Remembering the War in "To My Mother" and "After the Bomb Tests" Leah Katz College

World War II was a time of great emotional upheaval and change. Because men were drafted to fight in the war, women became more involved in industry and created the image of Rosie the Riveter to represent strong women in the workplace. Both “To My Mother” by George Barker and “After the Bomb Tests” by Jane Cooper utilize this new image of women to exemplify the impact of the war on individuals and on humanity as a whole.

“To My Mother” emphasizes the strength of women in wartime through the image painted of the mother. When the poet describes her as “sitting as huge as Asia, seismic with laughter,” it gives off the impression of a woman who is larger than life (Barker 3). Not only could it be read that she is physically large, but certainly she has a big personality. Her son clearly feels immense love and respect for his mother, especially in regard to her resilience. She comes across as unmovable and something to behold, a mountain in a storm. The line “She will not glance up at the bomber,” shows that she has become desensitized to the violence that surrounds her (Barker 9). She has been so strong for so long that the Germans bombing her city hardly affects her and does not even trigger significant fear. Her strength is...