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.