Donald Scott answers â€œPlease can anyone explain what is meant by...â€� â€� Birdsong Q&A

Lianne asked this question about Birdsong:

Please can anyone explain what is meant by the following paragraph? ''His exceptional hearing was frequently in demand. The previous winter, two miles south of Ypres, he had lowered his ear to rat-level in the trench into a water-filled petrol can and held it there until his head lost all feeling. He preferred the airless quiet of the tunnel to the numbing of his skull.'' Why did he hold his head in water? Thank you

Donald Scott the listener didn't put his head in the tank, just listed with ear pressed onto the tank. Vibration from tunnellers would presumably be transmitted inâ€¦m´Ç°ù±ðthe listener didn't put his head in the tank, just listed with ear pressed onto the tank. Vibration from tunnellers would presumably be transmitted into the drum and amplified to allow the human ear to pick it up.

Sebastian Faulks is meticulous in his research. Every angle is covered and this topic of what occurred in these dark days in the trenches during WWI is no exception.

I used to play football with the author. He was pretty decent at that too...ðŸ˜‰(less)

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