Compare and Contrast the Depiction of War and Soldiers in Birdsong and Strange Meeting Essay

In the first half of the twentieth century bloodshed was dominant as war on a global scale occurred on two occasions. These were not only effective on people that witnessed the catastrophe but also for propaganda and literature that would occur years later. Two of the most dominant authors depicting soldiers and war were Englishmen Sebastian Faulks and Susan Hill. They expressed their opinions on such matters with literature such as â€Å"Birdsong† and â€Å"Strange Meeting† respectively. In comparison both texts were wrote within the last forty years categorising them both as modernistic texts. Along with the information that both authors were neither there or around at the time, this would indicate that their novels are both adaptations of stories they have heard and open to artistic licence resulting in both being complete works of fiction. Throughout both extracts of the texts many comparisons and contrasts can be brought up involving the way war is opinionated for the soldiers. The first contrast that can be made is the indication that the 3rd person illustrates about the trenches but through two different styles of writing. â€Å"Birdsong† creates the feeling of negativity relating to the trenches through a strong use of imagery involving death. Language such as ‘wailing’, ‘primitive fear’ and ‘rigid body’ along with the use as short and punctual sentences creates a representation of a constantly changing and dangerous environment perhaps portraying the speed of the soldiers’ heartbeats involved, enabling the reader to understand the rush and panic the soldiers are feeling and representing the horror of the trenches from the soldiers’ point of view. This is in stark contrast to â€Å"Strange Meeting† which describes the trenches with descriptive language and in a positive light, ‘†¦a full moon shone above the ridge. The frost was thin and here and there it caught in the pale light on the barbed wire, tin canisters, helmets, and gleamed. ’ This different interpretation of the trenches offers a complete alternative opinion of trench life as throughout the extract words such as ‘frost’, ‘jokes’ and ‘Quiet’ portray a very quiet and peaceful place, somewhere not to be afraid of. This is a complete dissimilarity to the interpretation of â€Å"Birdsong†. A calm and positive situation is also highlighted in the attitude of the soldiers and the relationship they have with each other throughout the extract of â€Å"Strange Meeting†. Within the extract, the author highlights the relationships that Barton, an officer, has with Parkin, a soldier, as uncomfortable but calm. A constant awkwardness is represented with the way that the two characters converse with each other. ‘â€Å"Sir? † / â€Å"Hello, Parkin. All right? † †¦ â€Å"†¦have you, sir? † / â€Å"No, have you? † / â€Å"No. †Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ could be used to represent the constant problem that an officer has with relating to Parkin, a constant problem with class and a constant inability to communicate for any length of time. The use of short and sharp responses from both sides represents that both social classes don’t really know what to say to each other and find it difficult to be themselves in each other’s company. The class struggle is further highlighted with the introduction of the character Hilliard. Hilliard, much like Barton, is an officer in the trenches. The relationship with which he has with Barton compared to Parkin is of great difference representing the social boundaries that members of the British army throughout World War I would have faced. The relationship that Barton has with his social equal, Hilliard, could be viewed as a strong family bond and perhaps even slightly homosexual. The comfortable relationship that both officers have compared to the relationship with Parkin really highlights the fact that class boundaries are a major factor. The structure of both conversations next to each other really highlights the clashes as direct contrasts and comparisons can be drawn between both conversations. The use of this by the author really illustrates to the reader the differences in the characters and enables the reader to draw up questions about the officers. The relationship that Barton and Hilliard have could be portrayed as being like husband and wife. This is highlighted where it states ‘†Do you want to turn the lamp on? †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"I thought you were asleep. † / â€Å"No, I was waiting for you. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. This could be interpreted by the reader as being highly homosexual and similar to a married life at home. A constant representation of the Queer Theory is brought up through many texts involving the First World War and seemed to be acceptable within the trenches. This is further highlighted with ‘Strange Meeting’ where it states in conversation between Barton and Hilliard ‘†I want to take you everywhere, show you everything†¦ ’ This further highlights their struggle with homosexuality but it also gives the reader an insight into what Susan Hill’s opinion regarding the war is about. The talk of everything and anything within the war could perhaps insinuate boredom through the trenches or perhaps even more controversially the fear with which the soldiers have. Their constant distraction and conversation about other matters outside the war could indicate that even the image of trench life which has been talked as being calm and okay within the extract could in fact be terrifying the soldiers involved so much that they want to be constantly distracted away from it and discuss the positivity that thinking of home and the outside world may have. The indication that the positivity could be hiding the negativity of the war. The relationship between soldiers offers a different interpretation in â€Å"Birdsong†. Throughout â€Å"Birdsong† there is very little conversation between the soldiers unlike â€Å"Strange Meeting† so the reader has to gather a sense of the relationships from what the voice of the extract is telling them rather than from converse between the characters. The constant theme regarding the soldiers throughout the extract is brotherhood, in contrast to homosexual tendencies in â€Å"Strange Meeting†. Constant references throughout he extract such as ‘The three men lay close together’, ‘â€Å"Help me,†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and ‘brother’ all create an image of friendship and brotherhood to the reader and helps insinuate that they are all there to help each other and watch each other’s back in the horrors of war. Even though this also shows togetherness between the soldiers much like ‘Strange meeting’ the reader’s interpretations differ as one text depicts the soldiers as too close and the other as good friends. The constantly different interpretations with both extracts is completely down to the fact that both authors only have facts of what they have heard and have no first-hand experience of the trenches due to the texts modernistic tendencies. Along with differing circumstances throughout all the lines of the trenches no exact accounts can be given within the two texts regarding the way the trenches and the soldiers relationships with each other would have been as no trench would have been the same, the soldiers would have been all of differing backgrounds and differing opinions on the job they have to do.