Shoehorn Sonata 'And Dulce Et Decorum Est'

Composers use a number of elements to convey their particular point of view. Those elements can be anecdotes, visual imagery and language techniques. The understanding of humanity and our capacity to destroy is represented through the distinctly visual. In the Shoehorn Sonata and Dulce Et Decorum Est the writers have invited the audience to examine societies role in acknowledging humane treatment and the importance of reflecting on suffering experienced.

The horror of the war experience is represented visually through the anecdotes. In Dulce Et Decorum Est (Wilfred Owen) and in the Shoe-Horn Sonata (John Misto) the traumatic experience is recreated through the use of symbolism. John Misto positions us to consider the burden of Prisoner of war memories through the use of characters Bridie and Sheila. In Act one scene three Bridie publically states the memory of her ship ablaze and sinking, “some women started to leap from deck... those women who'd jumped were floating quite well – but all of them were dead.” this realisation of the Japanese not being the
In Act one scene four Bridie grips and emotive statement challenging the question of absence and elements of her perspective. She does this through saying “Don’t you walk out on me again.” reinforcing a strong motive toward the harsh seperation of fifty years of limited friendship due to distance and the lack of contact and commitment Bridie had seeked after the horror of the war experience. In response to Bridies statement, the acceptance of each other is vividly narrow, sheila escapes a statement made when sober, and blurts out in act one scene eight “Don't come near me ever again.” this forces Bridie to feel a sudden sense of desperation to reconcile conflicting relationships. Sheila is holding on to a secret forcing them apart and aiding in the ongoing suffering of the past prisoner of war