This was a poem in our war poetry packet, and it was one of my favorites. The way I interpreted it, this poem was about an American man in a different country feeling like the "odd man out", like he sticks out of everyone else living there, and even the other soldiers who are in perfect unison with each other. At the end of the war, he knows he will be referred to as the "evil one" when all the other people are telling stories to their children about he war. They tell their stories as if the soldiers are bad people and fighting with bad intentions, so their children won't grow up learning that fighting is okay. Everyone else has different view of the war, like they all see themselves as the hero, fighting for their country. But to the other side, you're just someone trying to harm their ways of life. This soldier, however; doesn't want to feel left out, or evil, or even scary; he just wanted to help his country.
I don't have a personal connection to this poem, but I really liked it. I know what it feels like when everyone is noticing you, but not in a good way. And I know what it also feels like to just want to fit in, but it's never that easy. You'll always feel like there's someone who doesn't like you, who doesn't want you to fit in, so they can seem better than you, and the hero in someone else's eyes.
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4 comments:
I agree with you, Erin: this is a great, powerful short poem. I think you get a key idea on this poem, that of perspective. Everyone has a tendency to see things from one's own point of view; this is particularly true during wars.
Nice post on this!
The poem brings up an extremely interesting aspect of war and human nature. The notion of each side thinking they're right (which drives them to fight) is completely correct. That's why I think it's impossbile to win a war based on religious beleifs. Both sides have their own beleifs that they see as "correct" and no matter how much brute force you use you're not going to convince them otherwise. You can't defeat a beleif or idea.
This was a great poem. I always feel like to odd woman out and I try to fit in with others. Everyone judges people differently so it is hard. Good blog.
That was the one I enjoyed the most because it was the one I understood the most. This poem definetly is talking about the worry that this man is feeling becuase he doesn't want these kids to grow-up thinking that American soldiers are the evil ones because thats what he is. Great blog! :)
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