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  1. The poem is a poignant reflection of the physical and emotional aftermath of a war. It greatly emphasises all the destruction left in the wake of the war and how laborious it is to reconstruct and rebuild a war-ruined space. The poem also highlights the vicious cycle of human conflict where wars comRead more

    The poem is a poignant reflection of the physical and emotional aftermath of a war. It greatly emphasises all the destruction left in the wake of the war and how laborious it is to reconstruct and rebuild a war-ruined space. The poem also highlights the vicious cycle of human conflict where wars come and go and ruin a place from its core. The poem also shows how there is a gradual forgetting done by the future generations as they move further away from the war and become more clueless about its destructive nature.

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  1. There is no specific rhyme scheme or meter employed in the poem. It is written in free verse. The End and the Beginning Summary

    There is no specific rhyme scheme or meter employed in the poem. It is written in free verse.

    The End and the Beginning Summary

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  1. The poem essentially highlights the negative effects of war and how it leaves chaos and disorder in its wake. The poem addresses different aspects of the war, starting with the task of rebuilding that is given to workers who are largely left unknown by the people. We see how war impacts the personalRead more

    The poem essentially highlights the negative effects of war and how it leaves chaos and disorder in its wake. The poem addresses different aspects of the war, starting with the task of rebuilding that is given to workers who are largely left unknown by the people. We see how war impacts the personal and social aspects of a person’s life equally. Lastly, the progression of time after a war has the gradual effect of forgetting.  The survivors remember but they prefer to forget about their trauma. And the future generation grows up being further away from the effects of the war and thus, having more peace and ignorance.

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  1. Imagery- Imagery involves the use of vivid and descriptive language to create sensory experiences for the reader. It can be seen in the lines, “someone must be stretched out/ blade of grass in his mouth/ gazing at the clouds.” Repetition- Repetition is the use of the same word or phrase multiple timRead more

    • Imagery- Imagery involves the use of vivid and descriptive language to create sensory experiences for the reader. It can be seen in the lines, “someone must be stretched out/ blade of grass in his mouth/ gazing at the clouds.”

    • Repetition- Repetition is the use of the same word or phrase multiple times for emphasis. In the poem, the word “someone” is repeated.

    • Symbolism- Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent abstract ideas or concepts. Things like “Sofa springs,” “splintered glass,” and “bloody rags” are symbolic of how the war impacts even the domestic aspects of people’s lives.

    • Enjambment- Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause. It creates a flowing and uninterrupted rhythm in the poem.

    • Personification- Personification involves attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or abstract concepts. The poem’s line “Things won’t / straighten themselves up” personifies things.

    • – Alliteration- Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close proximity. It can be seen in the lines, “Someone has to get mired/ in scum and ashes,/ sofa springs,/ splintered glass,/ and bloody rags.” where the /s/ sound is repeated.

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