Something I found particularly compelling in this section of Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth is the central role of the written word and the comfort it can provide. The importance of language is clearly shown through the written correspondence between Vera and Roland. Over time, they are able to convey what is seemingly impossible to explain. Roland gives personal insight into his day-to-day experience of war, while Vera tells him about her experience as a VAD nurse. They are able to remain very much themselves through their letters, providing each other with something to look forward to.

The couple's closeness through their letters contrasts with Vera's somewhat distant relationship with those around her and her daily responsibilities. There is a distracting quality to her work. It gives her something to do between what gives her life meaning: the letters.

"When a fortnight passed in which no letter came from Roland at all, I was glad to have attached myself so securely to the hospital" (173).

The positions held by Vera and Roland require them to act in particular ways in order to simply get through each day. Therefore, speaking frankly with those around them is not an option. This is why her diary also serves as a sense of comfort.

Along with personal letters, the written word is used throughout in the form of poetry. Both Vera and Roland include and reference works of poetry they find particularly relevant. It seems that words on a page allow for something uniquely poignant in a time of violence and tragedy. Poems written about war try to make sense of the nonsensical, something that everyday speech often cannot achieve.