongly starts off the poem with, “What passing-bells for those who die as cattle?”. The ‘passing bell’ symbolises the toll of a bell to announce death which is absence at the battlefield and ‘cattle’ is a simile used to compare the deaths of soldiers to an inhumane slaughtering. This associates to abattoirs where large groups of innocent animals who cannot stand up for themselves are slaughtered. Owen then compares ‘stuttering rifles’ to a ‘hasty prison’ or funeral prayers. This symbolization shows the irony of war where the only prayers and mourning carried out for soldiers is the sound of the weapon that has killed them in the first place. Owen personifies the rifles to contrast the weapon to the soldiers who are compared to slaughtered cattle. Owen shows that there are no special or pleasant ceremonies for those who fought and died at war in the attempt to show readers that death in war are not treated with honour and glory as many people believe they
Duncan Long highlights the notion that war is brutal and violent, …show more content…
Owen expresses his idea through the use of symbolization. Wilfred Owen has experienced war directly as a soldier fighting in World War One and like many other, his life was sacrificed to the meaningless cause of war. The battlefields in wars are scattered with soldiers who lie dead and rotting. Their bodies will never return to their home and family to have a proper funeral and commemoration they truly deserve as honourable soldiers who fought and died for their nation’s cause. Owen strongly starts off the poem with, “What passing-bells for those who die as cattle?”. The ‘passing bell’ symbolises the toll of a bell to announce death which is absence at the battlefield and ‘cattle’ is a simile used to compare the deaths of soldiers to an inhumane slaughtering. This associates to abattoirs where large groups of innocent animals who cannot stand up for themselves are slaughtered. Owen then compares ‘stuttering rifles’ to a ‘hasty prison’ or funeral prayers. This symbolization shows the irony of war where the only prayers and mourning carried out for soldiers is the sound of the weapon that has killed them in the first place. Owen personifies the rifles to contrast the weapon to the soldiers who are compared to slaughtered cattle. Owen shows that there are no special or pleasant ceremonies for those who fought and died at war in the attempt to show readers that death in war are not treated with honour and glory as many people believe they