With current debates raging about our interpretation and understanding of the First World War, it is important to consider the ways in which the conflict has been represented through poetry, novel and autobiography in order to explore the contribution of literature to our own views of the events. This session will explore presentations of the First World War through poetry and extracts from novels, diaries and autobiographies, texts ranging from Vera Britten’s Testament of Youth to poetry from all nations to Goodbye to all that and the fiction of Pat Barker. 

We will look at the various experiences and attitudes shown as well as considering these texts not only from the point of view of when they were published but also within the context of the remembrance events that will start to take place in 2014 and the debates that are already raging regarding our interpretation of the First World War. 

Copies of extracts and poems used in the presentation will be circulated at the event.

Ian Wall studied English and Related Literatures at the University of York. After 10 years teaching in a London comprehensive school he founded Film Education, a charity which developed the use of film in the classroom. He has produced, written and directed programmes for the BBC Learning Zone and Channel 4.