Question

Think about the title “Facing It.” Check all of the possible meanings of the word “it” in the title.

the memorial

the direction of Vietnam

life after the war

the reality of the author’s experience

Answer 1

- the memorial — Yes. The poem describes the speaker literally facing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; “it” can be the black wall he confronts.

- life after the war — Yes. “Facing it” can mean confronting the aftermath of combat, the veteran’s attempts to live with what happened.

- the reality of the author’s experience — Yes. “It” also names the speaker’s memories, trauma, guilt, and the truth of his Vietnam experience that he must face.

- the direction of Vietnam — No. This reading doesn’t fit the poem; “it” doesn’t refer to a geographic or political “direction” of Vietnam.