Pacifism
The belief that war and violence are morally wrong and should be opposed or refused. Pacifism appears in literature as personal stance, religious conviction, or political position often in tension with social pressure.
Real World
Siegfried Sassoon publicly refused to return to the front in 1917, writing 'Finished with the War: A Soldier's Declaration' — a act of pacifist protest that risked court-martial and cost him enormous social standing.
Exam Focus
When analysing pacifism, always link the character's or speaker's stance to a specific structural or linguistic choice for AO2 marks.
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