"Homecoming", by Bruce Dawe, illustrates and recounts the tragedies of the Vietnam War in an even-tempered, but negative tone. ... 'They're', made use of at the beginning of five consecutive sentences highlights exactly this. ... Despite having made the ultimate sacrifice of going to war, the fact the most attention they are presented with is from a dog accentuates the global concept of war as dehumanizing. ... This meaning is however used ironically by subtly contrasting the traditional implications of the word, with the shocking reality of dead soldiers flown home from Vietnam...

• Word Count: 951
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate