Pat Barkers Regeneration - 1667 Words

Contraception is a word commonly used in society today. With hundreds of types, brands, and methods of contraception available, it is hard to imagine a world without it or one in which it was against the law. However, decades ago at the turn of the 20th century, birth control was not easy to get or looked upon as socially acceptable. It was during the First World War that society began to see the emergence of contraception and its acceptance. Readers can also see its emergence in Regeneration on page 128, as Billy Prior propositions his new love interest by stating he always paddles with me boots on, a reference to the fact that he, as an army man, always wears contraception when having intercourse. With this background, we can now see†¦show more content†¦Sarah coyly asks if, as an uniformed soldier, he can take anything off for them to go swimming, and Prior responds no: I always paddle with me boots on, an obvious insinuation to contraception and having sex with a condom. Its appearance in the novel is an indication that Prior wishes to be safe, if they are indeed going to have sex. He also is indicating his sense of humor about this serious subject by using slang. After all, at this time, with the raging spread of sexually transmitted diseases, Prior was not going to take a chance on this lonely Munitionette, even if she does seem innocent. As the scene continues, we see that Sarah is not as innocent as Prior thinks in the ways of love and sex. After his mention of paddling with [his] boots on, he watches her as he is sure that she does not catch the significance of his comment and that she probably thinks that he really is talking about boots and wading in the water. But Prior is mistaken as Sarah, obviously learned in the ways of contraception from her fellow coworkers and friends, replies to him, Boots have a way of springing a leak, thus signifying that she is also up to date on the latest slang for contraception and that it isnt always that trustworthy. She, by catching his joke, also signifies that she can also find this subject humorous, despite its current stigma. By including Priors comment and Sarahs response in the novel, Pat Barker givesShow MoreRelated Pat Barkers Regeneration Essay1105 Words   |  5 PagesPat Barkers Regeneration Pat Barkers Regeneration focuses on the troubled soldiers mental status during World War One. Barker introduces the feelings soldiers had about the war and militarys involvement with the war effort. While Regeneration mainly looks at the male perspective, Barker includes a small but important female presence. While Second Lieutenant Billy Prior breaks away from Craiglockhart War Hospital for an evening, he finds women at a cafe in the Edinburgh district (Barker 86)Read More Heritage and Identity in Pat Barkers Regeneration1563 Words   |  7 PagesThe presence of Jews in England has been a source of controversy for many reasons. On page 35 of Pat Barkers historical novel Regeneration, Siegfried Sassoon reveals the nature of his relationship with his father, who left home when he was five, and gives an account of his Jewish history. Though he hadnt been raised Jewish and apparently had no association with his Jewish relatives, Sassoon was subjected to the discrimination that was ofte n seen in England before and during WWI. 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Pat Barkers Regeneration, Wilfred Owens poetry and Joseph Hellers Catch-22 can all be categorised as subjective war texts  as the main structural principle is not dominated by characters actions, but ratherRead More Comparing Irony of War in Dulce et Decorum, Regeneration, and Quiet on the Western Front1165 Words   |  5 PagesIrony of War Exposed in Dulce et Decorum, Regeneration, and Quiet on the Western Front    Many of the young officers who fought in the Great War enlisted in the army with glowing enthusiasm, believing that war was played in fancy uniforms with shiny swords. They considered war as a noble task, an exuberant journey filled with honor and glory. Yet, after a short period on the front, they discovered that they had been disillusioned by the war: fighting earned them nothing but hopelessness, deathRead MoreComparing the Ways Michael Herr in Dispatches and Pat Barker in Regeneration Show the Effects of War2879 Words   |  12 PagesComparing the Ways Michael Herr in Dispatches and Pat Barker in Regeneration Show the Effects of War When comparing Michael Herrs Dispatches and Regeneration by Pat Barker the differences in format, style and setting are clear from the outset. However both books explore the horrifying effect of war on those directly and indirectly involved. The two authors attempt to take the reader away from objective, statistical impressions of war and closer to the real experiencesRead MoreRepresentations Of Gender And Masculinity1503 Words   |  7 PagesRepresentations of gender and masculinity in Pat Barker s Regeneration. One of the major themes in Pat barker’s ‘Regeneration’ is gender and masculinity, this is my chosen theme. The novel overall reflects the struggles of World War one soldiers and their attempts to overcome the trauma of war experience. In this essay, I will be exploring ways which Barker represents my chosen themes. By discussing in depth and focusing on homosexuality, parenthood, emasculation, and mutism as a symbol. A keyRead MoreAnalysis Of Pat Barker s Night 2568 Words   |  11 Pagesanalyzing speak about the idea of mental health or war trauma during World War I and World War II, instead of calling it PTSD the authors call is shell shock, which is close to the definition of PTSD. The two books that I am analyzing is Pat Barker s Regeneration, which is focused on a mental institution and how soldiers deal with shell shock and many other internal struggles. The second is Elie Wiesel’s book Night, which speaks about a family that is taken to a concentration camp and is dealingRead MoreEmasculation Essay882 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿How does Pat Barker use symbolism in the novel Regeneration to explore the theme of emasculation? The theme emasculation appears several times throughout the novel Regeneration in variety of forms. Barker’s exploration of emasculation in the novel challenges traditional notions of manliness, showing war as a possible â€Å"feminine† experience. Pat Barker is bringing to attention that the atrocities suffered at war are making the soldiers unmanly as they’re facing shell shock and trauma. There are many