Faulks presents us with a moving series of letters home on the night before the first day of the Somme. Compare these to Roland Brittain's real letters to Vera. Does the fact that Birdsong's letters are fictional make them any less moving or powerful?

It is the natural assumption that fictional work is generally more powerful in presenting emotions and events than real work, as the writer of fiction is able to exercise an element of 'poetic license' to emphasise certain points. Imagination is far more flexible and easier to mould than reality, so it is therefore not unreasonable to assume that the fictional letters are more moving and powerful than the real ones. That said, it is also true that when reading about real events happening to real people, the impact on the reader is greater than a few exaggerated points. The letters in Birdsong and those between Roland Brittain and Vera are all roughly centred around the same points; they are all just written differently. The majority of the letters in Birdsong and the letters from Roland to Vera all feature some information of the attack; however the way in which they're presented couldn't be more different. The letters in Birdsong describe their attack as "absolutely thumbs up", "unlikely that [...] the enemy will survive (their) bombardment" and comparing it to "putting on a display like Firework Night". The comparison of their guns to fireworks and the whole event as "absolutely thumbs up" show the reader that their view of the war, and their attack, was definitely positive. The conviction presented in the men's letters is what has the reader empathising with their family.

  • Word count: 1089
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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How does the presence of the Japanese soldier threaten the unity of Sergeant Mitchem's men?

English Coursework Essay - How does the presence of the Japanese soldier threaten the unity of Sergeant Mitchem's men? The play is set in the Malayan Jungle during the Japanese advance on Singapore in 1942. Seven British soldiers have different power due to the ranking hierarchy and they have different attitudes to one another. Sergeant Mitchem is the leader of the soldiers. He is a responsible and good leader which is evident due to him stopping many quarrels among his men and making decisions. For example, when Corporal Johnston and Private Bamforth are having an argument, Mitchem stops the argument by saying 'Right. Pack it in. Both of you'. Next we have Corporal Johnstone, who is second in power to Sergeant Mitchem. It is obvious that Johnstone does not have the respect that Mitchem has. This is because Bamforth has many arguments with him and does not follow his orders efficiently. One example of a quarrel between the two is when Johnstone tells Bamforth to 'Get your pack on!' Bamforth then responds saying 'you going to inspect us, corp.?' The next highest in the hierarchy is L/Corporal Macleish. He is a Scotsman and has regular arguments with Bamforth. In one argument Bamforth called Macleish a 'Scotch Haggis'. Macleish responds telling Bamforth to 'Watch your mouth'. However this only encourages Bamforth to continue by saying 'Aw, come off it, son. Where I come from

  • Word count: 2259
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Write a comparison in the ways in which warfare is presented in the novel Strange Meeting and the play Journeys end

Write a comparison in the ways in which war-fare is presented in the novel Strange Meeting and the play Journey's end: Ware- fare is the issue of conflict between not only the opposite forces but between the comrades. It is apparent that this is a central theme in both texts 'Strange Meeting' by Susan Hill and in the drama 'Journey's End' by C.R. Sherriff. The subject-matter of war-fare is a broad topic, in which both texts cover a wide range of issues that were prevalent during the war. In particular there will be a thorough examination of both texts, in their presentation, of war-fare and its effects. As they both present war-fare by dealing with the issues of the relationships of men, as well as the relationships with their families at the home- front, an issue which is linked with the soldier's detachment of their homes. In addition I will explore the presentation of war-fare initiating fear, the inevitability of death and the futility of war-fare which is a key point, which both texts try to emphasise through language and action. The subject matter of war-fare is portrays a strong sense of detachment of soldiers from their home. This is clearly demonstrated through the language and can be seen particularly, in the initial pages of Strange Meeting, through protagonist, John Hilliard, who due to his determination to stay awake, in his bedroom, because 'He was afraid to

  • Word count: 3015
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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War poetry comparison

By comparing the following three extracts, and by referring to your wider reading, examine how typical in both style and treatment of subject matter these writings are of literature form the First World War. - A - Paul Nash extract - B- Glory of women - Siegfried Sassoon - C- Perhaps - Vera Brittain It seems that extract B is written as a bitter response to the experience of women during the war and C is written as a lamentation by a woman about her dead fiancé. Effectively, both extracts deal with women's points of view regarding the war. Extract A focuses on the reality of war as seen by a painter. However, it is important to distinguish that it is only extract A which deals with the reality of war where the others are somewhat opinionated towards reactions to it. In addition, all three extracts were written at the peak of WW1, therefore their attitudes would have been regarded as somewhat realistic and immediate to their time. Being a male artist, Paul Nash is more likely to have first-hand experience of the war. It seems that his intention, like Sassoon's is to call emphasis on the reality and truth of war. Arguably, this misunderstanding about war was most experienced by those at the home front - primarily women. Perhaps this is why much of female poetry of the time, like Brittain's, focuses on the lamentation and emotion associated with war rather than this

  • Word count: 1418
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Compare and contrast the theme of idolatry in Pat Barkers Regeneration and R.C Sherriffs Journeys End. How far do you agree that Sherriffs presentation is more believable?

Luna smith Compare and contrast the theme of idolatry in Pat Barker's "Regeneration" and R.C Sherriff's "Journey's End". How far do you agree that Sherriff's presentation is more believable? Barker and Sherriff use "Regeneration" and "Journey's End" respectively, in order to convey similar views on idolatry. In both texts this form of adoration and reverence is depicted as flawed and the view is conveyed that other forms of relationship are more constructive. This is achieved by portraying characters in idolatrous relationships which are not conducive to coping with war- namely, the relationships between Raleigh and Stanhope, and between Owen and Sassoon - in parallel to those mutually respectful relationships based on understanding and empathy such as Sassoon and Rivers' and the friendship between Osborne and Stanhope. In "Journey's End" the dramatic form allows for a much starker contrast and consequently the message, and particularly the condemnation of idolatry, is more believable. In both texts the motivations behind the characters' idolatry are explored. Sherriff presents the character of Raleigh as young and naïve, which perhaps accounts for his idolatry. When Raleigh first enters the trench he is oblivious to the realities of war, as is demonstrated when he comments, "I thought there would be an awful row here - all the time" when, in fact, it is the constant

  • Word count: 1704
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Show how the members of the patrol in "The Long and the Short and the Tall" respond to the pressures of the wartime situation, focusing particularly on the presentation of the characters of Macleish and Bamforth.

Josh F Keeler 10.10.00 English Literature Essay: 20th Century Drama Show how the members of the patrol in "The Long and the Short and the Tall" respond to the pressures of the wartime situation, focusing particularly on the presentation of the characters of Macleish and Bamforth. Right from the beginning of the play we see a number of contrasting characters of different nationalities thrown together in a wartime situation. Tensions are running high, the ever-worrying threat of conflict with the Japanese looms large over the patrol. The scene is set in a deserted, palm-thatched store-hut deep in the Malayan jungle with the rumbling of machine gun fire in the distance. The constant fear of attack, dislike of war and resentment of their lot, and the differences in character understandably leads to conflict between the various members of the patrol. The first action of the play occurs when an argument between Bamforth, a loud and confident Cockney, and Macleish, a brash and anxious Scotsman, almost results in a fullblown fight between the two. Nerves are further frayed when Whitaker, the radio operator, while trying his best to contact base, inadvertently receives an incoming message from the Japanese. The prospect of the "Japs" advancing ever closer adds to the increasing tension and introduces a thread of excitement to the

  • Word count: 1606
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Compare and contrast the ways in which the authors of

Contrast and Compare the ways in which the authors of "Survivors" and "The Dead-Beat" portray the horror of war. "Survivors" by Siegfried Sassoon and "The Dead-Beat" by Wilfred Owen have both similarities and differences in their illustrations of violence and horror during the war, despite the fact that Owen's poetry is heavily influenced by Sassoon. To begin with, the very title 'Survivors' hints at a tragedy (which, of course, proves to be WW1), that the subjects have fought through in order to carry on their lives, the actual word 'survivors' could also be interpreted as showing the men as a select few, with others not being so fortunate as to hold out. When delving deeper into the content of the poem, it becomes clear that the soldiers have not come out of this catastrophe unmaimed; "the shock and strained" graphically depicts the state of the soldiers minds, and the alliteration used for this puts even more emphasis on the point. Yet the title of Owens 'The Dead-Beat' gives the impression of a sluggish, hopeless figure, not one of action. This is a paradox in that 'The Dead-Beat' is actually the more graphic of the two poems, as well as being set (?) at a faster pace: it opens with the words "he dropped--", instantly beginning the poem without need for setting or description, composing pictures of dead bodies, of exhausted soldiers, immediately displaying the violence

  • Word count: 0
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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In the following poem, Laurence Binyon looks back on those soldiers who died for their country during battle. Analyse the poem. What is the poem saying about war?

Assignment 14 In the following poem, Laurence Binyon looks back on those soldiers who died for their country during battle. Analyse the poem. What is the poem saying about war? Concentrate upon the following areas for your answer: - Content and theme(s) - Structure and style, and how this is shaped by content - Context - Purpose and success The title of the poem written by Laurence Binyon already suggests what the purpose, context and theme for this poem will be with the title "For the Fallen". Therefore before the reader even begins to read the poem they have an idea that is going to be about those who have passed away during the war. The first stanza personifies England as 'a mother for her children' who is mourning for the 'dead across the sea'. This could be meaning the soldiers that were in the battle of the Somme. The tone in this first stanza is calm and respectful as the poem states its purpose and begins to describe that the men have 'Fallen in the cause of the free'; Suggesting that this is why the men are fighting. By writing in this style the reader can understand that the men in this poem have become hero figures by sacrificing themselves for their country. The second stanza opens with 'Solemn' as its first lexis carrying on the theme of loss and 'desolation' in the poem. We must remember that many women lost husbands, fathers and children in this war, so

  • Word count: 1474
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Compare two pieces of war literature

A comparison of the presentation of trauma in the Poetry of Wilfred Owen and Regeneration by Pat Barker In order to explore the presentation of trauma in Owen's poetry and Regeneration by Pat Barker a definition of the word 'trauma' must be determined. Trauma is both physical and psychological illness, in the Physical sense trauma refers to a physical injury such as a wound, broken bones or loss of limb which can change the outlook and actions of a soldiers such as having "sleeve sewn"1 to cover up the ghastly injury, whereas in the psychological sense it can be displayed through a loss of control of bodily functions like "a tortured alimentary canal"2 causing irregularities in digestion leading to vomiting or diarrhoea. Barker's Novel looks at individual case studies away from the trenches using the technique of flashback, she describes the true horror that the soldiers faced and also the psychological after effects they have to deal with, "dead minds revisited"3 , psychological difficulties were not often considered in Owen's time and therefore a different view appears. "The old lie: Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori", translates to 'it is sweet and right to die for your country' is ironically placed at the end of the poem Dulce et Decorum est. Here Owen is mocking the patriotic perception of war, showing how it has now changed into modern trench warfare. Rivers also

  • Word count: 1609
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Synoptic Module

Synoptic Module Revisit the armistice, letters from a lost generation + Geraldine Robertson Glasgow's poem Dulce et Decorum. How typical are they of work written by women in the war period. Compare and contrast the techniques they use to make their point. At the end of the Battle of the Somme and when the war was coming to a close women writers began to write more about the loss and emptiness that they felt when they lost their loved ones in the war. However, the women writers did not include a sense of realism within their poems and instead they romanticised their loved ones who had went to war. I am going to look at three different texts and examine whether they are typical or atypical of the time in which they were written. The first text that I am going to look at it is 'The Armistice' and it is a poem that has been written by May Wedderburn Cannan. This poem was written at the end of the war and tells us the story of women discovering that the war had ended. It shows us the sense of melancholy and relief than women felt at this time. This text is typical of the time in which it was written as it does portray to us the loss and emptiness that women felt at this time. It is also typical of the time as women are working with typewriters and this would stereotypically a job that a man would have done but this was not possible as the majority of the men had been lost

  • Word count: 1311
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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