What is the poem I was only 19 about?

Published by Anaya Cole on

What is the poem I was only 19 about?

John Schumann’s song ‘I was only nineteen’ is a ‘national anthem’ to the Australian veterans who fought in Vietnam. It has become one of Australia’s best-loved and best-known songs, and it honours the memory of those who fought and those who died in that brutal war.

What is the theme of I was only 19?

The song’s themes, of a soldier’s continuing struggle to cope with what war had done to him, brought a new sense of perspective to the nation’s views on self-sacrifice, heroism and suffering during conflict. Schumann said the personal accounts of Vietnam veterans helped inform the song’s lyrics.

Who is the narrator of I was only 19?

The song is written in the first person – that’s Mick’s point of view. Frank Hunt was in Mick’s platoon. A serious mine incident did happen to them on the day mankind walked on the moon: July 20, 1969. However, it wasn’t Frankie that stepped on the mine.

Why is I Was Only 19 a protest song?

This iconic protest song written by John Schumann was released as a single in March 1983, hitting number one on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The song presents a soldier’s experience of war and reflects on Australia’s attitude to involvement in the Vietnam conflict.

What poetic techniques are used in I was only nineteen?

One technique that is used in the song is personification. An example of this in the chorus; “And night time’s just a jungle, and a barking M. 16”. This implies that when he sleeps at night, he dreams of Vietnamese jungles where he fought and hears the sound of a gun repeatedly firing.

Who is John Schumann?

Best known for his leadership of the legendary folk-rock band Redgum, and his Vietnam veterans’ anthem, I Was Only 19, John Schumann first came to national attention in 1980 as Redgum’s lead singer-songwriter.

Is I was only 19 a protest song?

How old is John Schuman?

69 years (May 18, 1953)John Schumann / Age

What is Schumann acculturation theory?

Schumann’s Acculturation Theory as presented in The Pidginization Process: A Model for Second Language Acquisition (1978) predicts that the degree of a learner’s success in second language (L2) acquisition depends upon the learner’s degree of acculturation.

What is language shock?

1. The challenge of understanding and communicating in a second language in an unfamiliar environment, and confusion about the norms of behavior in a new cultural setting.

Is acculturation a bad thing?

Literature has shown that acculturating immigrants or ethnic minorities not only have an increased risk of substance use [17] and poor mental health outcomes [18], but also display positive help-seeking attitudes and behaviours [19, 20].

What does ego permeability mean?

(1978: 32) define ego permeability as the ‘act of constructing for oneself another person’s mental state’. To paraphrase this: some individuals may be said to be ‘open’ to the personalities of others; their ‘egos’ are ‘permeable’.

What is culture shock in second language acquisition?

Students from different countries are exposed to new cultural, social and intellectual experiences in a second language learning environment. Reviews of previous studies suggest that their beliefs, values and attitudes to knowledge can lead to ‘culture shock.