Hardy, "The Man He Killed"

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AjaHannah/2009/08/why_because.html

Thomas Hardy's "The Man He Killed" is a harrowing, albeit breif example of how many people feel about war. In the beginning of the poem, Hardy writes that under any normal circumstance, he and the man he eventually ends up killing might have been friends and shared a drink together at a tavern. However, because both men were fighting in a war and happened to be on opposite sides of the battlefield, he ended up shooting him for no better reason than "Because he was my foe" (10). This goes to show that many times, the people or grunts who do all of the dirty work often do not have many opinions about why the war they are fighting is being fought. They are just the disposable pawns of the politicians who actually start the wars and are only doing battle to possibly make a living and provide for themselves or their families.

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaKrehlik/2009/08/war.html

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KaryssaBlair/2009/08/for_the_love_of_em_dashes.html

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KaylaLesko/2009/08/theres_no_excuse_for_this.html

“Disposable pawns of the politicians” has a very nice ring to it. I think that phrase would be a powerful line in a poem. Nice alliteration, imagery, and meaning…

I had the same feelings when I read this piece. The soldier can’t say that his foe died for any reason except that he fought for the other side. It’s like when you’re playing dodge ball in gym class. You are wearing a yellow tee-shirt and the other side is wearing green. The only reason why you hurled that ball at the kid on the other side of the line is because…well, because he was wearing a green shirt.

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/CarissaAltizer/2009/09/hardy_the_man_he_killed_after.html

It Is What It Is

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AshleyPascoe/2009/09/why_do_men_feel_they_can_justi.html