Disabled by Wilfred Owen and Out, out’ by Robert Frost

Disabled by Wilfred Owen and Out, out’ by Robert Frost How the theme of loss is communicated in the poems Disabled by Wilfred Owen and Out, out’ by Robert Frost   The poems Disabled by Wilfred Owen and ‘Out, out by Robert Frost were written 1917 and 1916 respectively, the poems were both written with the theme of loss featuring prominently throughout the narrative. Wilfred Owen was an English poet and soldier during the First World War, he was one of the leading poets of the First World War and his shocking, realistic war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare and stood in stark contrast both to the public perception of war at the time and to the confidently patriotic verse written by earlier war poets who had a romantic view of war. Wilfred Owen used his poems to express his negative attitude to the First World War. His use of comparisons and harsh imagery keeps his readers entertained throughout the whole poem. Robert Frost was an American poet who was highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life in the United States of America and his command of American colloquial speech. Robert Frost uses literary terms such as imagery, personification and caesuras to describe the theme of loss throughout the poem ‘Out, out’. The poems both display the theme of loss quite prominently and frequently refers to the theme of loss in order to show how they felt during the time of writing. The theme of loss in Wilfred Owen’s poems originated from his surroundings when he wrote it; the poem ‘Disabled’ was written by Wilfred Owen in 1917 while he was recovering from injuries that he had sustained in the trenches of the Western Front. Wilfred Owen’s view on the war was quite poor at this point as he had seen many horrors while fighting in the trenches and because of his exposure to victims of Shell Shock otherwise known as post-traumatic stress disorder. The poem ‘Disabled’ talks of the tormented recollections and thoughts of a soldier in World War I who has lost his limbs in battle and is now confined to a wheelchair and is utterly helpless. The poem contrasts the living death he is now facing with the pleasures he once enjoyed â€Å"before he threw away his knees†. The main character then recalls the frivolous crowds which had cheered as he joined up to fight in the war. The main character then notes how the crowds had look ed smaller and less enthusiastic, and how women no longer look at him but at the strong men who were whole. Wilfred Owen uses the poem title itself: ‘Disabled’ to display the theme of loss, the title is quite important as it is what grabs the reader’s attention and gives a brief description of the poem and the title ‘Disabled’ certainly does that and is to the point, this gives the reader a picture in their mind of loss in the poem due to imagery and the use of language throughout the poem. The poem ‘Out, out’ was written by Robert Frost and published in 1916, it is be based on a true event which occurred in March 1910 when the son of Frosts friend and neighbour lost his hand to an accident with a saw and bled so profusely that he went into shock and died. Robert Frost emphasizes on the innocence of the boy through personification frequently throughout the poem in order to show the theme of loss. Frost concentrates on the apparent innocence and passivity of the boy. The poem ‘Out, out’ can be used to demonstrate how extreme circumstances such as war can force innocent and young boys and men to leave their childhood innocence behind, and ultimately be destroyed by circumstances created by the responsible adult as well as the idea that even if somebody dies life will go on as if nothing happened. Disabled is a potent and strong poem which communicates the theme of loss because of mainly the style and structure that Owen has used. Harsh words are used to emphasize the theme of loss inside the poem through imagery; this is shown when the man is wearing a â€Å"ghastly suit of grey’ which shows the man’s morbid and depressed state of mind. As well as that the narrator says sleep ‘mothers’ the main character from the laughter and noises of young boys which suggests that the man no worth living for and prefers the temporary respite sleep provides. He regrets the loss of ‘throwing’ away his knees which suggests that the ideas and inspirations behind joining the war were not as patriotic or loyal as they should have been and his vanity and immaturity only has now left him a cripple. The girls all touch him like a â€Å"queer’ disease† while he used to dance with them freely in his youth; this shows how he has paid for his vanity with the loss of his legs. Wilfred Owen also uses comparisons frequently to demonstrate loss, the line: About this time â€Å"Town used to swing so gay† uses past tense to help compare the town before the war and after the war, this helps to show how he is regretting the losses since he joined the army. The phrase â€Å"Now he is old; his back will never brace† shows the man’s loss through his physical state and can be compared to the phrase: â€Å"for it was younger than his youth, last year.† The use of imagery is used when the narrator talks of the man’s life bleeding out of him through a wound on his thigh, and the use of the word ‘purple’ which is usually a colour denoting life and vitality, shows that the ordeal the soldier had gone through when he had been injured had a deep impact on him, as he no longer feels like he had a reason to live or be happy while compared to when he was younger when he was full of joy and was living life to the fullest. The poem also illustrates how the man’s lifestyle changed dramatically through contrasts between his past life and his current state to show the theme of loss. He was once described as a great athlete and was popular with girls but now he is in a wheelchair and they touch him like a queer disease, and he notices how their eyes pass from him to the strong men that were whole, this is contrast to before when he was the centre of attention. He is no longer seen as a normal person. The man notes that once there was an artist was once eager to paint him but compared to before Now he is old, his back will never brace; hes lost his colour very far from home. The analogy is drawn between being a soldier and playing sports highlights the selfish motives the man had for joining the army such as ‘jewelled hilts, daggers in plaid socks and smart salutes’ which can be seen as a very naà ¯ve view of the army, it also acts as a constant reminder to the man that his pride and va nity had caused him to lose the exact things he had been proud of: he would never again run in a field or score a winning goal, he would never again be praised for being a hero but will only pitied and mocked endlessly for being a cripple. Things that would previously have been boasted about such as the small injuries received in a football match, and being carried on the shoulders of his team mates after a match have become permanent sources of sorrow as he no longer has his legs and needs to be carried around helplessly by nurses and doctors. This contrast is chilling and distressing as it shows his loss though comparisons between his past and his present state. The idea of how much he has lost is made worse when the ‘Only a solemn man who brought him fruits, Thanked him; and then enquired about his soul.’, this section is quite significant as it shows that there is only one man who cares to ask how he is and only then he is only caring because of his own selfish reas ons and does not really care about how the man is doing, this helps further the theme of loss on ‘Disabled’. The poem ends on a sad and mundane note as the man wonders why they do not come and put him to bed. It is a reminder that he will have to have others do things for him from now on, this shows how the man is now reliant on others to help him and that he has nothing to live for anymore furthering the sense of loss in ‘Disabled’. The title of the poem ‘Out, out’ is an allusion to William Shakespeares tragedy Macbeth, in the play Macbeth is shocked to hear of his wifes death and comments on the brevity of life in the quote ‘out, out brief candle’. It refers to how unpredictable and fragile life can be. This title itself also relates to the narrative as the poem is also about how unpredictable and fragile life is. The theme of loss is communicated in ‘Out, out’ with the constant use of personification, an example of this would be the personification of the Buzz Saw which constantly buzzes and snarls while jumping out of the boy’s hand in ‘excitement’. The line: â€Å"leaped out at the boy’s hand, or seemed to leap† as well as the word ‘excitement’ to describe the saw helps to create an image in the readers mind through personification that the saw has a mind of its own. This is uses later on to help display the theme of loss l ater on in the narrative. The poem is penned in blank verse with deviations from iambic pentameter to create a rhythm for when you read the poem, this helps to create tension to help display loss and tension as the narrative goes on. Robert Frost initially starts poem with mentioning the tragic event to come when he states that he wished that the workers would have â€Å"called it a day† and â€Å"given† the boy â€Å"the half hour that counts so much when saved from work†, this leads the reader to wonder what will happen as there is foreshadowing for a unknown event. This eventually leads to the sense of loss when the boy nearly severs his hand. After the boy’s hand is nearly severed, he is still mature and old enough to realize that he has lost too much blood to survive. The boy is shown to desperately attempt to â€Å"keep the life from spilling† from his hand, but even that is only an attempt, since nothing can be done and everybody including t he boy knows he will die soon. Above all, though, the boy hopes to maintain his physical dignity in his death and would rather die with a hand than die with a missing hand, this helps to shows the theme of loss when the boy dies. Robert Frost also shows the theme of loss when he writes: â€Å"the watcher at his pulse took fright†¦.† this use of imagery shows that maybe an acquaintance and not a family member who is with the boy when he dies. This scene is a cold image and shows a lack of humanity to help demonstrate the theme of loss as the boy is shown to be without much family when he dies. Near the end of the poem the narrator says ‘Little—less—nothing’, this is an example of diminishing words and the caesura used creates a pause to put emphasis on what has just been said. The theme of loss is communicated here because it shows that the boy is weak and that he has nothing because his life has been taken away from him. To communicate the them e of loss at the end of the poem Robert Frost writes that the workers: ‘And they, since they were not the one dead, turned to their affairs’, this shows that the family did not feel much emotion when the boy died and instead just carried on with their work without the boy. Onomatopoeia is also prominent throughout the poem as it helps highlight the extended personification, an example of this would be: ‘And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled’, this helps build up tension for when the boy loses his hand to help further communicate the theme of loss. In the two poems â€Å"Out, Out† by Robert Frost and â€Å"Disabled† by Wilfred Owen, a similar theme of loss is portrayed. Both of these poems deal with the subject of physical loss, as both protagonists of these poems experience amputation which are also both accidental, in the case of ‘Disabled’ the loss of the man’s legs and the loss of a hand in ‘Out, out’. Both Robert Frost and Wilfred Owen have managed to captivate their audience’s attention, and also a certain degree of sympathy for the protagonists’ misfortune in ‘Disabled’ and ‘Out, out’. The two poets do this quite well in their poems, with the use of common literary techniques and linguistic skills, such as similes, metaphors, personification, personification, imagery, contrast, and more literary devices, which range from subtle to very obvious. The heavy use of imagery throughout the poem helped to create an image in the reader’ s mind which helped to show the protagonist’s loss. Overall, this helps to make the two poems communicate the theme of loss effectively throughout the narrative. In their different ways the poems ‘Disabled’ by Wilfred Owen and ‘Out, out’ by Robert Frost communicate the theme of loss through literary devices and language features. In the poem ‘Disabled’ by Wilfred Owen; Owen mainly uses comparisons to draw contrasts between his current state and his former life in order to show loss while the poem ‘Out, out’ by Robert Frost mainly uses literary devices which include imagery and personification well as caesuras to help convey his theme of loss. However both poems deal with the subject of physical loss and both Robert Frost and Wilfred Owen manage to captivate the reader’s attention and create a sense of sympathy through the theme of loss. I personally feel that ‘Out, out’ by Robert Frost is more effective due to the heavy use of imagery to help show the protagonists loss. Overall the writers communicated the theme of loss effectively throughout the narrative.

Driving Age Should Be Increased to 18 Essay

The huge number of car crashes caused by young drivers is an issue which is now being strongly debated in Australia. According to the new research released on 7 April 2010 by Carhistory.com.au, Australia’s most comprehensive vehicle history website, one in ten Australian teenagers have had a car accident (Coffey, J 2010). Due to that serious fact, an idea of increasing the driving age to 18 with a minimum of 18 months on ‘P’ plates has been suggested to reduce the number of teens’ deaths by car accidents. Although that proposal will lead to some inconvenience for young drivers, it can prevent them from unsafe and immature way of driving, which guarantees the reduction on teens crashes. One drawback of the issue that the driving age should be increased to the age of eighteen is the inconvenience caused to teenagers. Driving is becoming essential in modern society, especially for the youth. 16 and 17 year old children should be allowed to drive to get to scho ol or work because taking public transportation is very time consuming, and it is also a big problem for them if they are late from the classes for they miss a bus. Furthermore, country kids who live in areas with few buses or trains and very far from city cannot expect their parents to drive them around every day, so having rights to drive is really necessary to them. On the other hand, everything has two sides. The increase in the driving age to 18 has been strongly advocated due to the fact that young drivers are not able to control the cars safely on the road. One major reason leading to car accidents is the distraction while teenagers drive. Multi-tasking is  becoming popular in many teens but it does not work for young drivers. They chat on the phones, listen to an iPod while driving, and even eat some fast food. They can also be distracted by debating with their friends or changing the radio station (The three top reasons why teen crash cars). Those actions directly prevent them from concentrating on the road, which is able to cause collisions. Even experienced drivers can have accidents when they leave their minds and eyes off the road, and their hands off the wheel. From the research for young drivers of South Australia government, having passengers in the vehicle is a distraction and can increase the risk of a crash. Inattention was reported as the cause of 32% of fatal crashes and 44% of serious injury crashes in 2005 (Government of South Australia 2005). Another element leading to car crashes is young drivers’ inexperience on the road. During the first 500 miles of driving, teen drivers are 10 times more likely to be in auto crashes than any other age group because they are lack of training (Ten tips to keep teens safe behind the wheel 2010). At the age of 18, one gets more exposure to traffic situations and experience in making decisions, so he drives more securely and is less likely to harm others. Moreover, the longer teenagers stay on ‘P’ plates, the safer they drive due to some restrictions like no alcohol while driving as well as the speed limit of 100 km/h even where the posted speed limit is higher (Government of South Australia, n.d.). Therefore, 18 months on ‘P’ plates is a good idea to make young drivers drive more consciously. Another factor leading to the raise in the age of driving is young drivers are not mature enough to be on the road. Firstly, teenagers’ brain does not develop enough to deal with all complicated situations while driving. This is clearly shown by the fact that some parts of the brain do not develop until late teenager, like the prefrontal cortex which is the most intelligent part of the brain and known as the brain’s executive. According to Earl Miller, a professor of neuroscience at MIT, the prefrontal cortex does not grow fully until the age of eighteen, nineteen and twenty (Patterson 2010). Moreover, young people are those who are at an age of demanding the independence, as well as taking part in a thrilling social life. They act at night, travel at a very high speed under the influence of alcohol or drug to show off because of peer pressure. Teenagers are also  irresponsible for what they cause. With the overwhelming desire to experience new more challenging actions, they usually do whatever they like without thinking about the subsequences. This is proved by the fact that the parts of the brain responsible for controlling impulses and considering the consequences of decisions may be under development until well after teenage years (Young Drivers: The Road to Safety, 2006). Therefore, they cause an enormous number of car accidents which result in a significant amount of deaths. In Western Australia, according to the Western Australia Government, young less experienced drivers, especially from 15 to 19 years old, who consume alcohol before driving are at higher risk of crashing than people in the other age groups (Government of Western Australia 2010) In conclusion, the increase in the driving age to the age of 18 with the minimum of 18 months on ‘P’ plates has raised many for and against arguments. For young drivers, that idea is indeed irritating. In spite of that fact, it cannot be denied to help to avoid the raising number in car accidents caused by young drivers because of reckless and unconscious driving. Modern technology such as car was invented to serve the society, but young people are abusing it and causing a lot of regrettable consequences. Therefore, the law of increasing the driving age should be applied as soon as possible to urgently lessen the bad results that young drivers may cause. REFERENCES Coffey, J 6 April, 2010, One in ten Aussie teens have has a car accident, Media release, accessed 13 April 2011, . Government of South Australia, 2005, Road crash facts 2005 for South Australia, Department for transport, Energy and Infrastructure, pp.15, accessed 13 April 2011, . Government of South Australia, n.d., P1 provisional licence, Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, accessed 13 April 2011, . Government of Western Australia, July 2010, Drink driving: Information sheet, Government of Western Australia, accessed 15 April 2011, pp.1. Patterson, L Mar 29, 2010, Earl Miller says younger generation will be better multi-taskers, Earthsky, accessed 12 April 2011, . Ten tips to keep teens safe behind the wheel, Jul 21, 2010, accessed 06 April 2011, . The three top reasons why teen crash cars, n.d., Car accident advice, accessed 06 April 2011, Young Drivers: The Road to Safety, Oct, 2006, Policy Brief, accessed 06 April 2011, .

Distance learning in relation to access Essay

Distance learning is educational instruction and information that is offered to learners who are usually physically away from the origin of those instructions or information. It provides opportunity to individuals who could not have the time and money to pursue the traditional classes because of the distance from the learning facilities and high costs of undertaking the course. This kind of learning has been made possible because of internet expansion which has been witnessed in recent years. The main tool used by learners in the distance learning programs is the internet. The internet provides them with learning information in different formats such as sound bits, music, voice and graphics which can be represented in a unique type of artwork like video and animation. Other tools which can supplement the internet include: emails, online video conferencing, news groups and mailing list (Duffy, p. 55). Advantages and disadvantages to individuals Advantages: Distances learning provide individuals with flexible schedules. For example, some colleges offer synchronous learning such that students taking a given class start and finish at a given time. Others offer asynchronous learning where each individual is given the opportunity to choose the time to enroll for classes and usually they are allowed to learn at a speed they feel is convenient to them. They give an individual an opportunity to advance his/her education without leaving his/her job. People can advance in their field of specialty through taking specialized career training courses. The courses do not affect the present employment which is one of the benefits that distance learners get to enjoy. Online learning is cheaper compared to traditional classroom learning. This is because the costs of moving to and from the college are eliminated and other fees that campus students have to pay like medical insurance are avoided (Minoli, p. 43). Disadvantages: There is social isolation. Unlike studying in traditional classes, distance learners often study alone. This brings a sense of isolation but thanks to recent technological advancements such as online chat rooms, teleconferencing and discussion forums which have helped alleviate this problem. There is no immediate feedback. Unlike traditional classrooms where the students’ performance is analyzed by asking questions and offering informal tests, distance learning students have to wait for a longer time for their instructor to review their work before providing a feedback via email or other means (Porter, p. 77). Does distance learning offer equal opportunity? According to Porter (p. 77), distance learning may not be suitable for each and every individual. This is because, for one to succeed in the program, he/she must have self discipline and be highly motivated. The course is mainly unmonitored meaning that learners are left with the full responsibility of ensuring that they continue with the course and analyze their mastering ability in various subjects and skills by themselves. The programs are available to anyone who is qualified but he/she has to be disciplined for him/her to complete the course successfully. There are no barriers which are being generated because of the use of technology to deliver college education. This is because; it encourages competition between academic institutions which promotes collaboration between businesses, academia and industries thus ensuring that learners are given quality education (Minoli, p. 43). How might distance learning serve to increase the gap between the haves and have nots? Because distance learning involves the use of advanced technology in teaching, individuals who have limited access to this kind of technology like those in third world countries may be locked out. Since education is the key to a bright future, these individuals may not have the opportunity to be educated and learn new ways to sustain them thus they will continue languishing in poverty. Works cited Duffy, P. James. College online: how to take college courses without leaving home, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1997: p. 55 Minoli, Daniel. Distance learning technology and applications, Boston: Artech House. , (1996): P. 43 Porter, R. Lynnette. Creating the virtual classroom: Distance learning with the Internet, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. , (1997): p. 77.

A Collection of Zulu Proverbs

Much of Africas history has been passed on through the generations orally. One consequence of this is that traditional wisdom has been crystallized in the form of proverbs. Zulu Proverbs Here is a collection of proverbs attributed to the Zulu of South Africa. You can learn wisdom at your grandfathers feet, or at the end of a stick.Meaning: If you pay attention to what your elders are telling you and follow their advice, you wont have to learn things the hard way through experience. If you dont absorb what they have to say, you will have to learn your lessons by making mistakes and accepting the often-painful consequences.A walking man builds no kraal.Meaning: A kraal is a homestead. If you keep moving, you wont settle down or be forced to settle down.You can not know the good within yourself if you can not see it in others.Meaning: If you want to build self-esteem, you need to practice looking for good qualities in others and appreciating them. This in itself is a virtue, which will build goodness in you.When you bite indiscriminately, you end up eating your own tail.Meaning: Think before you act, especially when acting out of anger or fear. Plan your actions carefully so you dont make things worse.The lion is a beautiful animal  when s een at a distance.Meaning: Things arent always as they seem at first glance, so be careful what you wish for; it may not be what is best for you.The bones must be thrown in three different places before the message must be accepted.Meaning: This refers to a divination ritual; you should consider a question multiple times in multiple ways before reaching a decision.Guessing breeds suspicion.Meaning: When you dont have all of the facts, you may come to false conclusions or experience paranoia. Its better to wait for solid evidence.Even immortals are not immune to fate.Meaning: Nobody is too big to take a fall. Your wealth, intelligence, and success wont protect you from random negative events.You cannot fight an evil disease with sweet medicine.Meaning: Fight fire with fire rather than turning the other cheek. This proverb advises war over diplomacy and not showing mercy to an enemy.Old age doesnt announce itself at the gate of the kraal.Meaning: Old age sneaks up on you; it doesnt si mply arrive one day when you are expecting it.Almost doesnt fill a bowl.Meaning: You dont get partial credit for a failure; you will still suffer the consequences of the failure. You must complete a task and carry through to enjoy success. Dont bother to use the excuse that you tried and you almost succeeded. This is similar to Yodas, Do. There is no try.  Even the most beautiful flower withers in time.Meaning: Nothing lasts forever, so enjoy it while you have it.The sun never sets that there has not been fresh news.Meaning: Change is the one constant.