Question

In the following excerpt, the author explores the relationship between the older generation—those with authority, such as teachers, parents, or government leaders—and the younger generation. Read the excerpt and then answer the questions. For us lads of eighteen they ought to have been mediators and guides to the world of maturity, the world of work, of duty, of culture, of progress—to the future. We often made fun of them and played jokes on them, but in our hearts we trusted them. The idea of authority, which they represented, was associated in our minds with a greater insight and a more humane wisdom. But the first death we saw shattered this belief. We had to recognise that our generation was more to be trusted than theirs. . . . The first bombardment showed us our mistake, and under it the world as they had taught it to us broke in pieces. While they continued to write and talk, we saw the wounded and dying. While they taught that duty to one's country is the greatest thing, we already knew that death-throes are stronger. But for all that we were no mutineers, no deserters, no cowards--they were very free with all these expressions. We loved our country as much as they; we went courageously into every action; but also we distinguished the false from true, we had suddenly learned to see. And we saw that there was nothing of their world left. We were all at once terribly alone; and alone we must see it through. In a few sentences, summarize the author’s main point about the relationship between the generations.

Answer 1

This excerpt and the idea that the author tries to convey with it, is the breaking between what was once expected by younger generations of those they perceived as authorities, and the reality presented. It is the disappointment that younger generations had to face when they saw that those they considered mature, better prepared and moral bastions actually were flawed and sometimes, even more than they could be given their age.  In fact, as the reflection flows, the speaker first underlines the perceptions young people once had of their authority figures and the expectations they had for guidance and maturation. But as events develop, particularly wars and conflicts of the time, younger generations come to realize that older generations were not what they expected and thus their trust in the older generations´ leadership capacities fails completely. This leads the speaker then to also advise his peers to realize that there is nothing that young people can learn from their elders anymore, who have lost all authority and thus exhorts them to learn to mature and grow on their own and without this guidance from older generations.