In Memoriam Chapter Six Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Ellwood reaches the front line in Flanders in July 1915. He meets Lieutenant David Hayes in a cramped dugout and learns that Gaunt has become harsh and remote. Gaunt barely acknowledges him. Hayes shows Ellwood the trenches, where he sees a decomposing French soldier and, shortly after, a private whose face is splattered with another man’s brains after a shell hit. On his second night, Ellwood leads a wiring patrol. A soldier named Hayward sneezes and is shot dead by a German sniper; Ellwood writes a formulaic condolence letter. The chapter details the squalor of trench life: rotting sandbags, fly‑infested food, overflowing latrines, and constant exhaustion. Ellwood rebuffs a Jewish private, Isaac Kohn, who greets him with “Good Sabbath,” claiming his family converted. Gaunt’s emotional collapse emerges when a game of cards triggers a breakdown; he has been haunted by accidentally shooting a man named Harkins. Ellwood tries to comfort him, but Gaunt erupts in fury and orders him out.

Key Events

Ellwood arrives at the Hermit Cave and finds Gaunt cold and short‑tempered.
Hayes shows Ellwood the trenches, including a corpse sticking out of the earth and a soldier covered in brains.
Ellwood leads his first patrol; Hayward is killed after sneezing.
Ellwood writes a sanitised condolence letter to Hayward’s wife.
The men endure terrible conditions: rotting sandbags, fly‑filled jam, and broken latrines.
Private Isaac Kohn wishes Ellwood a good Sabbath; Ellwood coldly distances himself from his Jewish heritage.
Gaunt breaks down when Huxton suggests a card game, screaming and crying.
Gaunt reveals he accidentally shot Harkins in the head; he orders Ellwood out of the dugout.

Character Development

Sydney Ellwood: Arrives idealistic and excited by the proximity of death, but quickly confronts the grim reality. He takes command during the patrol, though he is new. His refusal to acknowledge Kohn shows his discomfort with his own Jewish ancestry and desire to fit in as an officer.
Henry Gaunt: Transformed from the caring friend of earlier chapters into a hollow, whisky‑dependent captain. He snaps at Ellwood, speaks in monosyllables, and breaks down uncontrollably. His trauma from shooting Harkins is now exposed.
David Hayes: A seasoned, pragmatic officer who tries to prepare Ellwood for the horrors. He remains calm and observant, and Gaunt treats him with unusual patience.
Isaac Kohn: A quiet Jewish private who reaches out to Ellwood only to be rebuffed. His presence forces Ellwood to confront questions of identity.
Huxton: A gloomy officer who suffers the conditions with dry humour; his innocent card suggestion triggers Gaunt’s breakdown.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The grotesque and the ordinary: Corpses are integrated into the landscape—a hand pops out of the wall, sandbags rot with gore. The men shake hands with a dead hand as if it were a daily greeting.
Moral injury and psychological trauma: Gaunt’s breakdown is a direct result of shooting a friend in error. The war shatters his sense of self; he cannot sleep, drinks heavily, and howls like an animal.
Class and rank: Ellwood, though younger, is an officer while the men are older. He must act authoritative. His treatment of Kohn reveals the social pressures of maintaining officer status.
Jewish identity and assimilation: Ellwood insists his family converted before Disraeli, rejecting Kohn’s overture. His “cold” response shows shame and a desire to erase his heritage in the military hierarchy.
The absurdity of war: The “sportsmanlike” code of not shooting a sneezing man is violated; Gaunt’s bitter quotation of “The Charge of the Light Brigade” underscores the futile heroism demanded by the army.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter Six marks Ellwood’s full immersion into the trenches and the collapse of his romantic view of war. It also reveals the extent of Gaunt’s psychological damage, setting up the strain that will define their relationship for the rest of the novel. The chapter introduces Kohn, a minor character who forces Ellwood to confront his own Jewish background—a theme that will grow in importance. The depiction of trench life—disgusting, dehumanising, and absurd—grounds the novel’s emotional stakes in historical reality.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Ellwood’s attitude toward war change during this chapter?
He arrives with a “throb of excitement” at being near death, but the reality of splattered brains, the killing of Hayward, and the degrading conditions soon replace that thrill with horror and a sense of duty. By the end he is writing formulaic letters and following orders mechanically.

2. What does Gaunt’s breakdown reveal about his character?
It shows that his earlier harshness is a fragile defence against unbearable guilt and exhaustion. He is haunted by the accidental shooting of Harkins and cannot escape the memory. His outburst—screaming at Ellwood—demonstrates how the war has eroded his humanity and his ability to connect with those he loves.

3. Why does Ellwood reject Isaac Kohn’s greeting?
Ellwood is anxious about his own Jewish identity and wants to be seen as a proper officer. By dismissing Kohn and claiming his family converted, he attempts to distance himself from any perceived “otherness” that might undermine his authority or acceptance among the other officers.