The Call - Jessie Pope

Who's for the trench-

Are you, my laddie?

Who'll follow French-

Will you, my laddie?

Who's fretting to begin, 5

Who's going out to win?

And who wants to save his skin-

Do you, my laddie?

Who's for the khaki suit-

Are you, my laddie? 10

Who longs to charge and shoot-

Do you, my laddie?

Who's keen on getting fit,

Who means to show his grit,

And who'd rather wait a bit- 15

Would you, my laddie?

Who'll earn the Empire's thanks-

Will you, my laddie?

Who'll swell the victor's ranks-

Will you, my laddie? 20

When that procession comes,

Banners and rolling drums-

Who'll stand and bite his thumbs-

Will you, my laddie?

Questions

3a. How does the poet portray an ideal soldier?

3b. How does the poet portray war?

3a. How does the poet portray an ideal soldier?

Answer Evidence Elaboration

The ideal soldier is The soldier is “for the The poet portrays the ideal
portrayed as being trench”, “longs to soldier as one who is brave and
brave charge and shoot” and ready to take on the battlefield.
means to “show his He is someone ready to prove
grit”. This shows his his mettle to others and does
willingness to get on the not hesitate to maim others
battlefield. when needed.

He is an ambitious The soldier wants to The soldier is portrayed as

soldier trying to rise “earn the Empire’s someone who loves his country
the ranks. thanks”, “swell the and wants to earn the
victor’s ranks” and recognition of his empire that he
wants to be welcomed is fighting for. He believes his
to “Banners and rolling ambitious attitude towards the
drums” war will get him promoted.

He also is someone The soldier asks “Who’s
patriotic to his land for the trench” and
“Who’s going out to
win?”
The soldier wants to go out on
the battlefield to defeat his foes
in order to bring glory to his
country by winning the war. He
will not hesitate to kill if it helps
his country get just a tad bit
closer to winning.
3b. How does the poet portray war?

Answer : Evidence : Elaboration

It is depicted as “Who’ll earn the The poet portrays the fame and
something glorious Empire’s thanks” and glory the soldiers will
(when they win even “Who'll swell the experience when they win and
though there's a victor's ranks” come back to their country and
chance they might get showered in compliments
lose the war) by the Empire and the soldiers
will be able to gasconade.

The war is a lifetime The poet portrays the glory the

opportunity for you soldiers will earn once he
to earn fame and “Who'll swell the completes war and earns
gain glory in your victor's ranks” and victory for the country. Then he
country and be “Who’ll earn the wil gain fame and be honored .
Empire’s thanks”
honored Hence it is a lifetime opportunity
especially for those who are
poor and not given a chance. It
is a place for someone to shine
and gain many benefits once
one finish the war and bring
victory home
War is also depicted “And who wants to save The poet calls people who want
as something that his skin- to survive by not sacrificing
governments would themselves during the war a
Do you, my laddie?”
lie to their citizens to coward and because of this,
sacrifice psychologically, people would
themselves. be angry and want to prove the
government that doesn’t even
know your name and existence
wrong and therefore invoking a
sense of urgency into the
citizens so that they come out
and join the war all because of
the poem. Therefore war is
depicted as something that
governments will lie to their
citizens, claiming it's “for a
greater good” but in reality is a
lie.