How Writers Protest War
In the 60s and 70s, protesting war was a very common physical action, but writers have their own way to protest war; they use many examples of figurative language. Writers protest war by using imagery, irony, and structure. Stephen Crane, author of “War Is Kind”, Wilfred Owen, author of “Dulce et Decorum Est”, Tim O’Brien, author of “The Things They Carried” use irony and imagery to protest war. Kevin Powers use structure in his document to protest war. Many people can easily notice figurative language, but it takes a creative eye to fully understand the true meaning in poetry and novels.
Stephen Crane shows a repetition of irony in his poem, “War Is Kind”. The simple statement “war is kind.” (1) is irony within itself. Nothing about war is kind. War is disturbing and cruel; Crane understands that. Also, in the poem, “ Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen, irony is hidden throughout the poem. The last line of this poem, “Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori”(27-28) means, “It is sweet and right to die for your country.” The irony of this is; a man is dying of poisonous gas. He is “guttering, choking, [and] drowning” (16) which would not be considered a “sweet” death. Wilfred shows how soldiers in war, commonly die a painful and depressing death. …show more content…
His diction helps you imagine a man “flound'ring like a man in fire”(12). Using imagery to protest war, is a very useful tactic; setting up a visual of a man dying and moving like a man in a fire creates a harsh and vivid image in the readers mind. Tim O’Brien uses extremely descriptive imagery to help his readers understand how our “warriors” are taken care of if wounded in battle. Could you imagine seeing a man shot and then someone “us[ing] his poncho to wrap him up… carry him across the paddy, [and] then to lift him into the chopper that took him
In the 60s and 70s, protesting war was a very common physical action, but writers have their own way to protest war; they use many examples of figurative language. Writers protest war by using imagery, irony, and structure. Stephen Crane, author of “War Is Kind”, Wilfred Owen, author of “Dulce et Decorum Est”, Tim O’Brien, author of “The Things They Carried” use irony and imagery to protest war. Kevin Powers use structure in his document to protest war. Many people can easily notice figurative language, but it takes a creative eye to fully understand the true meaning in poetry and novels.
Stephen Crane shows a repetition of irony in his poem, “War Is Kind”. The simple statement “war is kind.” (1) is irony within itself. Nothing about war is kind. War is disturbing and cruel; Crane understands that. Also, in the poem, “ Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen, irony is hidden throughout the poem. The last line of this poem, “Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori”(27-28) means, “It is sweet and right to die for your country.” The irony of this is; a man is dying of poisonous gas. He is “guttering, choking, [and] drowning” (16) which would not be considered a “sweet” death. Wilfred shows how soldiers in war, commonly die a painful and depressing death. …show more content…
His diction helps you imagine a man “flound'ring like a man in fire”(12). Using imagery to protest war, is a very useful tactic; setting up a visual of a man dying and moving like a man in a fire creates a harsh and vivid image in the readers mind. Tim O’Brien uses extremely descriptive imagery to help his readers understand how our “warriors” are taken care of if wounded in battle. Could you imagine seeing a man shot and then someone “us[ing] his poncho to wrap him up… carry him across the paddy, [and] then to lift him into the chopper that took him