Graves' Use of Documents
Robert Graves depicts the dramatic and somewhat gruesome memories of his days in World War I in his autobiography, Good-bye to All That. Without ever being involved in a war, it is hard to comprehend the horrific and dramatic events that take place. As with any story, it is easier to imagine and understand what occurs when there is evidence to support the narrative. By including letters, articles, and newspaper cuttings, Graves is able to give the reader a better understanding of his war experience. Extracts from some of Graves' letters that he writes in 1915, give the readers a chance to better understand the soldiers' lives during the war. These letters are part of a compilation of evidence detailing the everyday activities of the soldiers. Within these letters, Graves creates vivid images of life in the trenches so that the reader can have a clearer picture of what the soldiers are facing. In the letter from May 28th, Graves describes how his "ears sang as though there were gnats in them, and a bright scarlet light shone over everything" after a shell drops right beside him (112). It is hard to understand how dangerous and terrifying the war is, but with these letters Graves is able to ma
Graves believes this article, written by a fellow soldier and friend, Siegfried Sassoon, will not make an impression on either side of the war. Everything here is wet and smelly" (111). This soldier has "seen and endured the sufferings of the troops" and expresses his anger by remarking that he "can no longer be a party to prolong these sufferings" because he believes they are "evil and unjust" (260). Graves' use of documents in his autobiography better illustrate various aspects of life in World War I. Graves uses this article to show the difficulty of communication with civilians that he and other soldiers "were facing" because the stories about the war that the civilians know are different from those actually happening (228). splashed with his brains" for the first time (114). Each cutting is exaggerated a little more while falsely informing the civilians of what happens. Graves includes several newspaper cuttings to illustrate the exaggeration and false information that is present during the time of the war. In his letter from June 9th, he sees a soldier's "cap he had worn. Although these documents are not pertinent to his autobiography, they emphasize how this war effects those involved and show that the way of life in England would never be the same. In Corriere della Sera they report that some "Belgian 4priests.
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