Question

Which TWO common themes of war literature are reflected in these excerpts?

Answer 1

In the first excerpt we can discern the anger at the government for lying to enlisted youth (answer  d). The message of the poem is that if anyone could see the atrocities of war and the suffering of the warriors, he should never lie to young boys who think it is glorious to fight for your country.

The theme that is evident in the second excerpt is anger at the ignorance of civilians and leaders at home, who would never cheer and applaud when the troops are marching if they knew the reality of war that they are going to face.