Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Poetry analysis: Children of darkness @ 11:47 AM
Point of view:
This poem was written by the poet, in anger as he could not believe what war had done to the children. He was annoyed at the atrocities of war and how it affects innocent lives such as the children who do not have a say in their future as they are being forced to go to war. He does not really vent his frustration in the poem but writes it in a pretty sarcastic way. In my opinion, the author's main purpose of writing the poem is to convey an anti-war message to the public. He wants to show that the children should not be conscripted to go to war at such a young age. The repetition of "Could we" in the third stanza shows the simple things in life that normal kids do while the children fighting for war are selfishly deprived of. There is a strong usage of the word "darkness" to convey a sense of gloominess in the children's lives, also to show that each day they are filled with "fear", that they will be killed any moment on the battlefield.
Situation and Setting:
The nature of this poem's conflict is emotional. It happens on the battlefield and the poet is using literary devices to make us seem to pity the children. By stating in the first stanza that "To this door there is no key", he is saying that to these children, cannot escape from war. He tells us that once they are in it, they cannot back out. He also uses personification for war, saying that it can "consume" people. This indicates how easy people lose their lives in war. Also, in stanza 3 he uses repetition to emphasize the fact that how the children cannot do the things that other "normal" children can. The theme of anti-war is conveyed through the strong use of imagery. As war usually affects the whole world, the theme is universal in its application.He also uses the metaphor of "endless thirsty hole" to represent war as a period of great carnage, that war brings about a lot of damage and suffering.
Language/ Diction:
Much figurative language is used in the poem. The word order is straightforward and there is not much experimentation with the language. Repetition is used in the third stanza on the words "could we" to amplify and focus on the many things that kids have no chance to do because of their forced commitment to war, that although they yearn to do it, war has caused their childhood to be destroyed. The horrors of war has been imprinted in their minds. Through the fourth stanza, the poet uses metaphors to show how their lives are at risk and that they would only die on the battlefield. No where else. His use of language has aided him in conveying his anti-war message as the atrocities of war is more highlighted, and the ugly reality of destroying innocent lives' futures. Also, repetition of much words have caused the reader to feel a sense of pity for the children, achieving the Bechtold's aims of letting us be anti-war.
Personal Response:
After reading this poem, I have become more aware of why war should be avoided as much as possible. War is not to be joked around about. I have learned that it is a serious matter, that even children lives are at stake any moment. It has evoked a sense of pity and half-anger for the sad kids forced to fight in war. Sad at the sight of their miserable lives and angry because of the unjust they suffer. I feel that we should be thankful that we do not have to suffer what these children are going through now. I have learned to appreciated what I have around me now, that there are many other children out there who do not have the privilege like us. This poem has conveyed his message of anti-war to me successfully and I enjoyed reading his poem, especially the heavy (though not excessive) use of figurative language, eg. metaphors, imagery etc. This poem is like any other anti-war poems, but the mention of "children" in it makes it feel closer to us students, and lets us have a better understanding of the poem.