Task 2 Analysis of Poem - Children in the Darkness

1. Point of View

The poet is trying to tell people that children are being used as soldiers and are taught to fight at a very young age. They are also sent to war and they might lose their lives. This can be seen from "Who someone will teach to fight" and "Or will a war consume them". He is upset about the fact that children are not able to learn the things children used to learn, that they were not given any chance for freedom. This can be seen from "And these children are not free" and "Could we give them half a chance". The poet is also trying to say that war is a dark and cruel place, saying that it is "dark" and there is no "light".

2. Situation and Setting

The situation in this poem is that children are being taught how to fight at a very early age and they are also deployed into the front lines, where they might lose their lives. He potrays war as a very cruel and "dark" place and that children are not given a chance to have freedom. This can be seen from "Who someone will teach to fight", "Could we give them half a chance" and "Or will a war consume them".

3. Language and Diction

The poet uses different types of words to express this poem. Firstly, he uses repetition to emphasize the situation in the poem. He repeats "Could we" in the third stanza and this emphasizes that the children are not given a chance to live a normal live by anyone. The poet also uses personification in the fourth stanza. He likens war as a human as war "consumes" children, potraying war as a very evil and cruel thing. The word "light" used in the poem also refers to the hope of those children. They are kept in the "darkness", which refers to the cruelness of war and that all children are scared of "darkness". They are not given any chance, or hope, to live a normal live, a chance to be free. The word "light" also refers to the carefree life of a normal child which children would love, compared to the "dark" and scary life of a child in war, which children would dislike.

4. Personal Response

Personally, I feel very sorry for the children who were sent to war at such a young age. Their lives are put on the line so that the country can survive and hopefully win the war. I feel that children at such a young age should not be exposed to such cruelty in war as they would be scarred for live after the war. The poem also makes me understand the importance freedom and that not every children are that fortunate to have them.

Language Arts (English) E-Learning

Task 1 (Background of Poem)

Background

This poem was written by Henry M Bechtold in the year 2010. He was in Vietnam, sitting in his hotel room in Saigon in the year 2009. He attempted to write a poem about a girl being mistreated by man while working in a park. He was angry, but was unable to write something that sounds good. Then, while watching the news on the television, he saw a photo of a young boy with army equipments such as an automatic rifle. This inspired him somehow and that was how this poem came about.

This poem is trying to say children during war times are being used as soldiers and taught to fight and shoot a rifle at such an early age. Henry M Bechtold is also saying that these children had no freedom, they could not learn the things children usually enjoy doing, like dancing. He is also trying to tell us that war is a very cruel place, and a scary place and the lives of young children are going through all those suffering, just to have a chance to die in war for their country.

Reference:

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#Children_

Children in the Darkness

There are children in the darkness

Who have not seen the light
There are children in the darkness
Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be
To this door there is no key
From this life they can not flee
And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle
Could we give them half a chance
Could we teach them how to read
Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them
Their body and their soul
Will their life and blood be poured
Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness
From which there is no flight
Back into the darkness
Into which there shines no light

Barclays Premier League - Liverpool Versus Chelsea

This was the biggest hurdle that stood in the way of Chelsea from claiming their third title. Although both teams started off slowly, Chelsea came out as the better of the two teams as they showed that their ability to become champions in the second half. They were able to walk away with three points, with the match ending 2-0, in favour of Chelsea.

In the early part of the first-half, there were three penalty appeals from both sides. Two were from Chelsea and one from Liverpool. Kalou was involved in both occasions. In the first, he seemed to have dived in the ninth minute and he tripped himself in the second occasion, with Liverpool's Lucas Leiva hot on his heels. Alberto Aquilani of Liverpool went down in the penalty box after a challenge from Branislav Ivanovic. This was a reasonable appeal for a peanalty as the Chelsea player did not seem to come in contact with the ball. Moreover, before half-time, Liverpool also lost Maxi Rodriguez through an injury and was replaced by Ryan Babel. This was a huge blow to Liverpool. Alberto Aquilani was involved in some of the chances created by the Liverpool. However, he failed to convert in those occasions.

Chelsea opened the scoring through Drogba in the 33rd minute. A sloppy back-pass from Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, handed Drogba a simple goal. Chelsea finished the first-half with a one nil lead, all thanks to an error from Gerrard.

In the second-half, Chelsea was clearly off to a better start. After six minutes in the second-half, Kalou pulled a cross into the six-yard box, only for Anelka to miss a simple tap in.

However, Anelka was able to create a opportunity in the 54th minute for Frank Lampard, who was able to convert from close range. His cross manage to pick out Lampard who slid in to score Chelsea's second and his 21st premier league goal this season.

Chelsea could have extended their lead if not for Liverpool's goalkeeper, Reina, to keep Chelsea at bay. This included a double save from Anelka then Kalou. Malouda's low shot was also saved by Reina.

The match ended 2-0 in favour of Chelsea and they move one step closer to claiming their third league title, with only Wigan standing in their way.