Task 2 - Background of Children in the Darkness

Point of View: The poet is trying to convey the message that war is harming the children in the countries involved in the war. The phrase“Or will a war consume them Their body and their soul” tells us that the author thinks that war is making the children learn the wrong things and thus consuming their soul. Situation and Setting: The situation is the Vietnam War. The author wrote this poem in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The author sees the harsh effects on war on the children of Vietnam. The children live in a “dark” place as they have to learn how to kill others unlike children in other countries who are living in a “bright” place as they learn how to read and dance. Language and Diction: In the first stanza, the author repeats “There are children in the darkness” The use of repetition emphasizes the effect that the children have a very “dark” and sad life. In the third stanza, “could we” is repeated. This emphasizes the fact that the children are very pitiful. The words “light” and “darkness” shows the contrasts between those children and the children in other countries. Personal Response: I personally pity the children in war-struck countries as they cannot live a normal life like children in other countries and I feel that we should do everything we can do help them.