“The Last War” by Katherine Gallagher Essay

Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Tatsuya Shiihara, and today I will be presenting to you my reading material of the rime The Last War, written by Australian poet, Katherine Gallagher. This poem expresses the flavorings of the winning countries before, during and after the Second World War and the anticipation which the culmination of the contend built. Born in 1935, in the town of Maldon, in capital of Seychelles Gallagher went through the 2nd World War as a child, and as a result, experienced many adversities that came with it, such as fear of love ones not coming home and rationing of food. I believe that this poem is unique in the way that it represents an important point of view on the ending of the 2nd World War, not just because it is Australian, but because it too conveys a form of acceptance and sorrow over the oddment caused by the atomic miscarrying on Japan. Gallagher uses many techniques, notably similes, to represent emotions entangle by people, emphasising the ir desperation when waiting for news in the line Ears discover to the wireless and Ghost Towns, used to aid readers visualise the devastating situation, allowing for them to view the ravages of the state of war.The final line, the pit of ash beneath our tongues, is a distinctive metaphor in that I believe it to not whole represent the remnant of atomic fires, but also the inescapable legacy that had been passed down, which is indisputably the objectionable habit of the devastating bomb. Symbolism also helps share Gallaghers perspective on the war. The line our teacher joining in symbolises how even adults celebrated the display case by having fun, something which they would not have been able to do for many years. This generates a sense of jubilancy, and combined with Gallagher effectively positioning the reader as though they are actually in the situation themselves, World War 2 ended and celebrations everywhere, the reader can understand how joyous people were when the wa r was finally declared over. With the poem being written in freshman person, weve won and The bomb entered our conversation, Gallagher also uses personification in the lines The bomb entered our conversation, a stranger who refused to leave, to clearly convey that the bomb is unwanted, a symbol of sin and fear, by making it person-to-person with the reader.Whilst this effectively reflects her personal attitudes towards the war, remorse and acceptance, the reader also starts to question their own attitude towards the war. However, it is the juxtaposition within the layers of the poem that most entices the readers attention. The sharp lineage between the cheerful and happy celebrations that the war was over, to the suddenly sombre olfactory property that comes with the realisation of the deaths that were the price of war combined with the existence of the atomic bomb which spreads fear. It effectively engineers turmoil within the reader. With no rhythm or riming scheme within the poem, the poem is a free-verse, following the rhythm of cancel speech with no consistent meter patterns. Thus, Gallagher uses precise language and hard phrasing in order to get her point across quick and concisely, such as the lines Japan bombed, extensive clouds curling, skies burnt scar allow -total destruction . . . and The War over.This short, sharp rhythm is very effective as it doesnt let the readers mind wander from the point, on that pointby successfully demanding the readers attention at all times. Tatsuya Shiihara English metrical composition Year 11 Term 2 Semester 1 2014 1 verse form Annotation The Last War There was only one war, and it was coat any day soon. Ears keyed to the wireless, we waited. Then the news Japan bombed, gigantic clouds curling, skies burnt scarlet total destruction . . . Weve won, weve won, a conga-chant round the schoolground, get the better of tins, sticks our teacher joining in flags, jumbled cries uncles and cousins coming back. The war over. Hiroshima, Nagasaki shadow towns now. Over two hundred thousand people ghosts too. We couldnt conceive it. The bomb entered our conversation, a stranger who refused to leave.Only years on did we get going aware of the pit of ash beneath our tongues. Katherine Gallagher Taken From http//www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/gallagher-katherine/the-last-war-0646045 observe u1 emblematic represents the anticipation that everyone had waiting to hear the news that the war had ended and so the suffering and death as well had ended. input signal u2 emblematic represents that this input u3 Short, sharp rhythm gets straight to the point alternatively of wandering, doesnt let readers mind wander from the point. chin wagging u4 Symbolic represents that there was nearly nothing left after the explosion, everything had been decimated.Comment u5 Symbolic represents the jubilance felt by those who were relieved that the war had ended, generating a sense of hiatus Comment u 6 Symbolic represents how even the adults celebrated the event by having a little fun something they had not been able to do for many years. Comment u7 Symbolic- represents how separated families got back together after the war Comment u8 Symbolic represents how the cities were literally empty no, with nothing at all left untouched. Comment u9 Symbolic represents that how many people were lost Comment u10 Symbolic represents how, in the countries that won after the war, as the people there could not feel the direct effects of how the war was ended (atomic bomb), and no-one could imagine it, people celebrated, instead of mourned.Comment u11 Juxtaposition sharp contrast from cheerful and happy that the war was over to suddenly a sombre tone that was full of guilt and sadness. Comment u12 First person generates a point of view of the poet Comment u13 Symbolic represents the guilt that was felt for having to decimate over 200000 people in order to win this war and the fear becau se of the atomic bomb existent Comment u14 Personification human nature Comment u15 Symbolic represents how, only after the people of the winning countries realised the extent of the Comment u16 fable represents the never-ending guilt over the destruction caused. Comment u17 No rime pattern detected Comment u18 Structured to be like a story, many symbolic words and phrases. Comment u19 * English Poetry synopsis Commentary * Official draft