Tuesday, November 11, 2003

Reading

Notes

Today is Veteran’s Day (aka Remembrance Day). We will be discussing war-themed writing in class today.

We are reading “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien, and “Dulce et decorum est” and “At a Calvary Near the Ancre,” by Wilfred Owen. When reading these texts, some of the general questions to consider include the following:

  1. What is the nature of war?
  2. What do fiction and poetry bring to the table of war-reporting?
  3. Does nonfiction have an advantage over these “imaginative” forms because of its truth-telling?

These are only questions to get your thinking going. But I’d like you to answer the questions below, which relate specifically to this assigned reading.

“The Things They Carried”

(This short story was later expanded into a novel, which is part of the “One Book, One Chicago” series.) Here are the questions:

  1. How many ways does O’Brien use the verb to carry? What is the rhetorical effect that these uses have?
  2. What is the purpose behind the multiple lists of equipment, emotions, and other things?
  3. One of the important things that all good war literature addresses is the idea of heroism. How does O’Brien treat this concept?

“Dulce et decorum est” and “At a Calvary Near the Ancre”

Wilfred Owen was a prominent poet of World War I. Here is an on-line archive of his writing, which you may find useful. World War I turned the traditional values surrounding chivalry (honor in battle, heroism, etc.) on their head, largely due to the horrors surrounding trench warfare. Here are some questions to consider in relation to the two poems up for discussion:

  1. Both “The Things They Carried” and “Dulce et decorum est” involve carrying and combat. What is the difference (or similarity) between them?
  2. Why does Owen choose to capitalize lie in the penultimate line?
  3. Why do you suppose Christ makes an appearance in “At a Calvary Near the Ancre”? What functions does he serve? Why would a soldier identify so closely to the crucified Christ?

As usual, your own lines of questioning are encouraged. My questions should only help your own thought processes.

Also: To make this day as jam-packed as possible, we’ll be listening to a little music, so come with your listening ears!