Thesis

*War is the loneliest place on Earth*

- Jim
Jim demonstrates how lonely war is through when he is sick and dying. He doesn't want to be around anyone and wants to die alone. "In a dodged way he repelled them, sighing to them to go on and leave him alone. As he went on, he seemed always looking for a place, like one who goes to choose a grave (ch.9, 4). I cannot even start to imagine what it would feel like to be sick and dying but not want to burden anything with your sorrows because they wouldn't understand. They didn't know how Jim was it or what it felt like. Jim was lonely because he didn't want to nor couldn't put that burden on his friends and in the end felt alone and ended up dying alone.

Tattered Man-
The tattered man was flat out abandoned by his friend and left to die. "The tattered man looked at him in gaping amazement. "Why--why, pardner, where yeh goin'?" he asked unsteadily (ch. 10, 24). He couldn't believe that in his greatest time of need his friend could possibility be walking away from him. He tried asking him where he was going and not to leave but it didn't work. The tattered man started off feeling alone when he starting thinking about the thoughts of death. "But his companion waved his hand reassuringly. "Oh, I'm not goin' t' die yit! There too much dependin' on me fer me t' die yit. No, sir! Nary die! I CAN'T! Ye'd oughta see th' swad a' chil'ren I've got, an' all like that (ch 10, 17). He feels the saddness of missing his family that is back home and the despair of dying. Then the worst of it all; being abandoned. "The youth went on. Turning at a distance he saw the tattered man wandering about helplessly in the field" (ch. 10, 26). He felt by a man he had mistaken to be his friend. Left by himself, to die.

Henry-
Henry feels like he is the only soldier at war who is questioning themselves as he does. He starts off with his mom doubting him, and telling him to not be a fool. Then when faced with a battle, running away, being a coward,and hiding himself from everyone else. "The youth took no part in them. As he walked along in careless line he was engaged with his own eternal debate. He could not hinder himself from dwelling upon it" (ch 2, 25). That was first time at war truely feeling alone. He looked around seeing the the veterans who had so much experience and courage and then tried to imagine himself in their shoes. But he couldn't see himself like he saw them. Then after the first batte, which he ran away from, they all came back telling happy stories and he had nothing to say because he chose to not take part in any of it. "The youth, considering himself as separated from the others, was saddened by the blithe and merry speeches that went from rank to rank" (ch 2, 34). He knew he was different from the others and found himself questioning his confidence everyday. It grew harder for him to relate to the other soldiers so he just kept his distance. "The youth kept from intercourse with his companions as much as circumstances would allow him. In the evening he wandered a few paces into the gloom"(ch 2, 36). He sees all the soldiers around him who have been injuried with there war wounds. He thinks it is honorable and noble to have gotten hurt in war but he still can't find the courage in himself to be in battle and always runs away. "He wished that he , too, had a wound, the red badge of courage" ( ch 9, 3). But he couldn't achieve his own injury. So what does he do. He lies. Flat out lies. Tells the other soldiers he was shot in the head just he can feel like part of the team. To feel like he has actually accomplished something. To finally gain the approval of the other men. Once again Henry runs into the forest thinking it'll clear his mind. But of course it doesn't. " He walked on going obscurity inoto promises of a greater obscurity" (ch. 7, 17). Again he feels alone in the big forest. He tries to relate himself to a squirriel saying how when the squrriel was faced with danger he ran to. But then he sees a dead body. Wearing that same blue uniform that he has on. "He now thought that he wished he was dead. He believed he envied those men whose bodies lay strewn over the grass of the fields and on the fallen leaves of the forest (ch. 10, 24). Feeling lonier than ever. He gets thoughts into his head of how big of a failure he is. He will never have the strength of courage to do what these men are doing. Then just where it all began he wishes he was home. Wishing he never would have enlisted. Missing his family and missing his farm, his home, the place he is secure and knows he belongs. "He wished, without reserve, that he was at home again making the endless rounds from the house to the barn, from the barn to the fields, from the fields to the barn, from the barn to the house" ( ch. 11, 22). Everywhere Henry tried to run he ended up feeling more alone than ever. Every aspect of his life while he was there was alone by himself. Couldn't find the courage to fight the courage to help his friends. So he ran. Isolating himself from everyone else trying to escape the pain of knowing he was a failure. This is why war truely is the loneliest place on Earth.