Explore the way that Whelan in The Accrington Pals and Manning in her Privates We present the relationships between soldiers and civilians during WW1

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   Peter Whelan in The Accrington Pals and Frederick Manning in Her Privates We both present two very different sides to the relationships between the soldiers and civilians of WWI, and the sympathy or hostility directed at the soldiers. Settings also change greatly between the two stories. Where one is set largely within the formerly quiet town of Accrington, the other takes place in the war-torn land of France. In terms of cast, The Accrington Pals features those unable to fight living safe untouched by the physical effects of the war, though not safe from the mental. Her Privates We however, features an assorted cast of people who constantly live with the all too real dangers of the war. Therefore, it is to be expected that the answer to the question for these two would contrast.

 The beginning to The Accrington Pals lets the readers know immediately how May and Tom feel about his recruitment, as well as where the general mood of the town seems to lie. Tom is very caught up in the moment as May describes with ‘that’s a world you love isn’t it’ when Tom says manoeuvres. We also learn at the same time that there has been a celebration to see the men off, which points to where the town’s feelings lie. May, though not opposed to the war outright, seems to have been unaffected by the euphoria of the war. Instead, she describes the send-off rather venomously with words such as ‘stale beer and smutty songs’. In this same scene ,we are granted an insight into Tom’s mind and his reasons for signing up; which would have likely been the reason for many young men, as Ralph seems to prove. He describes signing up as a way to escape from Accrington for something new ‘free of here, of this place, of this town’. This reflects upon the society of the time, where the lower classes had a narrow world and few opportunities to do much better.

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 Community spirit becomes far more apparent and is actually seen during scene three when there is a parade to see of pals, who are due for Caernarvon that day. Most of the civilians believe that the war will be over quickly and the new recruits have no idea of the reality of the trenches. This is due to censorship and propaganda, of which there is a clear example when Bertha mentions the Germans in the coffin. It is one of the cases of the increasing mistrust and disparity that develops between the soldiers and civilians, and the government officials.

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