Discussion Topic
Analysis of imagery, sound, and poetic devices in John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields"
Summary:
John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" employs vivid imagery, such as the poppies growing among the crosses, to evoke the somber reality of war. The poem's sound devices include a regular rhyme scheme and meter, which lend a solemn, rhythmic quality. Poetic devices like repetition and personification emphasize themes of remembrance and the ongoing presence of the fallen soldiers' legacy.
What poetic devices and techniques are used in John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields"?
In the opening stanza of the poem, McCrae uses symbolism when he describes "the crosses, row on row." The "crosses" he refers to here are the crosses that are used to mark the graves of soldiers killed during war. The crosses symbolize not only the deaths of the soldiers but also the bravery and honor of their deaths.
In the same stanza, the speaker says that there are "larks" flying overhead, above the graves. Larks, and birds in general, are often used in literature to symbolize freedom. In the context of this poem, the larks symbolize the freedom that the soldiers fought for and also perhaps the freedom from strife that these soldiers have attained in death.
At the end of the first stanza there is an example of juxtaposition when McCrae describes the singing of the larks "in the sky" being drowned out by the firing of "the guns...
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below." This juxtaposition, between the birds singing overhead and the guns firing below, reflects the link between freedom and violence. In World War I, soldiers believed that the violence of war was a necessary means by which to win freedom for their countries.
In the second stanza the speaker says that the soldiers who are now dead "loved and were loved." The repetition of the word "loved" emphasizes the point that these soldiers were people with families, whom they lost and who lost them.
In the third and final stanza there is another example of symbolism when the speaker says that the soldiers who have died in the war have passed "the torch" on to the next generation. The "torch" here symbolizes the hope that the dead soldiers fought for and which the next generation must keep alive in order to honor the memories of those dead soldiers.
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What images or sounds in "In Flanders Field" by John McCrae help us understand the poem?
In the poem "In Flanders Field," by John McCrae, the overriding images are of order and bucolic beauty. The scene is a cemetery, with poppies growing between row upon row of crosses, while in the sky above, larks fly "bravely" by. The peaceful scene is deceiving, however, and the song of the larks can barely be heard over the sound of "the guns below."
The speakers of the words of the poem are the Dead, those killed in the war. Just days ago, they were living and able to enjoy the natural beauty of the earth and human relationships - they "lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow," but now, alas, they lie beneath the crosses in Flanders Field.
The sinister and tragic undertones beneath the peaceful scene of poppies and pristine white crosses bring home to the reader the meaning of the poem. The sound of the guns and the voices of the Dead are not far removed from the images of serenity, emphasizing the vulnerability of life and how quickly it can be extinguished. Also, the image of the torch provides a stark reminder of duty, a plea by the dead that those who remain on earth and still enjoy the loveliness of life take up the cause for which they died. If those who live on fail to act in their stead, the Dead will not rest, despite the peaceful appearance of their final resting place in Flanders Field.