War Poetry and Literature

What this unit covers

The unit brings together poems, plays and novels about the First World War and its aftermath. Poetry is the heart of it. The mind map Analysis of Exposure by Wilfred Owen lists vocabulary such as merciless and glozed, then moves on to interpretations. The mind map Anthem For Doomed Youth compares death in battle with death at home and notes the irony of the title. The Soldier by Rupert Brooke is set against Owen, since its mind map points out that Brooke's poetry was pro-war.

Plays and novels

Journey's End has the largest set of character material. There are key-quote mind maps for Stanhope, Raleigh, Osborne, Hibbert and Hardy, plus the flashcard deck Journeys End- Characters and the slide set Journeys End - The Plot. For prose, the mind maps on Birdsong themes and Regeneration Pat Barker: Themes cover the realities of war, guilt and the home front. There are also quizzes on Private Peaceful and All Quiet on the Western Front.

Where to start

1. Choose one text, such as Dulce et Decorum est, and read a mind map to see its tone, imagery and language.
2. Check the notes or flashcards for key quotations.
3. Take a quiz, such as Poetry of World War One or the quiz on Exposure by Wilfred Owen.
4. Go back to the map for anything you missed.

Using quizzes and maps together

Maps show how ideas connect. Quizzes show what you actually remember. Use a map first, then a quiz, then return to the map and add what the quiz exposed. Exam boards named in the resources include GCSE English Literature, A-level English Literature and GCSE English, so the material suits school students at those stages. Teachers can use the maps as ready-made starting points for a lesson.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the Poetry strand of Literature. It also reaches beyond poems into drama and novels on the same theme.

Open a map that matches your set text, and see what you can add to it yourself.