Exposure

• What is the main theme of Wilfred Owen's poem "Exposure"?

  The trauma experienced by soldiers in the trenches during World War I
• How do the soldiers feel while waiting in the trench?

  They are scared and anxious about potential attacks
• What does the poem suggest happens as dawn breaks?

  Dawn brings more misery and suffering
• What does the cold represent in the poem "Exposure"?

  The cold is portrayed as a greater threat than enemy soldiers
• How is the passage of time depicted in the poem?

  It is marked by snow transitioning into signs of spring
• What was Wilfred Owen's original career aspiration?


  He originally pursued a career in the church
• Why did Owen leave his career in the church?


  He felt it was hypocritical and failed to care for its dependants
• When was Wilfred Owen killed?

  One week before the armistice in 1918
• Who influenced Owen's writing?

  John Keats and Siegfried Sassoon
• What role did Siegfried Sassoon play in Owen's life?

  Sassoon acted as a mentor to Owen while he suffered from shellshock
• What advice did Owen receive from a therapist?

  To write about his experiences in his poetry
• How does Owen's poem "Exposure" differ from other war poetry of the time?

  It exposes the horrific reality of war rather than romanticizing it
• What literary device is used to create fear in the listener in "Exposure"?

  Personification of nature in a sinister way
• What effect does asyndetic listing have in the poem?

  It creates a rushed, panicked pace
• What does the rhetorical question in the poem imply?

  The speaker is questioning his motivation to fight
• What does the religious reference in the poem suggest?

  There is a lack of religiously imposed morality in the situation
• How does Owen's opening line relate to Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale"?

  It closely resembles the opening of Keats' poem, showing his influence
• What psychological impact does Owen focus on in the poem?

  The psychological pain inflicted by witnessing death
• How does the rhyme scheme contribute to the poem's theme?

  It emphasizes the monotony of war
• What does the fifth line of the poem signify?

  It creates an anti-climax, mirroring the soldiers' constant alertness
• What is the effect of pararhyme in the poem?

  It creates an atmosphere of unease and leaves the reader unsatisfied
• How does the cyclical structure of the poem affect its meaning?

  It emphasizes that nothing has changed over time
• What does the repetition of "but nothing happens" signify?

  It emphasizes the futility of war
• How does caesura function in the poem?

  It separates home from the trenches, depicting longing
• What is the purpose of ellipses in the poem?

  They emphasize the waiting and boredom of the soldiers
• How does Owen portray the soldiers' moral duty?

  As selfless acts to protect innocent people at home
• What does the phrase "for love of God seems dying" imply?

  It suggests a loss of faith and morality in the war
• What does the phrase "we turn back to our dying" suggest about the soldiers' mindset?

  It reflects their acceptance of death and despair
• What imagery is created by the phrase "the burying-party, picks and shovels in their shaking grasp"?

  It creates a vivid and uncomfortable image of death and burial
• What does the phrase "all their eyes are ice" imply about the soldiers' condition?

  It suggests a sense of numbness and despair
• How does Owen's use of alliteration affect the poem?

  It alludes to the difficulty of the soldiers' lives
• What effect does the use of sibilance and fricatives create in the poem?


  It creates a horrific image that enhances the poem's themes
• What does the blunt statement "but nothing happens" reveal about the soldiers' feelings?

  It shows their disillusionment with their cause
• What does "limpsing the sunk fires" depict about the soldiers' feelings?

  It depicts the soldiers imagining the warmth of their homes.
• What does the barrier represent for the soldiers in the poem?

  The barrier represents their inability to return home and the necessity to fight in the cold.
• How does Owen use ellipses in the poem?

  • The first three lines end with ellipses to emphasize waiting and boredom.
  • Ellipses slow the pace of the poem, forcing the reader to experience the soldiers' frustration.

  
• What is the significance of the phrase "for love of God seems dying" in the poem?

  It shows the soldiers' moral duty to protect the innocent and their selflessness.
• How does Owen connect the soldiers' faith to the suffering of Jesus?

  He ties the soldiers' selflessness to the idea of Jesus suffering and dying to save humanity.
• What does the phrase "we turn back to our dying" suggest about the soldiers' acceptance of death?

  It suggests a sense of resignation and acceptance of their fate.
• How does Owen portray the soldiers' faith in God throughout the poem?

  He presents their faith as "dying," indicating difficulty reconciling a benevolent God with the reality of conflict.