Not A Hero

Australians are known for their bravery and mateship. Defending our country at war is a significant part of the Australian identity. Donald Bruce Dawe who was a soldier during the Vietnam War has written about the horrors that these soldiers faced in his poem “Homecoming”. Jeff Cook’s “Grandpa what did you do in the war?” also highlights the struggles associated with being involved in war. This piece was written for the soldiers who returned home and the ones that lost their lives fighting for Australia.

The poem highlights the Australian male identity of mateship, bravery and courage through the line "They did not fear the ape-like cloud". How the poet portrays the soldiers attitude towards fighting, "each man raised his thumb towards the sky", identifies strongly with the Australian culture of celebrating the call to arms. CONCLUDING SENTENCE

Carnegie was not a hero A hero is a person who faces danger, adversity, or one who shows bravery, courage, or self sacrifice. The simple act of giving is not necessarily a reflection of a heroic spirit. For example, Andrew Carnegie would give money away to the community in order to gain power (Doc.E). Although he had already gained power through his steel industry, he owned 80% of the steel industry by 1901.

The poem’s theme is a simple, yet powerful one; never forget the people who sacrificed their lives for our lives to be lived free. The poem repeatedly refers to these people as heroes in accordance with this theme, as it demonstrates the poet’s appreciation towards these people who died. The title, Not A Hero, refers to the old digger not being a hero as the only heroes were those who died for their country, hence; “First of all I was not a hero”, "I served with many

“ A hero is somebody who voluntarily walks into the unknown .” When a hero keeps on going and never stop trying that makes them a hero.When a hero puts there life at risk just to save another life, even though it could mean losing their own that makes them a hero. Someone who goes through great challenges but never stops trying is a hero. Ahero is not someone who gives up or someone who is selfish.Heroism is being selflessness, someone who makes sacrifices, and someone who never gives up.

Without going into the poem just yet it is important to understand what heroism means in classical literature before the great wars of the 20th century. A hero was someone who sought glory in the battlefield, fighting wars and slaying enemies left and right. A hero was someone who never got tired, who had almost godly strength and power, and the only purpose on a hero’s life was to

In terms of structure, “The Soldier” is composed of two stanzas and it is written in iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD in the first stanza, and EFG EFG in the second stanza. The poem was written during the First World War,

The overall message in this poem is a drill sergeant educating young soldiers and preparing them for the harsh reality of war. He is not playing ‘Mr. nice guy’, he is being tough and strict to give the soldiers no easy way out.

To me this poem is tragically inspirational because the men didn't desert their leader even though they knew he was at fault and that his mistake would result in heavy consequences. These soldiers were the best of the best and they carried on fully knowing what was waiting for them in the “valley of death”. They died with the honour of knowing they did all they could and that they died as more than soldiers, they died as a family. Gary Neville once said, “A collection of strong-minded individuals who have learned how to dismiss mistakes, disappointments, and problems make up a strong team.” In my opinion this explains my awe and reverence in these men because they never gave up

“The Soldier” is a poem about a generic, yet ideal soldier, which is indicated by Rupert Brooke’s use of the word “The” instead of “A” when describing the soldier in the title. The usage of “I” and “me” in the poem suggests a first person point of view, which makes the poem more personal and realistic to the reader. This poem is a sonnet because the first stanza contains eight lines and the second stanza contains six. Throughout “The Soldier,” the repetition of “English” and “England” shows how important his homeland is to the soldier and his high level of patriotism. In line five, England is personified, and although England is not a living thing, the soldier sees his country as his creator and as a sort of mother figure. Brooke’s use of alliteration throughout the poem helps it flow; the use of caesura breaks up the lines. Perfect external rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter are used throughout the poem, which both give the poem flow and rhythm. The “dust” in lines four and five is a metaphor for the soldier’s life; England created him and he will become “dust concealed” when he dies and is buried. The first stanza of “The Soldier” uses various lines of imagery: “some corner of a foreign field… In that rich earth a richer dust concealed… flowers… Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.” These forms of imagery emphasize the soldier’s death and how his death will cleanse him of any wrongdoings he had done in his time on earth. The “rivers” and “suns” are personified as

There are many types of heroes (such as the ones in comic books, myths, movies, or even just everyday life heroes) but all of them have perseverance when they’re going through a conflict. Heroes are role models and they’re people that we look up too. They all have unique and special qualities that make one another different from each other. For example policemen battle crime everyday and when they’re overcoming a conflict they have determination, courage and other traits that people admire them for and that make them as a hero. Typically a hero is admired for their achievement/actions and qualities.

The poet then presents a scene of patriotic relevance as he describes a scene of a regiment marching into battle with their “flag” and “Eagle with crest of red and gold” (17-18). When people think of flags, they think of patriotism and representing their country. Eagles also symbolize freedom but as readers can witness in the work, the poet makes it seem as if these men were created not to enjoy the gift of life for one moment by him saying “These men were born to drill and die” (19). This comes across to the reader as almost inhumane. Then by illustrating an image of a field of thousands of dead corpses makes any reader wonder why people even go to war. The whole fourth stanza paints a picture of living human being going into a battle with most, if not any, making it out alive. Like stated before, the speaker in the poem builds a case for those people that opposed to war even though the title of the poem might

The poem starts with similar word choices as ‘The Soldier’ but written in the perspective of the mother. The mother tells his son that when he dies he will be in a place of ‘quietness’ and free from the ‘loss and bloodshed’. This reinforces the fact that the battlefield was full of horrors and death. The poem then moves onto how ‘men may rest themselves and dream of nought’ explaining that the soldiers do not have to fear for their lives after their death. This illustrates how they feared for their lives and had negative connotations.

What if you were trapped in a burning building with nobody to come and save you? People need heroes. Whether you are being robbed or your house is on fire, you need a hero. There is a reason that heroes are so liked, needed, and wanted in our modern world. It’s because heroes instill order where there is chaos by having the kindness to do something that’s right, like stand up to a bully, but also by having the kindness to do something like rescue a cat from a tree.

War is not heroic. War is sickness, struggle, and death. This is the message that poet and World War I soldier Wilfred Owen wanted to instill in his people back home. Those back home talked of glory and national pride and rooted for their soldiers, however, they were unaware of the horrors these soldiers witnessed and experienced. The soldiers and their people back home were not only separated by distance but by mental barriers, which Owen showcases in his poetry. Owen’s use of personification in “Anthem for Doomed Youth” degrades the soldiers to objects to show how the war dehumanized them to intentionally create a disconnect between the audience and the soldiers.