From Patriotism to understanding

Many of the words included are used to drive meaning and there are many references to nature such as "field" and "rivers". The soldier in many ways sums up the mood of the first months of the war. Rupert Brooke is happy to die for his country, but knows nothing of what comes before death on the Western Front: exposure, mud, the constant dangers of snipers, the regular loss of friends and comrades.
             There are certain passages in Birdsong that reflect this poem in different ways. There is a section that runs from page 220-224 which shows us the letters that the soldiers are sending. The men all know that they are going to attack in the morning, and that there is a chance they could die, this is in the same format as "The Soldier". We can see exactly what the men chose to tell there family, knowing that the end of their lives could be very close. Some of them seem optimistic and enthusiastic whilst others remain more realistic. Just before this on pages 215-216 we can see the theme of patriotism being portrayed in a very forward way: - "You must strive to win for your families, for your king and your country. I believe you will do so. I believe we shall take dinner in Bapaume. God bless you all." This is Colonel Barclay, a respected member of the higher ranks, attempting to put the men at ease before they go over the top. Since he is of a higher rank, he must set an example by telling the men that he believes they will win, if he did not show this the soldiers would not have the confidence to help them through the ordeal. The fact that he himself might not believe what he is saying is irrelevant, he must attempt to convince them that they"re doing this for a reason and that its not pointless. This is the same with Stephen, when he is writing to Isabelle, a letter he believes will not reach her, he tells her of how scared he is of dying but how he must not let this show, as this would be no example to set to the men.