Task 2

Point of View: Ignorant young children are being harmed and used by the war
Evidence: There are children in the darkness Who someone will teach to fight
Elaboration: By saying “someone will teach them fight”, the writer implies that the war will use others as tools ot even sparing the children.

Situation and Setting: During war time
Evidence: Or will a war consume them
Elaboration: By saying “or will a war consume them”, it implies that war was one of the reason for the killing of the children

Language/ Diction: Solemn
Evidence: Could we simply light a candle. Could we give them half a chance. Could we teach.
Elaboration: It uses repetition to emphasize on the seriousness of this situation.


Personal Response: The poem explains the harmful effect of war and presents it in such a way that innocent children becomes victims.

Task 1

Children in the Darkness

There are children in the darkness
Who have not seen the light
There are children in the darkness
Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be
To this door there is no key
From this life they can not flee
And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle
Could we give them half a chance
Could we teach them how to read
Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them
Their body and their soul
Will their life and blood be poured
Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness
From which there is no flight
Back into the darkness
Into which there shines no light
Henry M Bechtold

The Poem talks about how some children are hidden away from society. It also shows how children are ignorant about conditions in the outside world. They are also deprived from the learning experience because of the war that is happening and if someone do not step up and help the children will just become tools of war.