Exposure

• What do the opening lines of the poem depict about the soldiers?


  The soldiers are depicted as hurt and vulnerable victims of a hostile environment.
• How does Owen describe the impact of the 'iced east winds' on the soldiers?


  He describes them as physically attacked by the winds and mentally affected by the silent night.
• What does the term 'salient' refer to in a military context?


  'Salient' refers to a battlefield feature projecting into enemy territory.
• What theme does Owen convey through the soldiers' paranoia about silence?


  The theme of mental torment as a result of conflict, where fear of silence is greater than fear of death.
• How does Owen use personification in the line about the wind 'tugging on the wire'?


  He juxtaposes the eerie calmness of the night with the expected chaos of war.
• What does the simile 'like twitching agonies of men among its brambles' convey?


  It likens the force of the wind to the physical agony experienced by the men during conflict.
• What does the rhetorical question 'What are we doing here?' reveal about the soldiers' mindset?


  It reveals their feelings of desperation and despair.
• How does Owen portray dawn in the line 'The poignant misery of dawn begins to grow'?


  He uses tragic irony, flipping the metaphor of dawn as new beginnings to depict despair.
• What does the imagery of 'melancholy army' in relation to dawn suggest?


  It suggests that dawn is an army attacking the night, representing the loss of life and hope.
• What does the repeated line 'But nothing happens' signify in the poem?

  It serves as a metaphor for the futility of war and the lack of resolution.
• How does Owen compare the danger of weather to that of bullets?


  He suggests that the hostile weather is more dangerous than the bullets themselves.
• What does the personification of snowflakes in 'sidelong flowing flakes that flock, pause, and renew' imply?


  It implies that even the snow is making conscious decisions about where to settle, adding to the soldiers' suffering.
• What do the lines 'Deep into grassier ditches. So we drowse, sun-dozed' reveal about the soldiers' thoughts?


  They reveal the soldiers' longing for a better life in peacetime, contrasting their harsh reality.
• What does the imagery of 'innocent mice rejoice' signify in the context of the poem?


  It signifies the soldiers' longing for a life not consumed by war, contrasting with their current despair.
• How does Owen use the metaphor of 'sunk fires' in relation to the soldiers' dreams?


  It represents a sense of hope amidst overwhelming despair, yet highlights that this life is inaccessible to them.
• What does the line 'Since we believe not otherwise can kind fires burn' suggest about the soldiers' beliefs?


  It suggests that the soldiers have lost faith in the possibility of warmth and hope in their lives.
• How does Owen depict the tragic death of the soldiers in the lines about frost?


  He personifies frost as fastening the soldiers to the ground, illustrating their vulnerability and fragility.
• What does the phrase 'All their eyes are ice' convey about the dead soldiers?


  It conveys the coldness and lifelessness of the soldiers after the toll of war.
• What does the repetition of 'But nothing happens' emphasize in the poem?


  It emphasizes the waiting and futility experienced by the soldiers despite their suffering.
• How does Owen use biblical imagery in the poem?


  He references the idea of wars and rumors of wars to convey the soldiers' feelings of despair.
• What does the personification of the weather suggest about its role in the poem?


  It suggests that the weather is portrayed as a more dangerous enemy than the war itself.
• How does Owen's use of military language contribute to the poem's themes?


  It evokes images of war and brutality, enhancing the theme of suffering experienced by the soldiers.
• What is the significance of the structure of each stanza in the poem?


  Each stanza follows a pattern of a blunt statement, emotive vocabulary, and ends with an anti-climax, emphasizing the agony of waiting.
• What key theme does Wilfred Owen express about war?


  He believes that war is pointless and futile.
• What did Wilfred Owen say he did not believe in?


  He did not believe in glory, honour, might, majesty, dominion, or power.
• How does Owen's background influence the themes in his poetry?


  His experiences of shell shock and the harsh realities of war led him to write about the truth of suffering.
• What poetic devices does Owen use to convey the soldiers' experiences?


  He uses sibilance, assonance, repetition, rhetorical questions, and personification.
• How does the use of sibilance in 'silence sentries whisper' affect the poem?


  It creates a mysterious and sinister atmosphere, enhancing the tension of the scene.
• What effect does the assonance in 'low drooping flares' have on the poem's pacing?


  It slows the pace, reflecting the dragging time experienced by the soldiers.
• What is the significance of the rhetorical question 'What are we doing here?' in the poem?


  It highlights the soldiers' confusion and despair about their purpose in the war.
• How does Owen's use of personification in 'this frost will fasten on this mud and us' contribute to the poem's themes?


  It illustrates the soldiers' vulnerability and the suffocating nature of their environment.
• What does the phrase 'the burying-party, picks and shovels in shaking grasp' imply about the soldiers' deaths?


  It implies that the burying-party is emotionally affected by the deaths they witness.
• What does the phrase 'half-known faces' suggest about the soldiers who have died?


  It suggests that the soldiers are almost unrecognizable due to the toll of war.
• How does the repetition of 'But nothing happens' at the end of the poem reinforce its themes?


  It reinforces the idea that despite suffering and death, the war leads to no meaningful outcome.
• What does the phrase 'merciless iced east winds that knive us' suggest about the soldiers' environment?


  It suggests that the weather is a cruel and violent force against the soldiers.
• How does Owen's comparison of 'sudden successive flights of bullets' to the weather contribute to the poem's message?


  It emphasizes that the weather poses a greater threat to the soldiers than the bullets themselves.
• What does the phrase 'far off like some dull rumour of some other war' convey about the soldiers' perception of their situation?


  It conveys a sense of vagueness and distance, making the war feel unreal and dismissive.
• What is the significance of the title 'Exposure' in relation to the poem's themes?


  It highlights the harsh realities of war, exposing soldiers to both the elements and the suffering caused by conflict.
• How does Owen's context as a poet influence the themes in 'Exposure'?


  His desire to convey the harsh truths of war, stemming from his own experiences, shapes the poem's themes.
• What poetic devices does Owen employ to enhance the emotional impact of 'Exposure'?


  He uses sibilance, assonance, repetition, rhetorical questions, and personification to convey emotion.