Xavier's Survival In The Triumph Of The Humble

The Triumph of the Humble It is often understood that those who go above and beyond requirements and standards of society make it far, they are the leaders of the world, have been and will continue to be. They are said to inherit the best out of life. But, it all comes down to a few simple things. A person who forever tries to lead, attempts to be the best of the brightest and aims for greatness and nothing less will usually fall from their place. A person who goes to great lengths to achieve what is not meant to be achieved or leads what is not meant to be lead will always find some sort of violent end, literally or figuratively. Their aspirations, goals and ideas will continue to get larger and will grow too large to grasp and fulfill, and

For Xavier, this “Earth” that is inherited is the survival of the war. Over the course of the novel, Xavier abided by rules and he did not go above expectations or kills but only aimed to survive. This objective and intention is rewarded through Xavier’s survival of the war. This is evident in the following quote, “The echo of singing down the hall. It comes closer...the song is all around me. Women in white all around me, smiling and singing.” (372) This quote depicts Xavier’s survival, the singing and joy a metaphor for his reward, as if life is offering this serenity and survival for Xavier’s humbleness. Throughout the war, Xavier only partook in what was necessary and followed his instincts to survive. This is apparent in the following quote, “I don’t volunteer for this one...a slight buzzing like a wasp in a burlap sack tells me not to go, and I listen to it.” (207) On this occasion, the Canadians are volunteering to overrun a section of the German trench, it becomes brutal and many are killed. For Xavier, choosing not to go came as a natural instinct, this enabled him to avoid a possible death. This following of his instinct and focusing on only obligatory objectives is again, rewarded through survival. Another instance is during Xavier’s first kill, Elijah explains, “He [the German sniper] could lie there for hours among the dead and rotting. He

Although Elijah portrays this notion negatively, displaying how those who are not meek but rather wilfully defiant will inherit next to nothing and will usually fall from their high pedestal. Elijah flourishes in his capabilities on the battlefield. As the plot advanced, Elijah became increasingly bloodthirsty, his only aim to kill and showcase his supposed power. This is evident in the following quote, “I have found the one thing that I am truly talented at, and that is killing men. I do not need food when I have this.” (320) From this quote it evident that Elijah finds joy in going beyond limits, and this is ultimately the reason for his demise, where he is left with nothing but his own rotting flesh which he so often displayed loathing for. Elijah’s extreme devotion to achieving superiority and satisfaction is also displayed in the following quote, “I see a hunger in Elijah that he can’t satisfy. He goes out on his own to snipe now...He lies still for hours, for days sometimes...waiting for the shot that will count.” (326) In this quote Elijah’s greed for killing is apparent, it displays the lengths he will travel to fulfill his needs, but this power and satisfaction, along with such effortless yet hard earned achievements is all good for nothing as he dies miserably. This is his punishment for pushing boundaries, stepping past the lines and being outrageous. Throughout the