At the same time, Wiesel suggests that the persistence of hope prevails, and that holding onto positive memories and traditions can help the human spirit conquer all the evil in the world. "The Watch" is chosen as a passage in a high school literature book because doing so reflects the author's ultimate goal: illustrating how history repeats itself unless we remain vigilant and always cognizant of the past. To remind high school students of the holocaust is to encourage dialogue. The audience for "The Watch" is universal. 3. Randall Jarrell's "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner"

Jarrell's poem "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" uses symbolism and imagery to convey war and death. The poem juxtaposes images of birth and death, as he describes his "mother's sleep" and being "hunched in the belly" before discussing the "black flak" and his own death. Juxtaposition is also used with the terms "dream" and "nightmare," in lines three and four, respectively....

The overall theme of "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is the senselessness of the cycle of war and violence perpetuated by the military-industrial complex. Although only five lines long, "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" offers a powerful dose of symbolism and imagery. The poem is written in blank verse, and the poet uses alliteration as in the line "my wet fur froze." Internal rhyming is also used, as in "black flak."
4. "How is what was going on in the time period reflected in what the author wrote about?"

Each of these three readings encapsulates what is going on historically and culturally. For example, Jarrell's "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" describes battle in World War II and Wiesel's "The Watch" describes the enduring memory of the Holocaust.

Works Cited

Jarrell, Randall. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner."

Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums."

Wiesel, Elie. "The Watch."