How do RC Sheriff and Susan Hill explore the loss of youthfulness and innocence during war in Journeys End and Strange Meeting?

The frontline battlefront and home line homefront of war held opposing attitudes especially regarding the effect on the soldiers emotions. With propaganda and patriotism encouraging so many hands to enlist, they entered the trench life nave and unprep atomic number 18d for how war was going to change their lives. The families who were lucky enough to have their loved ones return home, had to wel gain changed men. They left their homes as girlish boys proud to serve their country but returned with the emotional turmoil of dealing with the consequences of their effs. RC Sherriff and Susan Hill both use specific treatments in their development of their telephone exchange characters to build upon the theme of loss of youthfulness and innocence.In Journeys End, Stanhope is evidence of the transformation that men went through whilst at war. A once spirited and eager young man, he now cannot serve without being intoxicated with alcohol. Loss of youth is truly evident in this character. He will stop to battle with the colony of drink, in order to cope with the horrific sights suffered, whilst serving. Although Journeys End is only based over four days, 18 March 1918 to 21 March 1918, in the trenches, Stanhope fluctuates amongst his unstable and drunken state as he must continue with his duties. As he is not a new bump officer, we, as the reader, only go with him on his unstable side, which is made evident, when he loses control in act one, all of a sudden he jumped up and knocked all the glasses off the table. (WE dont see this what is the effect of having it reported?)His states of emotions become truly evident when Raleigh joins his battalion. A keen schoolboy, full of false expectations, who knows Stanhope o a personal train through his sister who is Stanhopes girlfriend. Raleighs arrival truly shows Stanhopes vulnerability and insecurity. Whilst discussing Raleighs arrival with a fellow officer , Osborne, Stanhope insists on censoring Raleighs letters t o ensure he doesnt undo Stanhopes new dependance on alcohol. You know hell write and tell her I reek of whisky all day. Stanhope resents Raleighs arrival and worries that he will become alive(predicate) of the devastating effects brought on him through war.Raleigh admires Stanhope for his devotion to duty, his service and his hero-worship and naivety becomes evident when he reveals he thought it was coincidence which brought him to Stanhopes battalion, I was frightfully keen to get into Denniss regiment. I thought, perhaps, with a bit of luck I might get to the same battalion. It soon becomes evident that Stanhope does not prise Raleighs devotion and admiration , when he overreacts, Stanhope clutches Raleighs wrist and tears the letter from his hand. Raleigh is a reminder of who Stanhope utilise to be, when he joined, and Stanhope resents him for his immature expectations of life at the Front.He believes Raleigh needs to grow up and rid himself of his false expectations, like t housands of other schoolboys who are forced to abandon their youth and grow up into men, if they are to survive. This stage indicates a turning point in what Raleigh is going to experience in his brief and tragic time at the Front..Susan Hill uses contrary Meeting as a journey not only of service to the war but of a friendship which grows during each chapter. Barton and Hilliard, who have met from different family backgrounds, come together to support each other as a team. However, they had to engage each others personalities in order to gain an understanding of one another this has conduct them to growing up quickly.Barton, who is a calm, return and friendly young man , is transformed emotionally from child to father figure to Hilliard. Hilliard is changed by Barton, enabling him to open up and express himself personally to someone. Hilliard has been at the Front before and he represents experience because of this. However, Barton is the one who stabilises and prepared Hilliard for what he will experience and how to share the experience with others, showing support. These are two young boys, taking on large commitments to serve their country. YOU MUST USE QUOTATIONS TO SUBSTANTIATE WHAT YOU SAYThe stresses of these commitments begin to have their effects. A visible change of Barton is evident, which is a key turning point in the novel. He becomes the same as all the other soldiers, his eyes had taken on the common look of shock and miserythe texture of his flesh was altered, grained and worn. All due to the feeling of guilt and responsibility for a fellow soldier, Harris death. Each and every soldier went through these emotions when they lost their friends. Their innocence is lost as they have to experience bereavement daily and independently but are anticipate to continue to fight.When Barton last spoke to Hilliard he said, you must never worry about me again. These are not words which you would expect someone so young to say. Barton no longer values his life. Although this comment does not reflect his age it does in fact show a maturity that he understands the inevitability of death. Susan Hill portrays a loss of youthfulness through new attitudes gained from experiences at war. The young men had no choice but to grow up.Raleigh also is seen to have matured, which is expected of him. Once a schoolboy who spoke of rugger, is now not afraid to stand up to Stanhope, facing him squarely, he has gained confidence from the war. However, his service abruptly ends, later on three days, when he is killed. Realistically, it is impossible to mature over this short period of time, but war is not a realistic lifestyle to be animated in. Therefore, Sherriff has managed to develop the character of Raleigh through his journey at war and the people he has journeyed with.Journeys End and Strange Meeting both hold grueling dependency on their characters to ensure the reader journeys with them personally. By using characterisation it is easier for the reader to connect with the changed and emotions that the characters go through.Both authors, Hill and Sherriff, use similar characters, for specimen Stanhope and Hilliard are used to represent how the experienced soldiers dealt with war, as they have both served before.Sherriff particularly references to Stanhopes new dependency. Alcohol is his lever of pain and the only way he seems to gain authority over himself emotionally although physically it is doing the opposite of this. He represents a broken man, who should be becoming personally dependant and thinking of his hereafter with his girlfriend but instead breaks down and gives in to alcohol daily. Loss of innocence and youthfulness are truly represented through characterisation.Alcohol dependency is how Sherriff represents change, compared to Hills use of characterisation within a journey. Hilliard has returned to war after taking leave due to injury. He deals with war by detaching himself mentally from his actions. Hill introduces Barton into Hilliards life. By having contradictory characters together in a pressurised environment, Hill takes the read through the bond they share. Therefore, the changes of characters personalities become more evident and the loss of youthfulness and innocence are easier to recognise.In conclusion, propaganda encouraged the young to enlist, with families and friends pressurising those who did not. They were filled with false expectations and were nave to the effects of war to the lives, if they were to return. As explored, many young men left their families, never to return, broad their lives to the glorification of war. The vulnerability of their youth was soon crushed by the true realities of war and a whole generation was wiped out, leaving many wives widows, at such(prenominal) young ages. Sherriff and Hill, use the frontline perspective of war to express the changes men went through due to the circumstances of their daily routines. Characterisation through depe ndency and journeys are used to express the characters emotions. Especially for Journeys End, a small period of their lives serving has changed so many peoples lives at the time and still to this day.