o What Is That Sound WH Auden PDF
o What Is That Sound WH Auden PDF
o What Is That Sound WH Auden PDF
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except the last become an insistent de- forces of deathwhich take away a loved
mand as the terror mounts. This repe- one in spite of love. "But I thought it
tition added to the speed and sudden was a poem about a person'ssoul," says
stop create a breathless,harried feeling another. "Force and love compete for
that reaches a peak in the next to the the man'ssoul. His religion and his work
last stanza."And now they are running" don't matterin the struggle.Force, with
picks up the speed until the gentleness burningeyes, defeatslove, and the heavy
of the "No, I promised to love you, feet upon the floor representthe soul's
dear"is almost lost in the haste of "But march." "Maybe the man is a criminal
I must be leaving."Then, the last stanza and the troops are the forces of law and
is panic, detailupon detail,heavy-footed, order." "Maybe they're the mob out to
slow, deliberate.Throughout the poem, lynch him." "Maybe those troops are
the short, simple words, many of them a person's responsibilitiesto the world
with harsh military sound and flavor, and tear him away from home and love
the dialogue, the short ballad stanza and peace."
broken in pattern-all these help Auden After summarizingthe possiblemean-
create the mood the class has felt. ings and restatingthe main point of the
This discussionleads naturally to the lesson-that a poem may have more than
question, "What is the panic about? one meaning, a question more than one
What is there to fear?"Studentsare in- answer-the teacher might offer copies
vited to volunteer their interpretations, of another Auden poem to anyone who
and the discussiontakes a new direction. wishes to read more of him. An effective
The poem is about war or violence of conclusionwould be a re-readingof the
any kind such as earthquakeor hurricane. balladby the sametwo studentswho read
"No," says someone else, "it is a love it at the beginningof the study. Maybe
poem, and the world comes to take away the whole class would prefer to read
her true love and she cannot keep him." the answers as a single reader does the
Another thinks the poem is about the questions.
EnglishEducationConference,March28-30
The first NCTE-sponsoredconference on English education,for specialistsin
the teachingof Englishin the secondaryschools,will be held at IndianaUniversi-
ty, March 28-30. Among major speakersare Robert C. Pooley, John C. Gerber,
G. Robert Carlsen,and David H. Russell. Consultantsinclude Dora V. Smith,
Lou LaBrant,J. N. Hook, Lennox Grey, and Louise M. Rosenblatt.
A series of discussion groups will consider six topics: the methods course;
researchin English education;graduateprogramsin English education;prepara-
tion of junior high school English teachers;English educationprogramsin small
colleges; liaisonbetween departmentsof English and departmentsand schools of
education.
The conference planningcommitteeincludes:Dwight L. Burton,FloridaState
University, chairman;Ingrid Strom, IndianaUniversity; William H. Evans, Uni-
versity of Illinois;William E. Hoth, Wayne State University; Sister M. Sylvia,
Mount Saint Joseph Teachers College; M. Agnella Gunn, Boston University;
R. C. Simonini,Longwood College; G. Robert Carlsen,State University of Iowa;
and JamesR. Squire,Executive Secretary,NCTE.
Those planning to attend the conference who wish housing in the luxurious
IndianaUnion must register before January 1. Registrationforms may be re-
questedfrom Robert Hogan, NCTE, 508 South Sixth Street, Champaign,Illinois.