Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen

• Owen wrote this poem when he was a soldier fighting in WWI. The poem portrays the death of one soldier and explores the consequences of having borne witness to such a trauma.
• Questions to consider:

o Why end the poem with a Latin quote? Why not an English slogan?

o How would the poem be different if the last stanza weren't addressed to people at home? How does this stanza change the meaning of the poem?

o How does the speaker portray the realities of war? What images are particularly striking or effective?

• “Dulce et Decorum est” on SuperSummary

“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway

• In addition to being a masterclass on how to write dialogue, this Hemingway short story portrays a female character who is a good contrast to Brett.
• Questions to consider:

o What are Jig and the man talking about?

o What is the central conflict in this relationship? (Hint: it’s not about whether or not Jig will get an abortion)