Wilfred Owen incorporates many techniques into his poems to present his didactic views to the reader. Here Owen attempts to teach the reader about the struggles of young people affected by the First World War, allowing his concern for young people to be developed alongside. Through the manipulation of linguistic techniques in 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and 'Anthem For Doomed Youth' Owen allows his concern for youth to develop. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In "Dulce et Decorum Est" Owen shows the social impact of the world war on young people. Owen establishes this idea by describing the “innocent tongues” of war. By introducing this idea, an atmosphere of global inclusion is created. This is achieved through the use of the plural noun "tongues" which as a play on words establishes linguistic variety in warfare and with this referring to the way in which war has a global impact, affecting many nations. This is fundamental because it represents the position of young people. Furthermore, the young man is defined as "innocent" creating an idea of purity, linked to the idea that these young people have never experienced war and its consequences. By using this language to describe the inclusion and innocence of men, it is possible to establish Owen's concern for all the young men who served in the First World War. Furthermore, in "Anthem For Doomed Youth" Owen mentions the shape of social expectations and the effects of propaganda on the society of his time. Owen does this by incorporating the idea that young people are born to die. This idea of being born to die is supported by the statement that "men die like cattle". By using the adverb “like” in the simile the young people are modified as if they were given the status of animals, illustrating a sense of youthful submission as a result of social pressures and expectations. This is further supported by the symbolic use of the noun "cattle", which with extra-poetic knowledge is known to have connotations of death as cattle are slaughtered for their meat. Using both ideas of social pressure and birth to die creates an atmosphere of manipulation. This atmosphere of manipulation is key as it subtly represents propaganda which is a form of media that Owen constantly works to condemn through his poems. Developing the idea of social expectation and its impact Owen once again highlights his concern for "doomed youth". Owen also demonstrates his concern for young people as he talks about their naive nature in "Dulce et Decorum Est". Owen clarifies this opinion by stating that the boys are "burning for desperate glory". Using the term 'ardent' as a modifier develops a sense of great impatience on the part of the young people to enter the conflict. This excerpt is an aid to Owen's concern as it subtly foreshadows the pain the boys will have to endure. This foreshadowing of pain, which most likely refers to the fire of gas attacks used as a weapon, is realized by the word 'ardente' which comes from the Latin word 'ardere' meaning 'to burn'. This idea of the stake is affective as it contrasts with the character of the young people who are modified as 'desperate'. With this 'desperate' modifier you may find that young people have been misinformed about their future in helping with the war effort. With this idea of information Owen presents the reader with his justification for his concern for young people. Furthermore, Owen presents his concern for young people by illustrating the absence of great.')'.
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