Sudden And Anthem For Doomed Youth

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The devastating effect of war on humanity is reflected by Duncan Long through short story “Sudden” and the poem “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen. Through imagery and characterisation, Long highlights his idea that war is not glorious but violent and gruesome and that war drastically changes people’s attitude to survive. Through symbolisation Owen implies his belief that funerals rituals have no meaning in contrast to the horror of war. By expressing their opinion on war through their writings, this conveys to readers the idea that war is not a noble cause, but a fatal plague to humanity. The catastrophe war bring upon humanity does not settle disputations but only extend them; war is fought meaninglessly and will never bring peace. …show more content…
Instead of creating a perspective that the Americans win with honour and make them respectful, Long establish a side where the soldiers are seen as cold-blooded killers, who do not display any humanity. Long describes the death of a Viet Cong as the soldiers’ sends "bullets gnawing at his body” and he “twitched spasmodically”. The American soldiers in Vietnam War attack at the Viet Cong with blind savagery and viciousness, they do not have sympathy for their enemy who are in the same position as they are. Therefore they are perceived as vicious murderers. As the Viet Cong are riddled with bullets from the American soldiers, their bodies “jerked and danced to the cruel music.” This illustrates the merciless slaughter carried out by the American soldiers on the Viet Cong,**** there is no sympathy in their fighting, giving the idea that war is not won gloriously or with honour but with endless ferocity. The use of imagery allow readers to picture the horrific scene of war, through this Long has reinforced the idea to readers that war a cause which many think it a glorious cause to bring peace, when in truth it is gruesome and cold act of …show more content…
The narrator is a “green” lieutenant meaning that he is inexperienced and has never fought in the battlefield before, he is described as being fearful and diffident. “I wonder how I would hold up in actual combat.” The lieutenant questions their chance of survival if they have an encounter with the enemy but once he is on the field in combat, he is brave and courageous being driven by adrenaline. During combat he “sprinted up the hills…run, aim, shoot…screaming like demented souls.” This shows the bravery he has while in battle. The display of the differences between the soldiers’ attitude shows readers that in the time of war it’s when we feel the urge to fight for our lives more than ever. With this intention, Long uses narrative plot structure to contrast the soldiers’ perspective toward combat during peace and wartime, therefore, portrays to readers in order to survive the brutality of war people’s need to live are strengthened because of the danger they are faced
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