Compare and Contrast the way Barker presents Burns and Proir in part 1
Barker portrays the characters of Burns and Prior as two very different patients, one of whom is awkward to work with and the other hard to work with because of the lack of treatment available. In this essay, I will explore the differences between Burns and Prior as patents, the relationship they have with Rivers and the personality’s of each character in part one.
The character of Burns is presented to us for the first time to be shown as a very ill character. “At any rate, a thin yellow-skinned man was on his feet, chocking and gagging.” This quote emphasises Barker’s way of showing us, the reader, of the human cost of war and the way it has impacted individuals lives so greatly. The reason Barker introduces Burns as an ill character is to show the the theme of masculinity because in the nineteenth century it was seen as weak to be in a mental hospital, due to the fact many people believed mental illnesses were just excuses to leave the war. So, the officers who went to this hospital felt that they were not men; this is a recurring theme throughout the novel.
The character of Prior is presented to us for the first time as a defiant and defensive character “At last Prior scribbled something, then turned over on his side to face the wall. Rivers leant across and picked the pad up. Prior had written: ‘NO MORE WORDS.’” This quote shows us Priors absolute refusal to accept authoritative figures and the childish nature he has. The reason Barker portrays Prior this way is to again present the theme of masculinity. Prior feel’s less of a man because of his mental illness, he may feel this way because of his father who like most of society during that, feels he is being cowardice “Hm. He’d get a damn sight more sympathy from me if he had a bullet up his arse”.
The way Barker presents Burns compared to Prior is very differently. For Burns we feel a sense of sympathy for him because of his condition and for Prior we feel a sense of irritation because of his refusal to cooperate. The reason Barker does this is to show how people are effected by the war and how it is has effected them. For Burns he can no longer eat without vomiting “He’d been thrown into the air by the explosion of a shell and had landed, head-first, on a German corpse, whose gas-filled belly had ruptured on impact.” For Prior he refuses to believe their is something wrong with him “THERE’S NOTHING PHYSICALY WRONG”.
The relationship Burns has with Rivers is one based on sympathy and respect, however Rivers is faced with a moral dilemma with the character of Burns. “Yes, Burns would worry about upsetting other people. Perhaps the most distressing feature of his case was the occasional glimpse of the cheerful and likeable young man he must once have been.” This shows us the way the war has affected him and how he is a ‘changed’ person due to the war. This is the problem Rivers is having because for it to get better it gets worse first and Burns is already at a pretty bad place already. This quote also shows again the theme of masculinity. Burns isn't able to look after himself because of the ‘great’ war; why is why it is very ironic because when a soldier goes to war he is cheered on and seen as a heroic man but if suffers from a mental illness due to the war he is seen as a coward, by society. Now, because Burns isn't able to look
