Steps in Children in the Darkness

Point Evidence Elaboration

1. Point of View
-The poet lived in Vietnam
during the war-torn period
of the Vietnam War.
-Bechtold criticizes the way
in which war has
negatively impacted
children.
According to one of my -During war children are being
research website, “I was used as drum boys, soldiers in the
in Vietnam in 1967 - 68 infantry, and formed the higher
and again in 1969.” proportion of civilian deaths in
recent years.
-During a war, children are the
most affected of all. The children
require more food as they are
growing and are more susceptible
to diseases.

2. Situation and Setting
-In a war-torn country, the
children are subjected to
the cruelties of war.
-They are forced to face
endless blood-shed and
are deprived of things like
education and proper
environment to grow up in.
“There are children in the -This suggests that the children
darkness/ Who someone are being used in the war as
will teach to fight” soldiers. This is cruel as the
children should be leading normal
lives, getting a education and
“Could we teach them enjoying their childhood.
how to read/ Could we
teach them how to
dance/ Or will a war -The war forcing them to grow up
consume them” and depriving them of education
and learning.

3 Language/ Diction “Could we simply light a -Children are meant to be innocent

candle/ Could we give and yet they are caught in the war
them half a chance/ which robs them of a decent and
-The language/diction used Could we teach them healthy childhood.
is simple. The poet’s how to read/ Could we
choice of words suggests teach them how to
simplicity, which is often dance” -The quote brings across a
associated with children message. It wanted to tell us that
and their innocence. we should give the children that
are involved in the war a chance to
lead their normal lives through the
rhyming structure and the
repetition of the phrase “could we”.