The role of Morphine in EP and Three Day Road

So, I was thinking about some of the ways that one couold develop a topic ddiscussing the role of morphine in the novels (The English Patient and Three Day Road). It seems to me that these books complicate or problematize the way that we, as readers, might think about the use of drugs in the context of war. In both instances, the drug is used as a way of staving off (physical) pain - in the case of the EP as a way of soothing his final days - death from burns is very painful. In the case of Xavier, after his amputation. However, it also seems that the morphine has another (at least one other) role - it brings out the stories of these characters through flashback memories.

In the case of Xavier, he doesn't seem to have much control over which memories are resurrected; in the case of the EP, Almasy seems to stay on track, but the drug brings him to telling his story in more detail than he has thus far in the novel. So, in a sense, this narcotic also eases psychic pain. Ironically, in the case of Xavier, while the memories are painful, it seems as though he needs to resurrect them so that he can make sense of the past. In the case of the EP, it is not Almasy that needs the story (he does remember, it seems) but the other characters in the novel. Carravaggio, for instance, seems to restore pieces of himself once he is able to let go of trying to "convict" Almasy in his mind.

And then there are the ways that the drug works for Elijah, in particular, and to a lesser extent, Caravaggio. It's unclear from the narration whether Elijah's descent into hell is assisted by his chronic use of the morphine, or whether the morphine acts to deaden his humanity. This could be explored a little - have a look at some of the references in the text. Caravaggio, it seems, doesn't "need" the morphine in the same way - but then again, perhaps he does. I wonder if the significance of his sharing morphine with the EP in that one section of of the novel is important? The characters do seem to bond over this; it takes this experience for Caravaggio to find some sense of peace since he has lost his thumbs...

All in all, both novels present a view of morphine use in the context of both physical and pyschic trauma, and doesn't seem to make a value judgement on these. Xavier, however, does seem aware that it is not a good thing, and that he must kick the drug once he is home. Interestingly, the drug which has released his memories (stories) must now be kicked through more stories (Niska's).

So, these are some thoughts. Do feel free to use them in any essay that you are writing.