Poetry - Exposure

• What is the title of the Wilfred Owen poem being analyzed?

  Exposure
• In what year was Wilfred Owen born?

  1893
• When did Wilfred Owen die?

  November 4, 1918
• Why did Wilfred Owen leave the church?

  He felt the church didn't look after people as it should
• Which poet was Wilfred Owen an avid fan of?

  John Keats
• What was the main theme of Wilfred Owen's war poetry?

  War is futile
• What is the main conflict in the poem 'Exposure'?

  Soldiers vs. harsh weather conditions
• What does the title 'Exposure' refer to in the context of the poem?

  Exposure to weather, enemy, and the truth of war
• What is a salient in the context of the poem?

  A position on the frontline jutting into enemy territory
• Why do the soldiers in 'Exposure' question their presence in the war?

  They feel their suffering is pointless
• What is the recurring line in many stanzas of 'Exposure'?

  But nothing happens
• What does the phrase "Pale flakes with fingering stealth come feeling for our faces" describe?


  Snowflakes falling on the soldiers' faces
• What do the soldiers dream of in the poem?

  Sun, flowers, and birds
• What does the line "For love of God seems dying" suggest?

  Ambiguity about God's love or the rightness of dying
• What happens to the soldiers' hands and foreheads in the cold?

  They shrivel and pucker
• Why does Owen structure each stanza with an anticlimactic ending?

  To reflect the soldiers' experience of waiting for nothing
• What is the rhyme scheme of the poem 'Exposure'?

  ABBA
• How does Owen use language to heighten tension in each stanza?

  Through highly emotive vocabulary choices
• What is the final line of many stanzas in 'Exposure'?

  But nothing happens
• What does the repetition of "But nothing happens" emphasize?

  The soldiers' frustration and futility
• What are the key themes in Wilfred Owen's 'Exposure'?

  • The futility of war
  • The harshness of nature
  • The soldiers' suffering
  • The exposure of the truth of war
• What techniques does Owen use in 'Exposure' to convey the soldiers' experience?

  • Rhyme scheme and pararhyme
  • Refrain ("But nothing happens")
  • Personification of nature
  • Sibilants and religious imagery
  • Caesura and intertextual references
• How does Owen's use of structure in 'Exposure' reflect the soldiers' experience?

  • Each stanza begins with a blunt, powerful sentence
  • Emotive vocabulary builds tension
  • Anticlimactic endings reflect the soldiers' frustration
  • Repetition emphasizes the monotony and futility
• What is the significance of the title 'Exposure' in the poem?

  • Exposure to harsh weather conditions
  • Exposure to enemy fire
  • Exposure of the truth about war to the public
• How does Owen's background influence the themes in 'Exposure'?

  • His experience in trench warfare
  • His disillusionment with the church
  • His admiration for John Keats
  • His belief in the futility of war
• What is the role of nature in 'Exposure'?

  • Nature is portrayed as an enemy
  • The harsh weather conditions cause suffering
  • Nature contrasts with the soldiers' dreams of home
• How does Owen use religious imagery in 'Exposure'?

  • To question the role of God in war
  • To contrast the soldiers' suffering with religious ideals
  • To highlight the ambiguity of faith in wartime
• What is the significance of the refrain "But nothing happens" in 'Exposure'?

  • It emphasizes the soldiers' frustration and futility
  • It reflects the monotony and anticlimax of trench life
  • It contrasts with the tension built in each stanza
• How does Owen's use of caesura affect the reading of 'Exposure'?

  • It creates pauses that reflect the soldiers' waiting
  • It emphasizes key phrases and emotions
  • It mirrors the fragmented experience of war
• What is the impact of Owen's use of sibilants in 'Exposure'?

  • It creates a sense of harshness and cold
  • It mimics the sound of wind and snow
  • It enhances the atmosphere of suffering
• How does Owen's use of intertextual references in 'Exposure' add depth to the poem?

  • It connects the poem to broader literary traditions
  • It highlights Owen's admiration for John Keats
  • It adds layers of meaning and context
• What is the emotional impact of Owen's use of personification in 'Exposure'?

  • It makes nature seem like an active enemy
  • It intensifies the soldiers' suffering
  • It creates a sense of helplessness
• How does Owen's use of rhyme and pararhyme in 'Exposure' affect the poem's tone?

  • It creates a sense of unease and tension
  • It reflects the soldiers' fragmented experience
  • It enhances the poem's melancholic atmosphere
• What is the significance of the soldiers' dreams in 'Exposure'?

  • They contrast with the harsh reality of war
  • They provide a brief escape from suffering
  • They highlight the soldiers' longing for home
• How does Owen's use of imagery in 'Exposure' convey the soldiers' experience?

  • It vividly depicts the harsh conditions
  • It contrasts the soldiers' reality with their dreams
  • It emphasizes the futility and suffering of war
• What is the role of the burying party in 'Exposure'?

  • They symbolize the inevitability of death
  • They highlight the soldiers' detachment from the dead
  • They emphasize the futility of the soldiers' efforts
• How does Owen's use of repetition in 'Exposure' affect the poem's meaning?

  • It emphasizes the monotony and futility of war
  • It reinforces the soldiers' frustration and suffering
  • It creates a sense of inevitability and despair
• What is the impact of Owen's use of contrast in 'Exposure'?

  • It highlights the disparity between reality and dreams
  • It emphasizes the soldiers' suffering and longing
  • It underscores the futility and pointlessness of war
• How does Owen's use of ambiguity in 'Exposure' affect the reader's interpretation?

  • It allows for multiple interpretations of key lines
  • It reflects the uncertainty and confusion of war
  • It adds depth and complexity to the poem
• What is the significance of the final stanza in 'Exposure'?

  • It reinforces the theme of futility and suffering
  • It highlights the soldiers' detachment from life
  • It leaves the reader with a sense of despair