Question 1: Describe how Owen conveys the soldiers' emotional and physical suffering in the poem. Refer to specific lines or images.

Answer: Students should discuss imagery of cold, hunger, fear, and the use of repetition to emphasize ongoing suffering.

Question 2: Identify and interpret the significance of the line: 'But nothing happens.' How does this reflect the poem's theme?

Answer: It reflects the monotony and helplessness of war, emphasizing the soldiers' suffering despite the passing of time.

Question 3: Analyze how Owen uses imagery to depict the natural environment contrasted with the soldiers' plight.

Answer: Students should mention imagery of wind, snow, and ice symbolizing harshness, contrasted with soldiers' vulnerability.

Question 1: Quote Explosion: Analyze the metaphor 'merciless wind' and explain its effect on the reader.

Answer: Students should explore how personification and imagery evoke the relentless, cruel environment, heightening the sense of suffering.

Question 2: Identify and analyze the use of personification in the line: 'The mad gusts tugging on the wire.' What is the impact?

Answer: Personification of gusts creates a sense of chaos and uncontrollable forces, emphasizing nature's hostility.

Question 3: Find a simile used in the poem and explain how it contributes to the overall mood.

Answer: For example, comparing wind to 'writhing' or 'gnawing' creates a hostile, oppressive atmosphere.

Question 1: How does Owen depict the theme of nature's indifference to human conflict?

Answer: He shows nature as relentless and indifferent, with wind and cold overpowering human efforts, symbolizing nature's dominance.

Question 2: In what ways does the poem explore the theme of conflict and its aftermath?

Answer: Owen presents war as destructive and futile, with imagery of freezing and exhaustion conveying the toll on soldiers.

Question 3: Discuss how the poem reflects on the theme of memory and the soldiers' experiences.

Answer: The poem captures the soldiers' suffering, suggesting that their experiences are forgotten or ignored by others, emphasizing the futility of remembrance.

Question 1: Outline key similarities and differences in how Owen and Shelley depict the concept of power in their poems.

Answer: Students should compare Owen's portrayal of nature's power over soldiers with Shelley's depiction of the fleeting nature of human power, highlighting poets' attitudes.

Question 1: Using evidence from the poem, plan an essay that explores Owen's methods of portraying the emotional and physical toll of war.

Answer: Students should outline points on imagery, tone, repetition, and structure, explaining how these techniques evoke sympathy and highlight the horrors of war.