Outline

My paper will be focused on the expression of emotions in relation to The Signal Man written by Charles Dickens

I. Introduction
(Historical background of the story)

II. Aim of the paper

III. Main ideas and issues related to emotions present in The Siganl Man

IV. The story in the EFL classroom

V. Conclusions

September 1, 1939 by W. H Auden

I had to read the poem twice because the first Redding helps me to have a general view of what the poem is about. In order to have a clearer understanding it was required a second reading.
The poem is very interesting from the beginning until the end and it points out one of the most difficult historical periods lived in 1939.

The way the author describes what happened in that period is really catchy. “… a low dishonest decade: waves of anger and fear…” this quote shows that it is a vulnerable period in which the main element is death. In my opinion, the poem is a criticism to religion, patriotism and progress. They are the central concepts which caused that men were left alone. You may ask why and the answer is because reality is not being shown as it is. On the contrary, reality is hidden behind the idea of a collective man.



Regarding to my point of view there is a bad understanding of religion which is the main factor that influences the way people live and act. It is believed that the idea of psychopathic god is because there is an intangible force which allows wars. . He also mentions that religion has controlled the way we see God and the way children have learnt about it. That is why they see God as a inconsequent force.
My doubt is why the author is in opposition to the bible if then he states that “we must love one another or die”. This sort of contradiction makes me fell a little bit confused; in spite of this I enjoyed the reading.

Victoria: The Waste Land

I decided to comment this entry because the poem is really interesting for me too.
I agree with Victoria when she mentions that the first line depicts that this piece of writing has been considered one of the most important poems.
It is really catchy to read “April is the cruellest month". It is evident that the author tries to put emphasis on the difficulties lived in those times. That is what causes that the beginning of the poem starts in that way, like a kind of warning in order to involve the reader.

I think it would have been attractive that you wrote about existentialism in order to understand better what Elliot wanted to reveal about life and death. The poem was written after the First World War that is why death was presented in the poem as a relevant issue.

I really liked Victoria’s entry because it really made me think some of the most relevant topics present in The Waste Land as realistic themes and not as an exageration.

The Waste Land by T.S Elliot

During one of our Literature class, we studied T. S Elliot. He was an American poet who was considered one of the most important writers in the 20th century.

The poem was written after the First World War. The first time I read the poem I was very confused. The author used subtitles as a way to introduce the main topics. That is why it is important to look at every detail in the poem because there is always a hidden intention in all what Elliot wrote.


According to my own understanding, the period in which the poem was written represented a time of great insecurity. After the war, society felt damage, misery, death and loneliness. A lot of people unjustly died as a result of the violence lived in those times.

To conclude, the waste land is a place where people feel desolation and fear. Nowadays, people are feeling the same in a certain manner. Violence and deliquency are making us feel afraid of what society is.

The Rocking Horse Winner and Odour of Chrysanthemums by D.H. Lawrence

It is really amazing to see the way the author mixes his own life with an irreal one. This is possible to observe in both stories.
The most noticeable in the stories is the existence of a very complex issue for society which is the desire of money. In the first tale, the protagonist is a boy that suffers because of the conflicts that the wish of money brings to his family. That is why he hides his sad feelings by gambling for money.
The second story is focused on the relationship between life and death. The relationship is mainly presented by the inhuman work world of the mine and the beautiful and vulnerable, natural world. For example, the important things that we can lose if the attention is payed to money instead of love relationships.





Thinking on what is happening in our society, it is part of our common sense notice that money cannot buy happiness and it represents a harmful force as well as alcoholism.
Nowadays is really common to observe children working in the streets or even worse begging for money. Is that what we want for our children? I am totally sure the answer is no. So, I think that our effort in schools can make the difference. If we contribute children to be comfortable at least when they are learning, things can improve.
D.H Lawrence points out very contemporary issues. I really enjoyed reading both stories because of the many issues that they bring, and that make sense in our society.