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Explore the way in which structure is used to support the main themes in…
Explore the way in which structure is used to support the main themes in the text.
The author uses structure to present the theme of "disability"
"he didn't have to beg,"
The author uses a caesura to add a dramatic pause and emotional connection between him and the reader. The dramatic pause acts as an indicator to his disability as he is no longer able to continue on with his life as before, the dramatic pause tells the reader that his life has stopped. The caesura is placed at the beginning of the poem - telling us that his life came to an end at such an early age or time.
Owen glorifies the theme of "war" through the use of structural devices
"He thought of jeweled hilts; for daggers in plaid socks"
The use of semicolon glorifies the entire notion of war as it gives the reader an idea that the author is suggesting ways in which he finds glory and repurposes the entire reason behind the war. This paints the author as arrogant and sinful as he recruits to war for all the bad reasons, especially the pride he tries to gain from it. It highlights the lack of knowledge men had about the war or why countries were at disput. During the 1910s, people in general saw war as a way to gain respect rather than to gain the sense of security that your country is safe.
Owen uses structure to convey a sense of regret to the reader.
"--He wonders why"
The author tries to convey a sense of regret through the use of hyphen. The dramatic pause caused by the hyphen highlights and emphasizes the theme of "regret" as it creates a pause to his story, almost indicationg the pause of his life. The hyphen indicates the horror that is replaying in his mind, reprojecting terror he sensed during the war.
Owen uses italics to present the theme "pity of war" as detriment to pride.
"Thanked him"
The use of italics puts emphasizes and generates a tone of sarcasm and this is evident as he immediately questions his faith. The authors emphasis on "thanked" almost highlights how ungrateful society was as he not only went to war but sacrificed his youth and sanity for the sake of himself but his country as well even if though that was not part of the reason behind his recruitment yet they were only able to thank him, he "thanks" as for his sacrifice however, he coukd not thank him any furhter as his has now sacrificed his life, pride is not needed.
The lack of care towards the countries citizens is shown through the action of the government as well as the young mens thoughts on the topic of war viewing it as a path to nobility rather than a battle field full of bloodshed and death looking for victory against a group of people in this case a group of countries . This on going theme of irrationality adds a very hopeless touch and shows how young the narrator was when he stepped forward to become a soldier at the war.
The use of enjambment links both stanzas together this structure helps show how small actions could link into many other things and this is seen by the happiness in the smile and the happiness of not having to beg little did he know how much this was going to effect him as well as his future.
The word "smiling" could refer to both the feeling of the young men thinking they are going to achieve greatness and nobility while in reality they are up for a trick . It could also show the ignorance of the men accepting them and how little they cared for the citizens of the country but rather put their life in danger without informing them of the reality but rather providing them with propaganda .
"He didn't have to beg; smiling they wrote his lie "
This could also help show the consequences of lying and not excepting fate . men under 18 weren't allowed to fight and this lie even though at the time wasn't seen as a big deal now concluded to great suffering and urge for death.
The author splits the poem into two parts, the repercussions of war and his initial view of war. The author creates a contrast between the two to emphasizes the futility present in young men and the "irrationality of war".
When he was sent out to war, he was met with enthusiasm from the crowd as he left to fulfil his duties, but when he came back, he was still met with cheers but not with the same enthusiasm. Instead It was pitiful and sad, the lack of enthusiasm almost hints at the fact that they knew he would never be the same almost as celebrating him coming back but not wiht the same attitude as he himself will never be the same.
"Drums and cheers", "Not as crows cheer goal".
The author structures each stanza with multiple lines to highlight the effect it had on him, however, the lack of detail and of information provided in the 4th stanza highlights how unimportant he was to society as he does not provide many lines to portray his return and how it mattered to society. He was unimportant to society as a disabled.
The juxtaposition in stanza one was used to highlight the confusion and mixed feeling of the writer between the past and the present times as he reflects on events that make him long for the past.
"now"
The effect of the temporal shift highlights the theme of "reality" and shines a light on the aftermath that he has to deal with and how he dealt with. The tone present in that line conveys a sense of reality and how detrimenting the present is. This may suggest that the reality check took away a bit of his sanity, as he almost places his past life through rose-tinted glasses, persuading the reader that war changes your life forever. .
" old times threw away his knees"
The use of the verb "threw" suggests that he carelessly threw his legs away and through the use juxtaposition in the other in the next line links and supports the theme of "dejection"
in Disabled is fairly regular with words rhyming within two or three lines of each other and within the stanza. However, he links the narrative from verse to verse by overlapping rhyme patterns into new stanzas.
‘grey’ and ‘day’ in stanza one rhyme with ‘gay’ in the second verse; ‘dry’ and ‘thigh’ in stanza three link to ‘shoulder–high’ in the next verse.
repetition of color imagery
The bringing together of veins running dry and the purple spurting thigh of the injured man with the 'shoulder-high’ triumph of his glory days distils the pity.
Color imagery was presented throughout the poem
"dark"
the use of dark color is usually a metaphor for death or a negative action
"grey"
"purple"
the color purple portrays peace which juxtapose with what happened in addition it could also represent that his blood isn't red anymore
"Why don't they come...Why don't they come"
The repletion of the rhetorical question highlights his lack of will to live. the pronoun "they" suggests that he is asking and praying for someone to take him out of his misery. The author may suggest that he is now in the purgatory reflecting on his life and asking for the angels to decide whether he shall be blessed with the gift of heaven as a soldier or the curse of hell as a sinner (7 deadly sins)