Peer Review 4: Maggie Illia’s ‘Study of War’

The amount of passion that is expressed throughout your response is amazing! We both touch on the same poems and poets and express similar opinions. It is interesting that you say that ‘The Soldier’ is a poem about a man who is not aware of the harshness of war instead of simply believing that the poet–or persona–is simply perceiving his position as an opportunity to give honour to his country, leaving a legacy.

I completely agree with what you say later on about the world’s current events and situations. It is so sad and sickening to think of how many people’s lives are threatened or have even ended over means that should be encouraging love and peace. I wish that war could just stop altogether so quickly and easily. Your opinion on this matter is awesome. It’s nice to know that there are people out there that are willing to share opinions on the negative things of the world!

Check out the entry here: http://margretee.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/week-3-how-the-study-of-war-has-impacted-me/

Week 4 Response: Light Shed on War

In a short paragraph express your own personal sense of how the study of war writing in the last two weeks has impacted on your view of the world.

Studying war for the last two weeks has definitely opened up my eyes on the issue, allowing me to feel so much sympathy for soldiers or just those who are affected by war overall. Studying many poems that explore war in different kinds of light and perspectives allowed my perspective to broaden on topic.

Poems such as Rupert Brooke’s The Soldier glorified the opportunity of fighting in the war—fighting for your country—labelling the act as something honourable and unforgettable. Reading this poem, I was honestly awestruck! I understand that, nowadays, some people aspire and choose to be war soldiers but, in the 1900s, men were chosen and sent off to war without a choice and a poem written during these times seems so ridiculous! Don’t get me wrong—you can feel honourable and proud to fight in a war, but to write this poem from the perspective of a universal soldier, so to speak, is unfair. Not every man would have related to this poem during that time. Once again, nowadays, a lot of men would relate to it. But then I began to think about the men of those times and realise that some men probably did feel proud and honoured, since fighting in the war was almost inevitable.

But, on the other hand, you have poems such as Wilfred Owen Dulce Et Decorum Est that explore the themes and realities of war that are known to the world. Men are living with lifelong injuries, effects and consequences such as blindness, writhing eyes, deaf ears, and much more. This is one of the poems that really allowed me to sympathise with soldiers. Fighting in the war isn’t something that you deal with momentarily—you deal with it for the rest of your life, whether that is psychologically or physically, and that is honestly so sad. There isn’t really any escape from it. But I am glad I have been able to study war writing so it could remind me of the experiences other people deal with in life!

Peer Review 3: Maggie Illia’s Week 3

Hey Maggie! I love the questions you start off with in the first paragraph. It immediately sets the serious tone of your letter, allowing the reader to truly consider sympathising, hopefully leading the politician into publishing the book.

The way you make the letter personal in the second paragraph is great too because you shed some light on possible experiences of others dealing with a loved one in war.

After reading this letter, I’d publish the book. There may not be that much information about the novel itself, but your way of shedding light on the overall issue is great enough to convince me. Great work!

Week 3 Response: Dear Erich

Write a letter to Erich Remarque telling him what you appreciate most about his novel.

Dear Erich Remarque,

Your novel ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is absolutely amazing and I’ll tell you why. Not once in the novel do you paint war to be such an amazing picture. Instead, you open our eyes to the rawness, and the brutality, and the innocence, and the violence, and both the physical and emotional stress of war.

I found it really interesting that you decided to have Peter join the army because of his teacher’s influence. He wasn’t chosen or anything. He was simply convinced… and then it’s all downhill from there. It’s great that you explore every single aspect of war and a soldier in great detail: events between battles, the constant threat of artillery fire and bombardments, the struggle to find food, the lack of training of young recruits, and the overarching role of random chance in the lives and deaths of the soldiers are described in detail.

One of my favourite things about the story is the sense of disconnection that Paul feels when he arrives back home. It reminds us that no matter how much we love home, or how much we feel safe there, our experiences can truly change us, and our perspectives. That’s what we have to remember: home may be the same when the soldiers come back, but they may not be.

I truly enjoyed reading your novel. Thank you so much!

Peer Review 2: Vanessa’s Blog 2 Post 2

I apologise if you didn’t want this kind of reaction but, when I was reading your piece, I actually found it hilarious! I love the kind of confidence and arrogance you pin to Kurtz’s Intended. The way you just have “MY NAME” in the middle of it all is awesome. It’s as if she doesn’t really care that Kurtz has passed (even though we know she does), but the most important news is the fact that her name was Kurtz’s last words!

I love the emotion that is evident throughout the whole entire piece. It’s rather a roller coaster of emotions actually! You somehow manage to build suspense, than bring it down a notch, build suspense, and bring it down again.

It really was entertaining to read this piece! A job well done!

Check out her work here:
https://wordpress.com/read/post/id/56060489/280/

Week 2 Response: A bearer of good, expectant news

Imagine yourself in the role of Kurtz’s intended. Describe what you are hoping to hear from Marlow. Have you been disappointed by what you have heard?

He decides to visit me now!? After one whole year! Didn’t he think at least once that I have been waiting for this very moment since I had heard the news? My heart has been aching, crying, begging for this—somewhat of a closure. But what if Marlow doesn’t tell me what I need? What if Marlow destroys my world? No. He can’t—he won’t! I know that Kurtz loved me. I know that Kurtz filled his heart and mind with me. He had to! I knew him better than anyone else! And that is exactly what he did—loved me! Say it, Marlow! Tell me!—

I can feel my heart healing its cracks. I can feel my heart quieting its cries. The chaos has silenced. My heart has found its beat again. If anything, my heart is fuller than it ever has been.

Oh, Kurtz… if only I had been with you during your last moments. If only I had been with you so you could have had more than the feeling of my name escaping your lips. I would have stayed with you—held you!—until my arms had ached. I hope the thought of me had brought you peace. I hope the thought of me had made your departure so much easier.

Thank you, Marlow! Thank you so very much! I cannot explain what you have done for me! I don’t care that you waited so long to tell me this. It’s perfect! I needed all this pain so I could truly witness the power of Kurtz’s love. I feel as though I am still receiving it. It’s as if Kurtz has left this world to live in mine—my heart.

Peer Review 1: Hayley’s 20th Century Literature Blog 1

I feel like our poems are very similar about the gum tree! I love how you exaggerate the directions of the gum tree’s branches with the use of “Everywhere!”. It almost gives a sense of chaos to it, linked both to the gum tree and the atmosphere of the poem. But then the atmosphere seems to tone down to an eeriness with the repetition of “Watching on…”. I love the imagery you set within lines 6-9. Once again, it changes the atmosphere. This time, making it calm.

The tone and atmosphere within the second half of the poem is awesome. You somehow paint an image of the gum tree being the most strongest being on this planet. I really enjoyed reading the poem!

Great work Hayley!

Check out the poem here:
http://hayfields1994.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/20th-century-literature-blog-1/

Week 1 Response: The Gum Tree

Topic 1: you can build on your poem started in class.

White, and dull.

Nothing more.

Forever in a lull.

Its arms stretched in a bore.

Time has gone,

Yet you’re still here.

Time has come

But you aren’t done.

You’re trying to grasp something—

Time? No.

The wind.

It’s what makes you free. Now, I know.

You can’t move.

You can’t change.

But the wind makes you move.

The wind makes you change.

Though you are a prison to nature,

Be free.

Stretch your arms so that you can capture

The one thing that makes you a tree—

You.