HBL task 2

"Children in the Darkness" by Henry M Bechtold

Difficulty Rating: *

There are children in the darkness

Who have not seen the light

There are children in the darkness

Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be

To this door there is no key

From this life they cannot flee

And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle

Could we give them half a chance

Could we teach them how to read

Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them

Their body and their soul

Will their life and blood be poured

Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness

From which there is no flight

Back into the darkness

Into which there shines no light

Task 2:

ANNEX A

1. Whose Point of View

Statement: From persona/poet's point of view

Evidence: “Their body and their soul”

Elaboration: From the above evidence, it shows that it is from a persona point of view, where he says about others, children's body and soul and not him himself.

2. Situation and Setting

Statement: The poem is in a period of war. The setting is in the children's mind or heart, reflecting their thinking.

Evidence: “Or will a war consume them”, “And these children are not free”,” Back into the darkness”

Elaboration: The poem had already stated, saying that there is a war scene. Evidence also state that the children were taught how to fight, and how they are going to give themselves into the war. The setting is very dark and gloomy, which represented by their future and life in that period of war.

3. Language/Diction

Statement: The poet used personification and repetition.

Evidence: “From which there is no flight”, “Into which there shines no light”, “Or will a war consume them”

Elaboration: The poem uses repetition in the poem as every alernate line of the poem, the ending word would have assonance in them, such as “From which there is no flight”, “Into which there shines no light”. The poet also used personification when he brings war to life, stating that the “war consume them”.

4. Personal Response

Statement: After reading the poet, I felt very sad for the children that were to fight for the war.

Evidence: “Their body and their soul”, ”Will their life and blood be poured”, “To this door there is no key”

Elaboration: From the poem, I can feel how miserable life is when war comes, especially if you are only a child and needed to go for war. My eyes watered when I read the lines of them, having to risk their lives, body and soul. This should not be a life for children! Children should be studying and not suffering this way. Instead of giving them education, they had been "prohibited" from studying and were force to fight for the war without even their knowledge as they were still young. What an unfair treatment!