Letters Between Edward And Helen Thomas Flashcards
Explain the context of Edward going to war
- ‘our bullet was shelled’ and others descriptions of the war
- 1915 joined the army but could have easily avoided it due to being a mature married man but felt that it was he duty
What is the effect of Edwards letter being in present tense
Seems like he is actually directly talking to her
Difference in pronouns that the pair use
- Edward uses ‘i’
- egocentric
- only cares about himself
- personal first person address
- Helen uses ‘we’
What does the pastoral imagery in Edwards letter show ?
- the contrast between the surroundings at home and the violent setting of the war
- also shows he love for the countryside. Use to enjoy walks in nature
Why could you argue that Edwards letter deviates from expectations ?
- it seems more of an account than a letter
- stresses by the use of declarative a and lack of emotion
What is the irony in ‘ all and always yours edwy’
Ironic as he cheated on Helen
What is the effect of helens letter not having a date
- maybe doesn’t want to be conscious of time
Structural difference between the two letters
- Edwards is longer than helens. Helen has more to say, misses him more ?
When Helen says ‘filling my soul with ‘ what is this an example of
Metaphorical language
Explain 3 significant parts of the postscript
- doesn’t begin with his name
- the use of last tenses e.g. ‘went’ suggests that she realised that he is dead
- tag questions ‘do you know, do you feel’ shows she wants a response from him
The poetic language used by Edward reminds us what…
That he was also a poet
What does the deletion in Edwards letter show
The repetitive process of the war
The use of long sentences in Helens diary show what
Emotional outpouring
