2.  The sentry is a poem based on one of Owens real life experiences in the war.  When Owen was in a commanding post one of the sentry’s that he had put on duty suffered from a bombing causing him to become blind.  The incident had a deep impact on Owen as it happened right in front of him and he probably felt guilty.  Owen makes a very vivid description of the evens in the poem making it come to life and reflect the horror he experienced.

3.  The sentry mainly focuses on the horrors of war and what it does to people.  It portrays how dehumanized soldiers were.  Has some religious context at then end.

4.  Poem written from Owens perspective. He is telling us about the situation  Takes place in a dug-out that is described to be a very horrendous location  They are in the middle of a bombing and constant attack.  In the middle the nameless ‘Sentry’ is quoted.  There is a shift from past to present in the last paragraph

5.  A very dreadful tone is created from the very beginning. Maintained to the end.  Reinforced with vocabulary such as ‘hell’, ‘slime’, ‘stank old and sour’, ‘shrieking’, ‘corpses’, ‘curse’, etc.  Use of uncomfortable noise sounds such as ‘steps too thick with clay to climb’. Use of alliteration and long vowel sounds.  Also has a tone of urgency sometimes. Evident through punctuation, repetition and alliteration. Ex – ‘whizz- bangs’ ‘hour by hour’.

6.  Starts off in regular iambic pentameter however later breaks off from regular rhyme scheme.  Separated into 2/3 paragraphs of varying lengths.  Use of caesura and exclamatory punctuation creates an awkward feeling and unnatural stops reflecting the unnerving situation of the poem. Ex – ‘We dredged him up, for killed, until he whined,’

7.  Very somber vocabulary – ‘hell’ ‘corpses’ ‘floundering’ etc.  Some words dehumanize the soldiers while others personify inanimate objects. Ex – ‘herded’- gives idea of cattle not people. ‘wretches’- harsh word to describe comrades. ‘frantic shell’, ‘shrieking air’.  Lots of onomatopoeic words such as ‘thud’ ‘flump’ ‘whizz – bang’ ‘chattering’ ‘guttering’ ‘shrieking’. Adds to realism.

8.  Very bleak and dark imagery. Reinforced with suiting vocabulary.  First paragraph gives very descriptive image of their location ‘ waterfalls of slime’ ‘ smell of men’ ‘steps too thick with clay to climb’ ‘slush waist high’.  Second paragraph gives very vivid imagery. Use of onomatopoeic words bring it to life. Use of alliteration and assonance such as ‘ of old Boche bombs and mud in ruck on ruck. Repetition of ‘o’ and ‘u’ sounds. Horrific use of simile ‘eyeballs huge bulged like squids.’  Third stanza ends with a very dreadful image. Comment on finishing line.

9. The poem initially does have irregular rhymes, such as: a) hour (line 5) and sour (line 7) b) Men (line 8) and den (line 9) It has an uncomfortable feel to it due to the irregular rhyme