Owen effectively conveys the emotions of a hopeless soldier, through the development and progression of thought in “Wild With All Regrets”. Simultaneously uses several parallel lines of thought, such as past, present and future, zooming in on people and then inanimate things, wandering into what could have been and having to return to what really is, and the gradual distancing of oneself from oneself . The form, structure, and language of the entire poem and individual stanzas contribute to the development of ideas and the understanding of the turns taken by the character's mind. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the first verse, Owen transports the character's memories to the past. Here the reader finds the language pleasant. Words like “spring”, “lilac buds” and “childhood” create this atmosphere. He also uses mild, kind words for negative thoughts, too, including “horrible” and the expression “too bad!” As the thought shifts to the present, in the second stanza, the words become harsher, “dragged” and “coffin,” “blood” and “dirt,” until finally in the third stanza the words become tortuous, an inevitable “cold,” “ sobs” and unpleasant emotions that “crawl” through the person. This difference in language between stanzas reflects the slow deterioration of the person, the gradual loss of hope and the feeling of a harsh reality hitting. As time passes, the person ceases to find comfort in the hypothetical. Likewise, the length of the stanzas also reflects the loss of hope over time. The past had potential but it was wasted and the person cannot “renew” it. The second stanza, being present, offers little hope but the character still maintains it, he “thought” he could be a street cleaner or a janitor and in the third stanza the reader finds no reference to a hypothetical, but instead a defined will. Also note the lack of reference to God or the afterlife in the last stanza, which suggests that the person has rejected any hope of peace or rest in the future. This can be seen from the fact that it has the least number of verses. The poem begins with the character's spirit fading, going from "mutineer" to "restless" to "stiff" and in the first stanza he thinks back to his entire possible life. I have been, but was stopped by reality. The development of ideas is determined by repetition. The word "old" is used in the context of the person who fears growing old and then later desires it. Likewise, hitting, shooting, and hunting are considered sports of youth and spirit, until they later become the horrors of war. Yet another path of a developing idea is presented, and this to emphasize the desperation. Owen mentions "the art of wounding" when looking back, but appeals to God for "spring" later. This demonstrates the character's regret but also his willingness to give up what society considers fashionable for his entire life. He would wrap himself in beauty, not killing, if he had the chance to become boyish again. However, in the second stanza, he focuses less on himself, instead magnifying the things around him, both human and inanimate, making them more meaningful and personal. This is first seen in reference to the "ordained one", a nameless man with no connection to the person, yet the person, in his grief, wishes to be him. Owen goes over the ins and outs of being a janitor, “sweeping,” “busting,” and “dirt.” He darts them into the attendant's hands, then further into the dust on his hands. This shows the character running away from the.
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