Chapter four starts like this, the
second company is assigned on a dangerous task to the lay-barded wire on the
front. As they are driving they pass a house with a lot of geese. They agree to
come back later to get them. Kat and Paul hear gunfire. Kat explains to the
recruits how to distinguish which guns are firing. Kat thinks that there will
be an ambush/bombardment later in the night. This chapter also talks about how
soldiers transform themselves into human animals. There senses heighten in
order to keep them alive. Then
the soldiers carry wire and iron rods to the front. They lay the wire, and try
to sleep until the trucks arrive to drive them back. Kat’s prediction that they
would be bombarded is correct. Panic arises and creates chaos and run for cover.
Paul talks to one of the recruits and how it is normal for a new solider to
poop in his pants and tells him it is essentially normal and ok. The men hear
the sounds of wounded and dying horses screaming in pain and torture. Detering
is horrified because he loves horses. After the wounded men are gathered, those
in charge of shooting the wounded animals do their job. Detering declares with
disgust that using horses in war is the “vilest baseness.” On the drive back a
swarm of bombs land around them. The men take cover. They put their gas mask on
and seek shelter for protection. Paul takes a breath on the valve of the mask,
hoping that the mask is airtight. The shelling has stopped. They ending of this
chapter is a dilemma, where they don’t know if the should kill a soldier to
ease his agony or let him be in pain.
No comments:
Post a Comment