LA HBL 2

"Children in the Darkness" by Henry M Bechtold

Difficulty Rating: *

There are children in the darkness

Who have not seen the light

There are children in the darkness

Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be

To this door there is no key

From this life they can not flee

And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle

Could we give them half a chance

Could we teach them how to read

Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them

Their body and their soul

Will their life and blood be poured

Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness

From which there is no flight

Back into the darkness

Into which there shines no light

ANNEX A

1. Whose Point of View:

Statement: Poet's point of view

Evidence: "Will their life and blood be poured"

Elaboration: The poet speaks about other people, the children's fate, but not himself.

2. Situation and Setting

Statement: The setting is in a period of war. They are probably fighting a losing war.

Evidence:"Or will a war consume them", "Will their life and blood be poured" and "From this life they can not flee"

Elaboration: The poem stated clearly that it was a war scene. The poem is most likely referring to a losing war as it is stated that the children cannot flee from this war, and that they might be killed, suggesting that they are losing this war as if they are winning, they can break free of this war after winning the war. Also, a winning war would not have so much emphasis on the death of the children.

3. Language/Diction

Statement: The poet used rhyme and personification.

Evidence: "Or will a war consume them", "From which there is no flight", "Into which there shines no light"

Elaboration: The poet used personification by writing that the war consumes children, but wars cannot literally consume children, and it is just to bring wars into life, and show that children are being sacrificed in wars. The poet also used rhyme as the last word of the last two evidence

have the "light" sound.

4. Personal Response

Statement: I feel very sorry for the children going through this war.

Evidence: "Will their life and blood be poured

Down some endless thirsty hole" , "Into which there shines no light"

Elaboration: From this poem, I can understand how hopeless and miserable children during wartime feel, as they needed to face the endless war, with everything they had being taken away from the war. They had no chance of breaking away from the war, and they are hopeless in surviving the war. There is no hope for them, and they are battling uselessly for their future, which is the darkness and harsh reality of the war. The endless war will take away everything from them, their soul, their flesh, leaving not a single ray of hope shining on them. With their life devoted to the war, these children will certainly be controlled by the war, and in the end, the war will rob them of everything they posses. Looking at how these children are tortured by the war, I felt very sorry for them, as other children of their age are enjoying their childhood, but yet the war is exposing them to endless pain.