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Poems: Reservist (Subject (he presents the activity as a ridiculous game,…
Poems: Reservist
Subject
he presents the activity as a ridiculous game, something which they are forces to do by the country’s leaders
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In stanza one, the reservists prepare for the training, which is presented as a rather archaic, ritual game.
The reservists are old, out of shape, and thoroughly unconvincing soldiers!
In stanza 2 they go through the training – the same each year, making it repetitive and boring;
in stanza 3 he tries to draw some positive conclusions – they might become heroes in having survived the boredom and outlasted the interest of the leaders who make them do this.
Eventually, they will escape and live free of this ritual.
Key Analysis
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Similes show the men have no choice, the leaders are tyrants or just fantasists
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Tone:
the speaker is weary, cynical and bored
He criticises the leaders, making their insistence on reserve training seem tyrannical and ridiculous/ a fantasy.
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Structure
The lines in the final stanza become much shorter, speeding up the pace and creating a sense of lightness –
this reflects the sense of hope for escape from the tedious routine, and the imagery of freedom/ ‘daybreak’ at the end.
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