At the start of the film, “They Shall Not Grow Old” there was mention of people ages 19 to 35 being allowed to join the army. Some soldiers expressed they were happy to join and fulfill the job. Even boys as young as 15 would try to sneak in by lying about their age as they were proud to go fight for their country. Being 15 myself, this was shocking to me. Watching the beginning, I felt surprised at how most soldiers seemed eager to join and help fight. Once we got deeper into the film, soldiers were expressing their feelings after being in the war and fighting. Hearing all the brutal words, I was devastated for all these innocent people giving up their lives for their country. Although some soldiers mentioned how they were “used” to the war and used to fighting, I felt horrible about all the suffering the soldiers had to go through and how many died trying. One soldier mentioned how the shooting was typically 10 minutes. I couldn’t imagine the thoughts and feelings going through their minds. As one of the soldiers was talking, it reminded me of a prison as he said they ate the same thing every day and had the same routine. I couldn’t imagine the pain of the families whose kids didn’t make it out. When the war was over, the ones to make it out alive had suffered so much and now have an unbearable amount of trauma and I couldn’t imagine all the pain and brutal memories. I have so much respect for and admire all the soldiers who gave up their lives for a future, our future.
8 thoughts on “They Shall Not Grow Old”
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I was touched by your comment ” innocent people giving up their lives for their country”. I love the country I live in, but that’s just it. The country I live in. I do not have an eccentric passion or everlasting devotion to my country, but nevertheless I very much appreciate it’s support and ability to make me feel at home.
I enjoyed the sincerity of your post, along with how personal and genuine it was. It perfectly conveyed your thoughts and feelings, and it gave a good idea of what was going through your mind.
All throughout this personal response piece, I picked up on the more emotional aspects of this response rather than the analytical ones. This raw unfiltered piece demonstrates the ways in which we as the youth of today cannot even bear to comprehend how these soldiers were less than a few years older than us as they were marching to their deaths. Your wording and structure exemplify the feelings of sympathy and empathy for these young men as well as for their mourning families which I admire deeply.
Saying that some people where “used” to war and that lifestyle tear down my heart. I can imagine how they where used to that “prison” of life. The way you expressed yourself in the post is so honest and so compassionate about the soldiers.
I liked the way you used more emotional terms rather than analytical terms when describing your thoughts and feelings throughout the documentary. Good job!
I like how you wrote the difference of your thought between the people bag then and yours.
I liked how you expressed your feelings more than just explaining what the film was about.
I agree with your opinion, due to the propoganda in WWI, many young people like us had been effected and these innocent people had gone out at the war, most insane things were that most of them don’t even had possible to kill an enemy and win the glory to nation.