Gallipoli: A Narrative Analysis

I feel the ground shift and taste the dry dirt in the breeze as I step forward. I’m one step closer to being one of the first soldiers sent to fight at Gallipoli or one step closer to being rejected and sent back home to be called an unfit pathetic coward by society. I lean out of line to see how many more men are ahead of me, just a few more. I can’t stop imagining how exciting it would be to fight for the Australian and the British Empire; to win the war and to come back home as a glorious hero.
My heart is thumping with excitement and fear. Sweat begins to seep through my shirt. Looking down the line, I notice most of the other men are taller and stronger than me. I need to convince the recruiters that I’m at least 19 even though I’m only …show more content…
I pause for a moment before looking down. Why am I so worried? There’s so many other Australian soldier’s fighting over at Gallipoli, so what’s the chance of him being one of the unlucky ones? I try to reassure myself. I open the letter and begin to read. The fighting, the battle, it is a lot different than he anticipated it would be. He’s already lost two of his mates he made on the trip and another is badly wounded. But he says he still has hope that he’ll come back safe soon. I go on to read the next sentence but cannot because it was blacked out, most of the next sentences have also been blacked out. What was it that he was going to say and why was it censored? I shake my head and continue reading. He then signs off and reminds me that he loves me. I hold the letter to my chest as a lump rises in my throat and I begin to cry and shake. Am I selfish for wishing he’d stayed instead of going to fight for our proud country, Australia? Am I selfish for being too exhausted and lacking hope to do his jobs, on top of mine, while also looking after our farm? Am I selfish for wanting to be in his warm embrace instead of being alone with only the fireplace to give me