Viewpoint Today is one of the first days in the unit where the facts hit hard. When I plan for this day, especially reading the poetry, it takes time to mentally prepare on how to teach the topic. As I explained in class, we do not study the battles, the different types of gun, or trench foot; however, we use World War One as a precursor to the Holocaust. I do not try and put on a shock and awe production; but I feel as though the topics naturally have that affect. Death in war is never an easy topic to discuss; but I feel as though the poetry approaches the topic with the most effectiveness. Opinion "Dulce et Decorum Est" is a very powerful poem that demonstrates just one of the perspectives of war. It puts an experience to the numbers; 7.5 million deaths (the number) means little because of how large it is, but one poem can give you a true experience on one person's view. It goes without saying, war is horrific. For example, the following excerpt paints an especially dark picture, "But someone still was yelling out and stumbling ,And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning." I remember reading this poem for the first time during college. It was startling, disturbing, and its gruesome tale of a gas attacks makes my heart sink. I can hardly imagine that desperate clinging to life, and it still saddens me. One of the more powerful lines in the poem, "But limed on, blood-shod. All went lame; all bling; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots" explains the physical and emotional toll that war has on a soldier. The soldiers trudge through the mud, unaffected by the exploding "hoots" (exploding shells), and too tired to even recognize/notice the carnage around them. Poem Citation: Owen, Wilfred. “Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen.” Poems, Poetry Foundation, 2019, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46560/dulce-et-decorum-est. Connection This poem always reminds me of some of the photography I have seen before on the topic; for example, some of the photography included in an exhibit I saw at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada. Photo Citation: Taylor, Alan. “World War I in Photos: Introduction.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 27 Apr. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/04/world-war-i-in-photos-introduction/507185/. If you ever happen to be up in Ottawa, stop by the museum. It is top notch, and has a great World War One exhibit (while your there visit the Canadian Museum of History too!) . Part of the exhibit on World War I includes a recreated trench with explosion sounds and lightning blasts. Below, although lengthy, is a great video about World War I. I remember the Canadian War Museum had amazing resources to read and glance at. I am glad that BBC put this together for future generations. It offers a British view of the battles and strategies used in World War I. Video Citation: “World War 1- A BBC Documentary.” YouTube, TIME, 31 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVJiddvX878. Based on the Schoology rubric, I graded my submission below:
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