VCCS Litonline Introduction to Literature English 112 (English Composition II)

Page 8 of 9 pages

Trying Out a Discussion Forum

Other questions may remain for a poem even after a second reading, and those should lead to additional re-reading. For instance, why is the tone of that last line so cold? Are we readers supposed to feel sympathetic to the speaker who has died in war?

Reading and re-reading the poem by itself might not yield complete answers nor all answers to questions that arise. So it's useful to talk over questions and answers with other readers--students and teachers. That's what class discussion and, in the Litonline course, the online discussion forums are for.

For example, given the use of words like "mother" and "belly" and "died" and "washed out," is it too far fetched to believe that the poet wants us to view war as a kind of abortion and those who die in wars as helpless victims? Such questions call for judgment, reasoning, and so they should be openly discussed to weigh the merits and demerits of such a notion.

To try out such questions, go to the practice areas on the next page and then follow the link to the actual forum to post your answers. If you are satisfied with the answers you make in your word processor, you can highlight an answer (drag your mouse across it with the left mouse key held down), copy <Ctrl+c> it, and paste it <Ctrl+v> into the corresponding "reply" box at the actual forum site.

The URL for this page is: http://vccslitonline.vccs.edu/ReadingPoetry/trying.htm