Blog #5

Another important element to life class is death. Paul deals with death every single day in the hospital and it effects him and his friend Lweis every single day when at their post at the hospital. "Lewis shivered, wheather it was from the cold or the shock it's hard to tell...'Move' he says. Lewis backs away down the corridor." They learn to deal with the bloody, grotesque deaths of soldiers by shivering and moving on. They can't get to caught up with one patient lest it effect them and cause them to realize that they are surrounded by death. In a way these feelings mature Paul and Elinor's relationship. Paul becomes more drawn into himself and quiet and Elinor learns to naviagte around this.
Eventually one death effects Paul enough to shock him completely. The death of Lewis. "'Lewis' the red stain was spreading. Still the groans and gabbled words went on." (Barker 292). Lewis' death comes as a surprise and because of it, Paul can no longer work at the hosptial. Lewis' prescence is to strong there. His death shocks Paul enough for him to go home to Elinor. He has matured him enough to ask Elinor to marry him.