Transcript for: his views of the silence

Interviewee: Jack Hooper

Subject: Moving Minds - Imperial War Museum North

To me, it’s just kind of something that we’ve been told to do, rather than something to reflect upon as I suppose other people might do. Because they have memories of people that they knew who died in the war. They understand more than I do about why they have the silence. Whereas I didn’t really know anyone who fought or died in the war, so I can’t remember them.

So you don’t know anyone, then, who’s fighting in wars at the moment?

No. None of my family are military based.

If you do think about was, do you automatically associate the two minutes silence with World War 1 and 2?

Initially yes, but then a couple of years ago, we had a thing at school called ‘Thought for the Week’ and I had to prepare a presentation on the remembrance service. We learned about it, and it’s not just about the world Wars, it’s for other conflicts as well where servicemen have died.

Tell me about what you did in the presentation.

Well, we talked about what happens on the day, like the two minutes silence. There are a lot of people that go to the cenotaphs. We also talked about why they wear poppies. I think that was pretty much it, it was only a short presentation. We talked about why they wore the poppies, because that’s the only flower that grew after everything had been cleared up.

When it is Remembrance Day, is it just about war? Is it about peace? Do you think about the horrors of war, or what good can come out of wars?

I don’t think I’ve every really thought about it that way. I think war, to me. . . I’ve never really experienced it. I can’t really think bout it in that way, because I’ve never had a time, or a reason to think about it.

What colour does war conjure up in your mind, and why?

Black, because black is associated with evil and darkness. Or red, because of the blood that’s spilt. And also poppies, because the poppies are a symbol that springs to mind immediately when you think about war and the aftermath. And poppies are red.