STETS: I WAS ONLY 19

STETS ANALYSIS: I WAS ONLY 19

SUBJECT

The poem is describing the experiences of a young Australian soldier; 19 years of age, and his conscription into the Army during the Vietnam War.

THEMES

The underlying message that the poet is trying to communicate to the audience is that the experience of war is terrible. Conscription has resulted in the suffering of young soldiers and their families; both during and after the war. The poet’s purpose in writing this poem is to share the experiences of those who went to war and what they went through.

EMOTIONS

The predominant mood of the poem is that of sympathy. The emotions of the voice in the poem vary between fear, sorrow and confusion. The sombre mood does not change throughout the poem. The emotional response that the poet is wishing to evoke in the audience is that of empathy. The poet is successful in obtaining this empathetic response as we in the audience understand the hardship and confusion experienced by the soldier.

TECHNIQUES

Repetition “I was only 19”
Emphasises his naivety. Engages the audience.

Rhetorical Question “Can you tell me what it means?”
Emphasises the fact that he didn’t know why he was there. He was/is confused.

Anthropomorphism “Barking M16”
Suggests the wild ‘animal’ like nature of war and battle.

SUMMARY

This song is commenting on the issues that surround the life of a returned soldier. The poet’s purpose in writing this poem is to share the experiences of those who went to war and what they went through. As such, because the audience can access the poet’s purpose as a social comment, the poem is successful in acting as a comment on our society. The quote “I was only 19” is repeated throughout the poem, illustrating to the audience that the soldier’s experience was unusual and worthy of note. Again, it is possible to see that as we empathise here with the soldier, and understand his story, the poet has successfully achieved his purpose, and at the same time successfully commented on his chosen aspect of our society.