Jaycee Woods

In my “Harvest of Blood” draft, I had to pick the right word for the sentence:

“Ares strode the land again with a sickle to harvest the corpses of the nation’s youth one stroke at a time.”

Below is the dialogue I had with Copilot to help me make my choice.

Me: What is the difference between a scythe and a sickle?

Copilot: A scythe and a sickle are both traditional agricultural tools, but they have distinct differences in design and usage:

Scythe: This tool has a long handle (called a snath) and a long, slightly curved blade. It is designed to be used with two hands, allowing the user to stand upright and swing the blade in wide arcs to cut grass or grain. The scythe is often associated with the Grim Reaper.

Sickle: This tool has a short handle and a curved, crescent-shaped blade. It is designed to be used with one hand, making it suitable for more precise cutting tasks, such as harvesting specific plants or working in tight spaces. The sickle is historically associated with agrarian labor and is featured on the flag of the former Soviet Union.

Both tools have rich symbolic meanings and have been largely replaced by modern machinery in large-scale agriculture, but they remain in use for small-scale farming and gardening.

Me: In the story, Marxist activist fomented a US civil war. I have a sentence describing how Ares harvests the nation’s youth through the war. Trying to decide whether Ares uses a scythe or a sickle to harvest the dead soldiers.

Copilot: Given the context of your story, both tools could work, but they convey slightly different imagery:

Scythe: This tool is often associated with the Grim Reaper and symbolizes a broad, sweeping harvest. Using a scythe could emphasize the large-scale, indiscriminate nature of the war, as Ares reaps the lives of many young soldiers in wide arcs. It suggests a relentless and inevitable force.

Sickle: This tool, with its one-handed use and precise cutting, might convey a more personal, targeted approach. It could symbolize the deliberate and calculated nature of the conflict, where each life taken is a specific act of war. The sickle’s association with agrarian labor and revolution (as seen in Marxist symbolism) might also add a layer of thematic depth to your story.

Considering Ares is a god of war, the scythe might be more fitting to depict the vast and merciless nature of war. However, if you want to highlight the revolutionary aspect and the targeted impact on the nation’s youth, the sickle could be a powerful choice.

Which imagery resonates more with the tone and themes of your story?

Me: Unfortunately, both. 🙂

Copilot: That’s a good dilemma to have! Both tools offer rich symbolism. How about this: you could use both in different parts of your story to highlight different aspects of the war.

For instance, you could describe Ares wielding a scythe during large, devastating battles to emphasize the widespread destruction and the overwhelming loss of life. In more intimate, personal scenes, Ares could use a sickle to represent the targeted, deliberate nature of certain conflicts or the revolutionary undertones.

This way, you can leverage the unique imagery and symbolism of both tools to enrich your narrative. What do you think?

Me: Perhaps targeted does work as one side tries to only kill male soldiers while taking the female rebel soldiers as slaves.

Copilot: In that case, the sickle would be a powerful symbol to use. It can represent the targeted and deliberate nature of the conflict, emphasizing the selective harvesting of lives. The sickle’s association with revolution and labor can also add depth to the portrayal of the female rebel soldiers being taken as slaves. You could craft a vivid scene where Ares wields the sickle with precision, highlighting the calculated brutality of the war and the specific targeting of male soldiers. This imagery can underscore the grim reality of the conflict and the harsh fate of those involved.