Wilfred Owen Dialectical Journal

A diary is often used as an outlet for people to write their thoughts and feelings. Irving potrays Owen as a highly religious person. This is evident when Owen received his diary from Harriet Wheelwright as a Christmas gift and he began to write in it with his entries mentioning God. After Owen’s death, John would read Owen’s diary and in one particular entry written on New Year’s day during John and Owen’s senior year at the Gravesend Academy. Owen was writing about how “[He] wish [he] knew how [he] was going to die; but God has allowed [him] to more than most people know” (Irving 372). Owen is still grateful for what God has revealed to him so far in his life, despite the fact there are still unanswered questions left. Most people in this case would want more answers unlike Owen who is still content with what he has gotten so far. Owen’s adoration and …show more content…
Irving did not randomly add the diary to be another “thing” within the book. Instead, the diary is highly significant since it finally allows the readers to get into the mind of Owen. Allowing the writer to write down their feelings, instead of holding them in. Holding in feelings is not a good thing to do; it leads to someone being pent up with their feelings. When a person finds and reads the writer’s diary, this allows the readers to know the writer better as well. They will finally know what goes through their brain and have better understanding of why the writer acts a certain way. Instead, of judging the writer’s behavior or being hurt from it, they will finally understand it. Thus, making diaries a highly resourceful outlet/source for both the writer and the reader(s). Diaries are able to help people with coping their emotions, it is how historians study history since they are able to gain knowledge from someone who actually experienced the event, and overall they play a significant role in