"Rainbow Death" by Hubert Wilson
Difficulty Rating: **
America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.
Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!
Part 1:
The poem by Hubert Wilson emphasises on the modern day warfare weapon, the use of herbicides during the Vietnam War. Herbicides by the name of Agent Orange, green, pink and purple were some of the herbicides used during the war. The most widely used herbicide was Agent Orange contaminated with TCDD. THe main purpose of the herbicides was to clear off the foilage along the riverbanks as there were many Viet Cong soldiers ambushed there. As they sprayed the herbicides, they got their intended results and the plants dried up. However, the American were so shortsighted that they did not know they were contaminating the Vietnamese's living environment too. Due to the toxins in the herbicides, it resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths and disabilities and 500,000 children born with defects. It showed that even though the war has ended, misery of the people from the effects of the war live on. In addition, it is the innocent generations of civilians who will have to pay the price for the grave mistake America made.
Part 2:
1. Whose Point of View
Statement: The poem adopts a first-hand account of war’s evil, for the poet was the Ssgt USAF, from 1968 to 1972
Evidence: The poet, Hubert Wilson, was the SSGT of the USAF from 1968 to 1972
Elaboration: The poet wanted to speak of the horrors and terrifying effects of modern warfare to the public as he had been through the whole war.
2. Situation and Setting
Statement: The poem was set in the Vietnam War, However, it also shows the present effects of the war.
Evidence: The "Agent Orange" shows that the poet was referring to the Vietnam War. While the line "Toll on the innocent and unborn." shows the present effects.
Elaboration: The poet wanted to show that modern warfare caused a lot of harm and pain for the civilians just because of a simple yet grave mistake made by the United States. The disabilities and birth defects are long term problems that cannot be healed with a pill or two. In fact, it is something that will stay for generations.
3. Language/Diction
Statement:The tone is as though he is speaking in disapproval of the US's mistake and rebuking them, asking them to reflect on themselves.
Evidence: "America did not foresee. Expecting others to pay a high price. Now thinking twice?" shows the poets unhappines with America's decision .
Elaboration: He sounds as though he is forcing them to reflect and telling them that it is too late.
4. Personal Response
Statement: The title of the poem is oxymoronic. Rainbows are meant to be a sign that the worst is over. However, in the poem, it means that the troubles are far from over.
Evidence: The rainbow death is referring to the different colours of agents, for example, "Agent Orange, Agent Green" most of which form the colours of a rainbow.
Elaboration: Rainbows are never used to represent death. A rainbow usually appears after the rain, in other words, it is a sign that the worst is over. However, in the Vietnam war, the "rainbow-coloured agents" bring death, disabilities and birth defects to the people.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Was the decision to assassinate bin Laden rather than bring him to trial a justified one?
In my opinion, it is justified to assassinate Osama bin Laden. This is because he has caused a lot of troubles and anxieties to the world, planning massive terrorists attacks that have claimed the lives of many. Capturing Osama bin Laden might not be the best idea as he has a wide network of people who can always plan his escape. For example,there were a group of terrorists in a prison in Afghanistan who escape from a tunnel dug by their comrades. Moreover, capturing Osama bin Laden would bring a lot of trouble to the United States as there would widespread unhappiness.In the worse case scenario, there could be bombings or attacks against America such as the 9/11 disaster to force the United States to release Osama.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Deception Point
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/976.Deception_Point
Recently, I read the book "Deception Point" by Dan Brown. I rented it from a bookshop as it was highly recommended to me by my mother. It is a very exciting fiction book. The book was very lively, descriptive and the reader is always kept in tension and suspense. It is full of action and one could never predict the outcome of the book. When the reader thinks that he or she might have figured out the outcome, another twist is always awaiting them which changes things 180 degrees! A great boook for people who dislike reading. This could be the book that will pique their interest in reading
Recently, I read the book "Deception Point" by Dan Brown. I rented it from a bookshop as it was highly recommended to me by my mother. It is a very exciting fiction book. The book was very lively, descriptive and the reader is always kept in tension and suspense. It is full of action and one could never predict the outcome of the book. When the reader thinks that he or she might have figured out the outcome, another twist is always awaiting them which changes things 180 degrees! A great boook for people who dislike reading. This could be the book that will pique their interest in reading
Sunday, May 8, 2011
World War I LA ACE Part 1
Introduction
World War I (WWI) or the First World War, formerly called the Great War, was a major war centred on Europe that began in the summer of 1914 and lasted until November 1918. It involved all of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (centred around the Triple Entente) and the Central Powers. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of great technological advances in firepower without corresponding advances in mobility. It was the second deadliest conflict in Western history.
Literary Works
War poems were very famous during World War I. Poets such as Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon wrote poems reflecting the lives they led while they were at the war.
Wilfred Owen
Won the Military Cross by seizing a German machine-gun and using it to kill a number of Germans.
On 4th November he was shot and killed
Wrote famous poems such as Anthem for Doomed Youth and Dulce Et Decorum Est
Influenced by Siegfried Sassoon to write his own War Poetry
Showed the negative effects of war
DULCE ET DECORUM EST by WILFRED OWEN
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Summary
In a nutshell, Wilfred Owen was in the military and wrote on his experience.
He was heading back from the front line when they come under attack from gas shells. All of them manage to put their gas masks on in time except for one soldier and they throw him into the wagon and watch his painful suffering.
The last stanza is meant to reveal the ugly truth and reality of war so that people would not think that war is honorable.
Shows that war is senseless and far from honorable or glorious.
Innocent youth who are sent to the frontlines to fight the war die and do not get to live a normal life.
He himself was a youth when sent to the frontlines to fight the war.
Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (September 8, 1886 - September 1, 1967) was an English poet and author. He became known as a writer of satirical anti-war verse during World War I
The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon
'Jack fell as he'd have wished,' the mother said,
And folded up the letter that she'd read.
'The Colonel writes so nicely.' Something broke
In the tired voice that quavered to a choke.
She half looked up. 'We mothers are so proud
Of our dead soldiers.' Then her face was bowed. Quietly the Brother Officer went out.
He'd told the poor old dear some gallant lies
That she would nourish all her days, no doubt
For while he coughed and mumbled, her weak eyes
Had shone with gentle triumph, brimmed with joy,
Because he'd been so brave, her glorious boy.
He thought how 'Jack', cold-footed, useless swine,
Had panicked down the trench that night the mine
Went up at Wicked Corner; how he'd tried
To get sent home, and how, at last, he died,
Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care
Except that lonely woman with white hair.
Summary
The poem describes a visit by an officer to deliver a letter from the colonel about her son who has just died. Outside the house, the officer reflects on the “gallant lies” that he has just told her and on the unpleasant truth of the soldier’s cowardice and attempts to get away from the front line. Now only Jack’s mother cares for his memory.
Sources
Poetry of the First World War by York Notes Advanced
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/owena.htm
Wikipedia
Google images
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/33903-Siegfried-Sassoon-The-Hero
LA ACE part 2---World War 1
Effect of War on Literature (1st part)
The First World War had great impact on the literature. Most of the poets wrote about their own experiences at war. Most of them were youths when they enlisted and decided to write about the horrors of war after their experiences at the frontline. They also wrote about the huge number of casualties that the war had caused and used satires to criticize the dictators and leaders for being the main cause of the war and deaths. They wrote about the grief that war caused, destroying the future of bright and strong youth. Some mentioned that people often have the wrong impression of war and think that war was glorious and honorable. This can be seen in the poem Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen as well as Glory of women by Siegfried Sassoon. Some other examples of famous poets are Robert Frost and Rupert Brooke
Pick a Literary Work That Showcases the Effects of That War (2nd Part)
I chose the poem “Parable of the Old Man and the Young” by Wilfred Owen. (Poem copied from oldpoetry.com)
The Parable of the Old Man and the Young
So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,
And took the fire with him, and a knife.
And as they sojourned both of them together,
Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,
Behold the preparations, fire and iron,
But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?
Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,
And builded parapets and trenches there,
And stretchèd forth the knife to slay his son.
When lo! an Angel called him out of heaven,
Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,
Neither do anything to him, thy son.
Behold! Caught in a thicket by its horns,
A Ram. Offer the Ram of Pride instead.
But the old man would not so, but slew his son,
And half the seed of Europe, one by one.
From this poem, we understand that the Leaders of the country would rather sacrifice the lives of their own soldiers than to give up their power and pride, never considering surrender. Wilfred used the biblical story of Abram, being very obedient to God and had strong faith in God even when he was asked to kill his son as a sacrifice. However, God saw his faith and sent an angel to stop him and offer a lamb instead. The story had a twist at the end when Abram in the poem went against the angel’s words to offer the Ram of Pride instead and went on to slaughter his son. In the poem, the son refers to the innocent and clueless soldiers who have no rights to even speak up. Abram represents the dictators and leaders of the countries in the war. The Ram of Pride refers to “Abram’s” pride. Abram was unwilling to sacrifice their pride by surrendering, causing so many deaths and casualties, slaughtering his son “And half the seed of Europe, one by one”
A little about the work’s author and why he was affected by the war. Do all the literary works by that particular author show that he has been scarred by the war? (3rd Part)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_Owen
Wilfred Owen was born the eldest of four children in Plas Wilmot; a house near Oswestry in Shropshire on 18 March 1893, of mixed English and Welsh ancestry. His siblings were Harold, Colin, and Mary Millard Owen. He was a British poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War. His shocking, realistic war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was heavily influenced by his friend Siegfried Sassoon and sat in stark contrast to both the public perception of war at the time, and to the confidently patriotic verse written earlier by war poets such as Rupert Brooke. Some of his best-known works—most of which were published posthumously—include "Dulce et Decorum Est", "Insensibility", "Anthem for Doomed Youth", "Futility" and "Strange Meeting".
Wilfred Owen was definitely scarred by the war. His poems such as “Anthem for Doomed Youth” was about terrible fate of the young men like him being sent to war. He got all of his inspirations through real life experiences, stating the horrors of frequent gas attacks and watching as his comrade failed to put on his mask and dying before his eyes. The poem “Exposure” brings out what the soldiers were constantly thinking and the misery that they suffered while staying in the trench. Wilfred Owen also suffered shell shocks, a psychiatric illness caused by stress of battle and it decreases one’s fighting efficiency. Wilfred Owen met Siegfried Sassoon while recuperating. Wilfred Owen eventually died on the war on 4 November 1918, one week before the war ended.
What is interesting/unusual about that particular piece of work? (4th Part)
I find the poem “The Parable of the Old Man and the Young” very unique and interesting as it is a wonderful satire openly criticizing the leaders of the country for not doing as they are told by the “angel”, disobeying God. They have sacrificed their own soldiers, who are their sons to save their pride. But they did not stop there, they also went on to slaughter “half the seed of Europe”. It is a very interesting poem as it does not really focus on rhyme, but more on the play on words and personification. Wilfred managed to bring out how innocent and young the “son” was when he askedhis “Abram” where was the lamb to be sacrificed.
A little about the other works of the same time period that exhibit similar qualities. (5th Part)
(Some Parts Adapted from York Notes)
I would like to talk about “Dulce Et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen. They speak of how men are forced onto the battlefield and are relentlessly attacked by the enemy and the horrors that they see. Wilfred Owen also exposed the lie that war was full of glory and honour and a chance to win medals. This can be seen from the last few lines of the poem “To children ardent for some desperate glory, the old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.” Another example would be “Glory of Women” by Siegfried Sassoon. It describes how women love soldiers at home on leave or wounded and are impressed by medals. They see war as glorious and have no idea of the number of people dying as time passes and the cruel ways of combat. The tittle of this poem is ironic as it does not celebrate women but rather attacks them. In conclusion, most of the poems written during the First World War show the soldiers hatred for war and the leaders of the countries who’s love for pride is amplifying the problem.
The First World War had great impact on the literature. Most of the poets wrote about their own experiences at war. Most of them were youths when they enlisted and decided to write about the horrors of war after their experiences at the frontline. They also wrote about the huge number of casualties that the war had caused and used satires to criticize the dictators and leaders for being the main cause of the war and deaths. They wrote about the grief that war caused, destroying the future of bright and strong youth. Some mentioned that people often have the wrong impression of war and think that war was glorious and honorable. This can be seen in the poem Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen as well as Glory of women by Siegfried Sassoon. Some other examples of famous poets are Robert Frost and Rupert Brooke
Pick a Literary Work That Showcases the Effects of That War (2nd Part)
I chose the poem “Parable of the Old Man and the Young” by Wilfred Owen. (Poem copied from oldpoetry.com)
The Parable of the Old Man and the Young
So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,
And took the fire with him, and a knife.
And as they sojourned both of them together,
Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,
Behold the preparations, fire and iron,
But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?
Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,
And builded parapets and trenches there,
And stretchèd forth the knife to slay his son.
When lo! an Angel called him out of heaven,
Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,
Neither do anything to him, thy son.
Behold! Caught in a thicket by its horns,
A Ram. Offer the Ram of Pride instead.
But the old man would not so, but slew his son,
And half the seed of Europe, one by one.
From this poem, we understand that the Leaders of the country would rather sacrifice the lives of their own soldiers than to give up their power and pride, never considering surrender. Wilfred used the biblical story of Abram, being very obedient to God and had strong faith in God even when he was asked to kill his son as a sacrifice. However, God saw his faith and sent an angel to stop him and offer a lamb instead. The story had a twist at the end when Abram in the poem went against the angel’s words to offer the Ram of Pride instead and went on to slaughter his son. In the poem, the son refers to the innocent and clueless soldiers who have no rights to even speak up. Abram represents the dictators and leaders of the countries in the war. The Ram of Pride refers to “Abram’s” pride. Abram was unwilling to sacrifice their pride by surrendering, causing so many deaths and casualties, slaughtering his son “And half the seed of Europe, one by one”
A little about the work’s author and why he was affected by the war. Do all the literary works by that particular author show that he has been scarred by the war? (3rd Part)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_Owen
Wilfred Owen was born the eldest of four children in Plas Wilmot; a house near Oswestry in Shropshire on 18 March 1893, of mixed English and Welsh ancestry. His siblings were Harold, Colin, and Mary Millard Owen. He was a British poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War. His shocking, realistic war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was heavily influenced by his friend Siegfried Sassoon and sat in stark contrast to both the public perception of war at the time, and to the confidently patriotic verse written earlier by war poets such as Rupert Brooke. Some of his best-known works—most of which were published posthumously—include "Dulce et Decorum Est", "Insensibility", "Anthem for Doomed Youth", "Futility" and "Strange Meeting".
Wilfred Owen was definitely scarred by the war. His poems such as “Anthem for Doomed Youth” was about terrible fate of the young men like him being sent to war. He got all of his inspirations through real life experiences, stating the horrors of frequent gas attacks and watching as his comrade failed to put on his mask and dying before his eyes. The poem “Exposure” brings out what the soldiers were constantly thinking and the misery that they suffered while staying in the trench. Wilfred Owen also suffered shell shocks, a psychiatric illness caused by stress of battle and it decreases one’s fighting efficiency. Wilfred Owen met Siegfried Sassoon while recuperating. Wilfred Owen eventually died on the war on 4 November 1918, one week before the war ended.
What is interesting/unusual about that particular piece of work? (4th Part)
I find the poem “The Parable of the Old Man and the Young” very unique and interesting as it is a wonderful satire openly criticizing the leaders of the country for not doing as they are told by the “angel”, disobeying God. They have sacrificed their own soldiers, who are their sons to save their pride. But they did not stop there, they also went on to slaughter “half the seed of Europe”. It is a very interesting poem as it does not really focus on rhyme, but more on the play on words and personification. Wilfred managed to bring out how innocent and young the “son” was when he askedhis “Abram” where was the lamb to be sacrificed.
A little about the other works of the same time period that exhibit similar qualities. (5th Part)
(Some Parts Adapted from York Notes)
I would like to talk about “Dulce Et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen. They speak of how men are forced onto the battlefield and are relentlessly attacked by the enemy and the horrors that they see. Wilfred Owen also exposed the lie that war was full of glory and honour and a chance to win medals. This can be seen from the last few lines of the poem “To children ardent for some desperate glory, the old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.” Another example would be “Glory of Women” by Siegfried Sassoon. It describes how women love soldiers at home on leave or wounded and are impressed by medals. They see war as glorious and have no idea of the number of people dying as time passes and the cruel ways of combat. The tittle of this poem is ironic as it does not celebrate women but rather attacks them. In conclusion, most of the poems written during the First World War show the soldiers hatred for war and the leaders of the countries who’s love for pride is amplifying the problem.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Logical Fallacies
Bandwagon
John: I love ABBA music, they arelegendary to most modern music
Ivan:Oh please, only my grandmother listens to that
Michael:Yeah, Greenday rocks much more, you are too old fashioned, grandpa
John: Hey, I was just kidding, I hate ABBA, Greenday is definitely the best!
Straw Man
Person A: KFC fried chicken is very delicious.
Person B: If you eat KFC fried chicken everyday, you will grow fat and become susceptable to medical conditions that would eventually lead to death.
Post Hoc
Argument: After the Ian ate the caesar salad, he died of a heart attack the nest day, thus, eating caesar salad gives you heart attacks.
Sweeping Generalizations
Standing around at a public place is illegal as it is considered as loitering. Security guards are standing at the entrance of the shopping mall. They are breaking the law as they are loitering.
John: I love ABBA music, they arelegendary to most modern music
Ivan:Oh please, only my grandmother listens to that
Michael:Yeah, Greenday rocks much more, you are too old fashioned, grandpa
John: Hey, I was just kidding, I hate ABBA, Greenday is definitely the best!
Straw Man
Person A: KFC fried chicken is very delicious.
Person B: If you eat KFC fried chicken everyday, you will grow fat and become susceptable to medical conditions that would eventually lead to death.
Post Hoc
Argument: After the Ian ate the caesar salad, he died of a heart attack the nest day, thus, eating caesar salad gives you heart attacks.
Sweeping Generalizations
Standing around at a public place is illegal as it is considered as loitering. Security guards are standing at the entrance of the shopping mall. They are breaking the law as they are loitering.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
GE posters
In my opinion,the People;s Action Party posters shows more unity and teamwork. This is because the leader can be distinguished from the rest very clearly in the poster, which is Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. All of them are doing the same pose and the individual pictures of the other candidates are of the same size. These are very uniform and represents teamwork. However, in the National Solidarity Party poster, inexperienced politicians are given the biggest spot on the poster. Hwever, those who have the experience are comparitively smaller in size. Moreover, not all of them are facing straight, in contrast to the PAP poster.
Monday, May 2, 2011
LA_ACE, Online lesson 7
The war deprived these children of a proper chilhood, instead, subjecting them to all sorts of medical conditions that could stay with them for the rest of their lives. The picture of the albino child with the other malnourished children shows of the effects of war more than any picture of the destrauction of buildings or soldiers fighting. If I were to put myself in the shoes of photographer Don McCullin, I would imagine that being in a shelter with these little children would be a very shocking and heart-breaking experience. The atmosphere would definitely be very tense as I would not know what to do and I could not do anything to help them. In fact, I would not even dare to take this picture of the children.Sunday, May 1, 2011
Future School Program, boon or bane
We are using Web 2.0 platforms such as blogger as part of the Future School program, especially for Science and Language Arts. In my opinion, this integration of online learning into our normal curriculum is very effective as it helps to make our lessons more interactive and interesting. This is a boon to our grades as students have a different approach towards learning and no longer see lessons as a bore. However, online lessons also have its disadvantages if students misuse their computers. Thus, proper measures have to be put in place and students have to be educated on what to do and what not. In conlusion, online lessons are very helpful but it has its disadvantages if not handled properly.
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