The life of a soldier in World War One was one filled with death, destruction, and atrocity. For many, the reality in which they existed proved too much for what one person could handle. A soldier often returned a different man, both physically and psychologically. In Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road”, the main characters Elijah and Xavier are subjected to this reality. In contrasting the different personalities of Elijah and Xavier, one can demonstrate how war is experienced by individuals in very different ways. How an individual views warefare and emerges from it is dependant on many factors. In addition to underlying personalities, substance abuse can colour one 's perception of war.
The contrasting personalities that both Elijah and Xavier …show more content…
“All blood runs red” (Bullard 1). Words spoken by Eugene Bullard, the first African American military pilot find deep connection to to novel, and Xavier himself. Not only are both men minorities within their respective ranks, but they also share a true acceptance of the conflict they partake in. The notion that all blood run red plays homage to Xavier 's acceptance that he is just one of millions of other men, who like him, deal with the struggles of daily life in war. Both have accepted that they, just as those around them, are cotton-wrapped meat sent out to die for a seemingly meaningless conflict. They accept this and realize that at any moment they could die. The importance of this realization is crucial, as it is this morbid thought that helps keeps his sanity, as he is humbled and reminded of his mortality. “ I fight my struggles just as Elijah does, and every other man, Canadian, English, German, French, Australian, American, Burmese, Austrian fights his. We all fight on two fronts, the one facing the enemy, the one facing what we do to the enemy” (Boyden 326). The idea that a real soldier shares this belief only adds to the notion that his emotions and acceptance of this reality have true
The contrasting personalities that both Elijah and Xavier …show more content…
“All blood runs red” (Bullard 1). Words spoken by Eugene Bullard, the first African American military pilot find deep connection to to novel, and Xavier himself. Not only are both men minorities within their respective ranks, but they also share a true acceptance of the conflict they partake in. The notion that all blood run red plays homage to Xavier 's acceptance that he is just one of millions of other men, who like him, deal with the struggles of daily life in war. Both have accepted that they, just as those around them, are cotton-wrapped meat sent out to die for a seemingly meaningless conflict. They accept this and realize that at any moment they could die. The importance of this realization is crucial, as it is this morbid thought that helps keeps his sanity, as he is humbled and reminded of his mortality. “ I fight my struggles just as Elijah does, and every other man, Canadian, English, German, French, Australian, American, Burmese, Austrian fights his. We all fight on two fronts, the one facing the enemy, the one facing what we do to the enemy” (Boyden 326). The idea that a real soldier shares this belief only adds to the notion that his emotions and acceptance of this reality have true