Memoirs_of_an_Infantry_Officer.

Memoirs of an Infantry Officer. Siegfried Sassoon’s emotive overtones in ‘Memoirs of an Infantry Officer’ reflect the futileness of the War. Sassoon in this abstract, sagely writes in his autobiographical memoir how he was taught and instructed to fight with a bayonet. At the time he was a well renowned poet who after the Edwardian era subsequently endorsed into retrospective writings. War provided the poets and writers with a new kind of material which they utilised when through the passage of time a radical change had taken place in the literary form. Unlike Yeats who deliberately kept the War out of his poetry except for some single versions which would have gone by unpublished, Sassoon wrote prose with a touch of satire and humour, in order to put forward the less glorious aspects and breakdown the reinforced and exaggerated long-standing faith in the infallibility of the British military the public were brainwashed with. Sassoon hints the differentiation in officers and general ranks by mentioning the regimental badges, pointing out the theme of human significance, self-esteem and respect. Sassoon relates about the method of death they were forewarned about. Sassoon recognizes the viability of human significance and how easily could a perfectly healthy lad end up crippled, bed- bound or dead. The lecture regards a sudden threat arising from a single opponent, a hand to hand fight where one’s understanding of the tactical situation is vital. Correct use of a bayonet could either save or take away your life. To wander why so much importance is placed in the significant bayonet is to equilibrate ones’ life to that object, hence priceless. Thematically the preparation of War and armament dominates the scene, overpowering the humanitarian theme of life’s value and an individual regard of oneself. ‘’I improved my knowledge of regimental badges, which seemed somehow to affect the personality of the wearer’’ Anyone with a knowledgeable and informative background of the symbolical attribute of the badges would instinctively admire higher ranking Sergeants and Mayors. The badges were a manifesto, a dare for danger, a challenge to whoever else had a perilous job, a sign of courage and heroism, they were eyed with respect and superiority from lower ranking officials, considered as idols. To be looked upon as a hero ‘’seemed somehow to affect the personality of the wearer’’ it made them feel like they earned the respect as they have been through the roughest ground and dirtiest mud. ‘’ those devices differentiated men in more than one way ‘’ Sassoon as both a prose and poetry composer has a reflective and pondering eye, “ there was food for thought “, and “ woolgatherings”. The initial sentence of the second paragraph is a direct reference to the theme of human significance, the soldiers were not allowed to be men on the battlefield, they were only a two legged machine designed and trained to kill. All traces of humanity were to be shuttered down, there could be no mercy or compassion just destruction and defence. The romantic view that is set in motion; the glorification of brotherhood and the love, and patriotism of men during war is annihilated by the Artillery General ‘’ high explosive would be our best friend in future battles, and his ingratiating voice made us unmindful, for the moment that explosives often arrives from the wrong direction”. As remarked the change in tone indicated al alternate meaning. Sometime they are going to be the ones getting killed b y the explosives and somehow it’s going to do the a favour, relieving them from the burden of ending up crippled for life or bed bound. The satire accompanying the phrase ‘star turn’ sets the title of the ‘’ the spirit of the bayonet’’ into ridicule. A bayonet was a spike shaped weapon like a dagger, designed to fit underneath or above the muzzle of the rifle or musket, effectively turning the gun into a spear. The inclusion of some heading leading points from the Manual of Bayonet Training puts forward a simple plain statement, the soldier either has Good Direction, strength and Quickness to be able to kill, or else he’lle be the one getting speared. The training undermines the fact that in the fog of war, exhalation kills the spirit and no brave soldier could be able to conjure “ aggressive determination” and confidence” Sassoon consant realistic perspective allows him to portray the teaching and concepts exactly how they were transmitted to him, with a broas level of courage and anger. The fluent persuasiveness means of the highland major of transcending this built up hatred-homocidal game inscrutinizingly though atmosphere-easing jokes and genial comic remarks for some relief. The second protagonist that leaves a slight astonishing impact on the reader is the well-trained sergeant. Akin to a powerful muscular machine the sergeant disposes of his humanity at the slightest warning and dehumanised he strips off his values and moral intelligence, he assembles in a killing machine, whose only aim is to bring down the enemy lines. “ when told to put on a killing face” he did so combing it with an ultra- vindictive attitude. Sassoon himself points out the absurdity of this war; “ Man it seemed. Had been created to jab the life out of the Germans”, the tinge of satire surface again when Sassoon thoughts trail to the stereotypical major who he himself is a result of this “killing face”. “ to hear the Major talk one might have thought that he did it himself every day before breakfast” Sassoon takes pleasure in mocking the major, especially in the way he as the writer depict him. “ the major’s ferocious aphorism” ridiculing the intellect. The constant reverberating rhythm gradually slows down to a more flexible and reflective pace. Even the diction adopted has changed. From the jargon language of “ ranks , artillery, ranger, explosives, superiority, officers, regimental badges and battle to an elemental natural one; hill, wood, hazel and beeches, wet mould, leaves, trees and roses”. This contrasting effect highlight the previous stressful tonality and bettering thudding language. Still the influential message has remained as a current voice in his head. He was clearly given instructions to kill, shoot where it hurts the most and causes instant death. One should not hesitate but move on to kill more of then enemy, one should neither waste ‘’good steel’’. Men are degraded to the sotto-value of the cheap steel. Just like the trained machines. Sassoon humour in the passage inclined the reader to believe it’s the truth. The short termed escape to the hill provides the necessary peace of mind to the writer, he take into account all the things he will be missing ,the deprivation of using the senses for good sources, like the fresh wet air and roses. On the battlefiels the olfactory imagery would be gases, mud and death.