All Quiet on the Western Front

Use this activity to engage all types of learners while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

ACTIVITY: “The Old Lie: A Poetry Study of Wilfred Owen”

In this activity, students will read a selection of Wilfred Owen poems and view historical photographs of the war, specifically the trenches. Students will work in groups to analyze one poem and pair it with 3-5 photographs to create a presentation.

WWI was marked by trench warfare. In the novel, Paul experiences the brutality of life in the trenches. In this activity, you will explore Wilfred Owen’s poetry as well as visual history of the trenches through various photographs from WWI. Like many WWI poets, Owen used poetry to push back against tradition and expose the true nature of war. At the same time, photography was able to capture the visual imagery of war in a new way, which further exposed the disconnect between the traditional narrative and the realities of war. Both the poetry and the photographs can help expand upon what you’ve learned about the experiences of the soldiers in All Quiet on the Western Front.

Work in a small group to choose one Owen poem and 3-5 corresponding photographs that supplement the poem in some way. The photographs must be incorporated into your analysis of the poem. Consider overlaps in tone, theme, imagery, mood, etc. (Note: If your class has already read and discussed Owen’s poem “Dulce et Decorum Est,” then it is not an option for this activity.)

• With your group, choose one Wilfred Owen poem from The Poetry Foundation.
• Read the poem aloud together and then reread independently, annotating the poem. Be mindful of imagery, mood and tone, word choice, structure, and theme. Share your analysis with your group, and work together to hone your thoughts.
• Browse photographs of WWI. Start by individually bookmarking the photographs that remind you of your poem. Share your collection with your group members, and collectively narrow them down to 3-5 photographs that connect to the poem on a thematic and/or stylistic level. (Keep track of where you find the photographs so you can cite them on your finished product.)

o Imperial War Museums: “Ten Photos of Life in the Trenches”

o The Atlantic: “World War I in Photos: The Western Front”

o The National WWI Museum and Memorial: “Trench Warfare”

Present your analysis visually to the class. Your presentation may be digital or physical. Your presentation should show a deep understanding of the poem as well as a strong synthesis between the poem and the photographs. Carefully consider how you organize your presentation—how do you embed the photographs in relation to the poem, and how do these choices enhance your understanding of the poem?

After all groups have presented, reflect in writing about Wilfred Owen’s poetry as a vehicle for understanding important thematic concepts from WWI. Connect this understanding to Paul’s experiences as shown in the novel.

Teaching Suggestion: You may consider providing context for why Wilfred Owen is the poet of focus by sharing a bit about his background as a poet and soldier and his eventual death in combat. His poetry also nicely encompasses the cultural shift that happened during the Great War.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who are visual learners and/or need support with organization, consider providing a graphic organizer to help them break down the different steps in this process. The organizer would provide space for students to analyze various aspects of the poem, and then space to make notes about corresponding photographs.