WE AND OUR WORLD ASSIGNMENT

1. Why is war futile according to Wilfred Owen in his

poem “Futility”?
‘Futility’ l means uselessness, that which is utterly fruitless. The soldier-
poet Wilfred Owen has used his title Futility in this very sense, of course
human world.

In his poem, Futility Wilfred Owen exhibits a poignant scene, quite usual
on the front of war. This is the sad and untimely death of a young
prospective soldier on the front under the cruel blow of war. He finds
before him one of his comrades lying dead and stiff and remembers how
he was awakened every day in his village home or on the battlefield of
France by the kind rays of the sun. The sun shines today as usual with
its rays, touching the dead-body of the young soldier, but it is powerless
to make him alive and active again.

This hard truth makes the poet sadly conscious of the grim reality of the
man-made war that is devastating. The poet points out, in a sad but
realistic way, the utter uselessness of the entire creative process of the
universe, under the violent impact of the man-made war. War suspends
totally all that makes the world living and lively. It puts to an untimely end
the very life of man, so valuable and so dearly achieved. All the creative
and stimulative forces of Nature, including the mighty sun itself, stand
paralysed and pathetically helpless against the cruel massacre of the
man-made war. Owen, thus, brings out the utter silliness of all labour
and inspiration to make and activate life. Whatever may be the sources
and inspirations of life, war cares not for this and ruthlessly rolls on,
turning everything barren and futile. The last two lines of the poem
sharply bring out the tragic irony of the war-mongering world.

2. Explain the ‘first political act’ of the speaker in ‘Breaking

Out’?
The poem begins abruptly with a query that appears to be intended to discuss
the girl's first political action. However, in this case, "political" refers to the fact
that the main focus was a demonstration or a revolt against an unfair situation.
We only learn precisely what the poet refers to as a "political act" in the
penultimate stanza of the song. Actually, her parents had been beating her
with a stick, which she had broken. It is her first act of defiance against the
tyrannical forces of which she is a victim, and she refers to it as political
because she is aware of her rights to freedom.
The poet sees the two doors—two distinct ways of life—approaching one
another after that motivated act. The metaphorical "two doors" represent the
two distinct ways she chooses to live her life: one is to conform to social
standards and put up with captivity and humiliation; the other is to reject
stereotypes and demand the freedom to do as she pleases. These two paths
were so far separate and distant from each other. But now that she has the
fortitude, the girl is moving in the direction of freedom from the path of
struggle and humiliation.
The poem's title has a larger meaning than just breaking a stick because it also
refers to breaking those archaic things that held society behind. The poet's
ability to transcend prejudices is demonstrated by the fact that her mother
was unable to do so.

3.What is the difference between Caged bird and free bird?

Maya Angelou’s poem ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ describes the
state of two birds, where one is free and ‘floats’ and ‘dares to claim the
sky’, while the other is caged in his ‘bars of rage’.

The first and the fourth stanza shows the delight of the free bird
experiencing freedom, whereas the rest of the stanzas concentrate on
the plight of the caged bird. Angelou puts greater emphasis on the
lamentable state of the caged bird, and contrasts this with that of the
free bird.

As the poet depicts in the poem, the free bird floats on the back of the
wind, dips his wings in the orange sun rays and claims the sky as his
own. He thinks of another breeze through the trees and dreams of good
eatables like fat worms waiting on bright lawn. He lives in a colorful,
bright and dreamy world.
On the other hand, the caged bird walks sadly inside his narrow cage
and tries hard to see through the bars of his cage. His wings are clipped
and feet are tied. He lets out his ‘nightmare scream’ to express his agony,
anger and fear. Sometimes, the caged bird opens his throat to sing. He
sings of freedom and hope.

4. Why was Kezia different from rest of the girls at school in

‘A Doll’s House’?

In Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House," Kezia stands out from the other female
students in several ways -
Compared to the other girls at school, Kezia hails from a lower social class. Her
father works as a porter, and her mother is a housekeeper. The other females,
on the other hand, come from wealthier backgrounds; their parents are
professionals in the legal, medical, and business fields. Kezia feels different
from her peers because of this social divide.

Kezia's kindness, innocence, and sensitivity set her apart from the other
females. She cares a great deal about those around her and possesses a strong
sense of sensitivity. This is clear from her interaction with Nora, the woman
who works for her mother. Nora is very special to Kezia, and she considers her
a companion as opposed to just a wealthy employer. She distinguishes herself
from the other girls because they are more focused on wealth and societal
standing.

In addition, Kezia's home life differs from that of the other schoolgirls. Her
father frequently misses family events because of his employment as a porter,
leaving her mother, a hardworking maid, to care for the family. As a result,
Kezia is more mature and self-reliant than the other girls, who are accustomed
to having their needs met by their parents.Kezia stands out from the other
schoolgirls in "A Doll's House" because of her unique social upbringing,
character traits, and family situation. Understanding the play's themes, such as
the value of individual freedom and the oppression of women in patriarchal
societies, requires someone with her viewpoint and empathy.
5. What is the poet scared of in the poem ‘Money
Madness’?
In his poem "Money Madness," D.H. Lawrence conveys his apprehension about
money's influence over people and how it can lead to social decay. He worries
that the loss of ideals like love, compassion, and respect for the environment
will result from the obsession with money.
The poet worries that people are becoming more and more materialistic and
greedy and that they will put their relationships and well-being at risk to amass
money. He worries that people's lives will be driven solely by the desire for
money, creating a society that is cut off from both environments and one
another.
The poem also emphasizes how the pursuit of wealth results in environmental
exploitation and destruction, which hurts the environment. The poet views this
as a tragic result of the money obsession that endangers humanity's existence.
The poet urges a revaluation of our values and goals to prevent being
consumed by the madness of money because he fears the dehumanizing and
destructive power of money.
Overall, D.H. Lawrence's Money Madness is a sarcastic investigation of the
worldwide race for wealth that is evident today. In modern societies, money
has taken on a major role and is essential to daily life. The poet has made an
effort to use this instance as an example and to illustrate the moral and
societal decay through his writing. The author claims that there is madness for
money everywhere and that the word "madness" can even be metaphorically
represented by money. Additionally, this lunacy is not on an individualistic or
micro level; rather, it is the madness of the multitude, manifesting in
immeasurable quantities and at astounding scales.