There was always someone outside of the chalk circle. Someone who needed money, someone who had a son with whooping cough, or someone who wanted to go off and sleep forever because he could not stand the shit taste of war in his mouth and who nonetheless, stood at attention to inform him: "Everything normal, Colonel." And normality was precisely the most fearful part of that infinite war: nothing ever happened.
The quote reflects the pervasive sense of despair and the heavy burden of life during war. It illustrates how individuals outside of the "chalk circle" of safety grapple with crises—be it financial hardship, illness, or the emotional toll of conflict. Each character represents the unceasing struggles faced by people who, despite their suffering, must still adhere to the facade of normalcy, often at the expense of their own well-being.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
"Philip Sharpe was a soldier in God's army," says the minister. "Now he marches with the angels."
