to describe something that happened, to tell its story

an equal distribution of two or more things

a literary technique in which you compare one thing to another; Owen compares mud to an octopus in his letter

a complex emotion in which you feel anger, disappointment, bitterness

Writing a letter as a soldier in the trenches of World War One

English

Understanding why people write about war

World War One: propaganda and trench warfare

Reading 'Propping Up the Line', a short story about World War One by Ian Beck

Analysing the presentation of the gas attack: Ian Beck's 'Propping Up the Line'

Ian Beck's ‘Propping Up The Line’: Alice’s experiences on the Home Front

The presentation of trauma in Ian Beck's short story, 'Propping Up the Line'

Symbolism and motif in Ian Beck's short story, ‘Propping Up The Line’

Vivid descriptive writing using Ian Beck's ‘Propping Up The Line’ as stimulus

Using sentence structure to create rhythm in writing about World War One

Reading Katherine Mansfield’s short story, ‘The Fly’ (1922)

Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly' (1922): exploring character foils and symbolism

Exploring the presentation of the boss in 'The Fly' by Katherine Mansfield

Debating different interpretations of Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’

Creative writing in the third person inspired by Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly'

Skim reading and close reading: Wilfred Owen’s 1917 letter to his mother

Letter writing: planning, using Wilfred Owen’s 1917 letter as stimulus

Improving the style of a letter: sentence structure and rhythm

Skim reading and close reading: 'Testament of Youth' by Vera Brittain

Letter writing: planning, using Vera Brittain’s ‘Testament of Youth’ as stimulus

Writing a letter from the British home front: tone, audience and purpose

Improving a letter: deliberate verbs and precise adjectives

Comparing texts about World War One using comparative topic sentences

Comparing texts about World War One in comparative analytical paragraphs

In 'A World at War: Short Stories', pupils explore the reasons for writing war literature and how it seeks to convey the suffering of soldiers and civilians, in times of conflict. In 'Power and Conflict Poetry', students explore the many types of conflict that arise through war, with themes including patriotism, propaganda, fear, guilt and duty.

In 'The Tempest', pupils are encouraged to write from the viewpoint of Caliban and Ariel, adopting character voices in creative writing. In 'A World at War', pupils emulate the writing styles of the authors that they encounter, to create an authentic voice in their writing. 

In this unit, pupils explore and compare texts written about the First World War. They first read Beck's 'Propping up the line', Mansfield's 'The Fly' and Wilfred Owen's 1917 letter home to his mum. They finally read Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', and then plan and write a comparative response.

Literary perspectives from the First World War

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Depiction or discussion of serious mental health issues including eating disorders, self-harm, suicide or attempted suicide, or the aftermath of such an event.

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

The majority of personal letters begin with a {{ }} which indicates who the letter is for. 

Sign offs like "Yours sincerely" and "Yours faithfully" are used for more {{ }} letters. Sign offs like "Love from" are used for more informal or personal letters.

They helped those at home understand the realities of war.

They were another strand of the government's propaganda.

They provided comfort and joy in distressing circumstances.

It was the only way to get news about the war.

Only important officers could receive letters, so it was a sign of status.

We have looked at an example of a letter Wilfred Owen wrote to his mother during WW1. Why were letters such an important feature of life during WW1?

In Wilfred Owen's 1917 letters to his mother, how does Owen sign this letter off?

In one of his 1917 letters to his mother during WW1, Owen uses a {{ }} to describe the sludge of the trenches as "an octopus of sucking mud". 

In one of his 1917 letters to his mother during WW1, Owen describes how he moved 150 yards across No Man's Land, saying he had to "crawl, {{ }}, climb and flounder."

Personal letters were a vital form of communication during World War One. What are some common features of letters?

greets his mother and says he has experienced "seventh hell"

details the agonies of spending fifty hours in a trench being shelled

explains the number of casualties and their nature

expresses his anger about what happened to him and other soldiers

Starting with the first, order these events from one of Wilfred Owen's 1917 letters to his mother during WW1 in chronological order.

"I am bitterly disappointed that I never got one of yours."

"We marched three miles over shelled road."

"[the ground was] an octopus of sucking clay."

Wilfred Owen's 1917 letter to his mother during WW1 includes a number of metaphors. Which of the below are metaphors?

The seeng-seeng-seeng of the bullets reminded me of Mary's canary.

Water filled it to a depth of 1 or 2 feet, leaving say 4 feet of air.

Every ten minutes on Sunday afternoon seemed an hour. 

[I had to] crawl, wade, climb and flounder over No Man's Land [.]

Wilfred Owen's 1917 letter to his mother during WW1 includes a number of methods which help convey the horror of his experience. Match each quotation to its method.

In one of his 1917 letters to his mother during WW1, Owen writes of a particular episode in the trenches, "Those fifty hours were the {{ }} of my happy life."

In one of his 1917 letters to his mother during WW1, Owen describes the sludge of the trenches as "an {{ }} of sucking mud".

Starter Quiz

Personal letters were a vital form of communication during World War One. What are some common features of letters?