Compare and Contrast the Depiction of War and Soldiers in Birdsong and Strange Meeting Essay

In the first half of the twentieth century gore was dominant as war on a global outdo occurred on two occasions. These were not only effective on spate that witnessed the catastrophe except also for propaganda and literature that would occur years later. two of the most dominant authors depicting soldiers and war were Englishmen Sebastian Faulks and Susan Hill.They expressed their opinions on much(prenominal) matters with literature such as Birdsong and Strange conflict respectively. In comparison twain texts were wrote within the last forty years categorising them twain as modernistic texts. Along with the information that both authors were neither there or around at the time, this would indicate that their novels are both adaptations of stories they bring forth heard and open to artistic licence resulting in both universeness complete works of fiction.Throughout both extracts of the texts many comparisons and short letters skunk be brought up involving the agency wa r is opinionated for the soldiers. The first contrast that can be made is the indication that the 3rd person illustrates about the trenches but by two different styles of writing. Birdsong creates the feeling of negativity relating to the trenches through a strong intent of imagery involving death.Language such as wailing, primitive fear and rigid body along with the use as short and punctual sentences creates a representation of a unceasingly changing and dangerous environment perchance drawing the speed of the soldiers heartbeats involved, enable the referee to understand the rush and panic the soldiers are feeling and representing the aversion of the trenches from the soldiers point of view. This is in stark contrast to Strange Meeting which describes the trenches with descriptive language and in a positive light, a full stagnate sh one(a) above the ridge.The frost was thin and here and there it caught in the colour light on the barbed wire, tin canisters, helmets, and g leamed. This different interpretation of the trenches offers a complete alternative opinion of trench life as end-to-end the extract words such as frost, jokes and Quiet portray a very quiet and peaceful place, somewhere not to be afraid of. This is a complete dissimilarity to the interpretation of Birdsong. A calm and positive situation is also highlighted in the attitude of the soldiers and the race they charter with distributively other throughout the extract of Strange Meeting.Within the extract, the author highlights the kindreds that Barton, an military officer, has with Parkin, a soldier, as uncomfortable but calm. A constant awkwardness is represented with the way that the two characters discourse with each other. Sir? / Hello, Parkin. All right? have you, sir? / No, have you? / No. could be employ to represent the constant difficulty that an officer has with relating to Parkin, a constant problem with rank and a constant inability to communicate for any co ntinuance of time.The use of short and sharp responses from both sides represents that both social classes hold outt really know what to say to each other and arrive it difficult to be themselves in each others company. The class cope is further highlighted with the introduction of the character Hilliard. Hilliard, much the like Barton, is an officer in the trenches. The affinity with which he has with Barton compared to Parkin is of great difference representing the social boundaries that members of the British army throughout World War I would have faced.The relationship that Barton has with his social equal, Hilliard, could be viewed as a strong family bond and perhaps even slightly homosexual. The comfortable relationship that both officers have compared to the relationship with Parkin really highlights the feature that class boundaries are a major factor. The body structure of both colloquys next to each other really highlights the clashes as engineer contrasts and comp arisons can be drawn between both conversations.The use of this by the author really illustrates to the reader the differences in the characters and enables the reader to draw up questions about the officers. The relationship that Barton and Hilliard have could be portrayed as being like husband and wife. This is highlighted where it states Do you want to turn the lamp on? I thought you were asleep. / No, I was waiting for you. . This could be interpreted by the reader as being highly homosexual and similar to a unite life at nursing home.A constant representation of the Queer hypothesis is brought up through many texts involving the First World War and seemed to be acceptable within the trenches. This is further highlighted with Strange Meeting where it states in conversation between Barton and Hilliard I want to take you everywhere, show you everything This further highlights their struggle with homosexuality but it also gives the reader an insight into what Susan Hills opin ion regarding the war is about.The talk of everything and anything within the war could perhaps signify boredom through the trenches or perhaps even more polemically the fear with which the soldiers have. Their constant distraction and conversation about other matters impertinent the war could indicate that even the image of trench life which has been talked as being calm and okay within the extract could in fact be terrifying the soldiers involved so much that they want to be constantly distracted away from it and discuss the positivity that thinking of home and the outside world may have.The indication that the positivity could be concealing the negativity of the war. The relationship between soldiers offers a different interpretation in Birdsong. Throughout Birdsong there is very little conversation between the soldiers unlike Strange Meeting so the reader has to tuck a sense of the relationships from what the voice of the extract is telling them rather than from converse bet ween the characters. The constant theme regarding the soldiers throughout the extract is brotherhood, in contrast to homosexual tendencies in Strange Meeting.Constant references throughout he extract such as The three men lay determination together, Help me, and brother all create an image of association and brotherhood to the reader and assists insinuate that they are all there to help each other and watch each others butt in the horrors of war. Even though this also shows togetherness between the soldiers much like Strange meeting the readers interpretations differ as one text depicts the soldiers as too close and the other as uncorrupted friends.The constantly different interpretations with both extracts is completely down to the fact that both authors only have facts of what they have heard and have no first-hand realize of the trenches due to the texts modernistic tendencies. Along with differing circumstances throughout all the lines of the trenches no exact accounts can be given within the two texts regarding the way the trenches and the soldiers relationships with each other would have been as no trench would have been the same, the soldiers would have been all of differing backgrounds and differing opinions on the job they have to do.