Question

Do you know that one of the symptoms of combat fatigue or ‘neurasthenia’ is a stammer and a failure to string sentences together coherently? The poem portrays the grim untold reality of war. Is it a truthful one? Give reasons.

Answer 1

Yes. The poem presents a truthful account of the psychological injuries war can inflict. The soldiers’ stammering, confused speech, nightmares and difficulty walking suggest that their suffering continues long after the fighting ends. Sassoon challenges the comforting assumption that they will soon recover and forget what they experienced. The poem is a powerful witness to the reality of combat trauma, though it does not suggest that every survivor responds in exactly the same way.