Indledning
WW1, considers a global military conflict, drew several young men into battle for their homeland. Young boys who had to say goodbye to their family and youth to take care of the societal obligations.
A four-year world war that cost the lives of nearly 10 million people. In the excerpt from the novel, ´Birdsong´, Sebastian Faulks invites us to experience what a visit from a returned soldier can look like.
Here we are presented with the effect of the family’s uncertainty and the soldiers lack of attention.
Lack of love and fear of the truth are two distinct themes in the excerpt from the novel. With these, lack of compassion and uncertainty develops.
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Uddrag
Here he remembers the boring childhood that never gave sense of home . This shows that returning home is anxiety-provoking, since any contrast to his actual everyday life is not glorious.
The short story takes place in the middle of a war situation in which Wier has participated for so long that at home he feels more unfamiliar than in the army.
A war that returning home, as mentioned earlier, becomes more uncomfortable than the actual war.
“He accepted that he would soon feel at home (…): It was hard to imagine that he had seen it before”
The text takes place in WW1. Here it can be assessed that it feels like several decades since he was last at home. Both in terms of physical and mental distance.
The thoughts rest on the flashbacks, which drive him back to the situations he has been in .
Here it must be assumed that Weir not only loses the sense of familiarity with the exterior of the house, but also the behavior of his parents.
Precisely this is well in line with the physic setting, which is the focal point of the timeless and cold atmosphere that the house’s four walls hold.
Weir’s parents lack empathy for Weir’s situation and see their own situation just as anxious.
The parents are therefore not interested when Weir tries to open about his horrific experiences. Weir’s mother says:”
Well, never mind. We´ve had your letters. Maybe you´ll want a wash after your journey” and the father acknowledges that; “Everyone´s doing their bit, you know (…)” .
With this, the parents’ distance themselves from their son’s feelings. They acknowledge that they know what he has experienced, through the letters, but will not take it badly.
They are aware that their son needs them, but instead turn their backs on them. They try to defend themselves by saying that they also suffer.
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