"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 cannot 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
Task 2:
ANNEX A
1. Whose Point of View
Statement: From an adult’s point of view/ Poet’s point of view
Evidence: “Could we simply light a candle”
Elaboration: From the above evidence, it proved that it’s from an adult’s point of view, where he ask himself is he could offer the children some chance and hope.
2. Situation and Setting
Statement: The poem is in a period of war. The setting is one whole patch of darkness, where there’s no light available.
Evidence: “Or will a war consume them”, “Who someone will teach to fight”,” Back into the darkness”
Elaboration: The poem itself had already stated the situation, where it’s in a period of war. It further supported when the poem stated that the children were taught how to fight, and it suggests that they were to fight for war. The setting is very dark and gloomy, as it suggests how bleak the children’s future is.
3. Language/Diction
Statement: The poet used symbolisation, and personification.
Evidence: “There are children in the darkness”, “Who have not seen the light”, “Or will a war consume them”
Elaboration: The poem used Symbolisation when he used words like ”darkness” and “light”. The word ”darkness” is a contrast to the word “light”, like two totally opposite sides. The word “light” symbolises hope, eternity, dreams and aims. It depicts all the positive things. However, the word “darkness” symbolises death, injuries, unlucky and no freedom. It depicts all the negative things instead. The poet also used personification when he brings war to life, stating that the “war consume them”.
4. Personal Response
Statement: After reading the poet, I inevitably pitied the children that were to fight for the war.
Evidence: “Their body and their soul”, ”Will their life and blood be poured”, “Chalk and blackboards will not be”, “To this door there is no key”
Elaboration: From the evidence above, it depicts how pitiful the children were, having to fight for the war at such a young age. My heart went out for them when I read upon the lines that they have a risk of losing their lives, body and soul. Those are definitely not the kind of treatment they should be getting. At the same time, I felt that it was unfair when I read upon the lines describing the treatment the children should be getting. Instead of education, they had been block the access and were force to fight for the war without even their knowledge as they were still young. At the thought of it, I would feel pitiful for the children.
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