Randall Jarrell Diction

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The poem introduces a dark and raw view of war by allowing readers to witness the thoughts of a soldier moments before and after his death inside a ball turret. The phrasing used in the poem and its lack of emotion paints the reality of the emotional effects of war on soldiers. The indifferent word choice ties in with the description of the ball turret as a womb of a mother to reveal the innocence of the soldiers fighting in the war. Randall Jarrell reveals the stark reality that war can dehumanize soldiers and expose the fragility of life through the use of strong diction and an extended metaphor. Randall Jarrell utilizes strong diction to create a very raw and surreal viewpoint of war. The soldier’s emotionless description of his death reveals

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