Champion
Chapter 5: Day 3
by Lu, MarieThe chapter “Day 3” opens with the protagonist, Daniel, experiencing a vivid nightmare about his younger brother, Eden. In the dream, they are at a San Francisco hospital where Eden receives new glasses, a sign of progress in his treatment for his deteriorating vision. The scene is tender as Eden crafts an intricate paper rose, showcasing his creativity despite his disability. However, the moment is shattered when Colonies airships attack the city, and Republic soldiers forcibly separate Daniel from Eden, leaving him to believe his brother is dead. The nightmare ends abruptly, leaving Daniel disoriented and in pain.
Awakening in their Denver apartment, Daniel is relieved to find Eden safe but is immediately gripped by a severe headache. He dismisses Eden’s concern, refusing to wake their caretaker, Lucy, and insists on taking his medication alone. The pain is debilitating, and Daniel struggles to function, reflecting on the doctors’ warnings that such episodes could be life-threatening. Eden, though visually impaired, assists him with touching determination, highlighting their deep bond and mutual reliance despite their physical limitations.
As the headache persists, Daniel and Eden sit together in the kitchen, enduring the agony. Eden’s attempts to comfort Daniel—reminding him to breathe and offering sarcastic humor—reveal his resilience and maturity beyond his years. Daniel’s laughter turns to coughing, and the pain intensifies, blurring the line between his nightmare and reality. The chapter underscores their fragile existence, with Daniel grappling with the fear of his own mortality and the haunting memories of losing Eden in his dream.
The chapter closes with Daniel’s pain unrelenting after an hour, far longer than usual, leaving him convinced he might be dying. Eden’s quiet concern and the slow arrival of dawn amplify the tension. The narrative poignantly captures their struggle to survive in a world that has already taken so much from them, blending moments of warmth with underlying dread. The chapter leaves readers questioning Daniel’s fate and the stability of the brothers’ precarious lives.
FAQs
1. How does the narrator’s nightmare reflect his deepest fears and current reality?
Answer:
The nightmare vividly portrays the narrator’s intertwined fears about Eden’s safety and his own deteriorating health. The dream sequence begins with hope (Eden’s improving eyesight) but quickly devolves into chaos (Colonies’ attack, Eden being taken by soldiers), mirroring the narrator’s constant anxiety about protecting his vulnerable brother in a war-torn world. This parallels their waking reality—Eden’s visual impairment and the narrator’s chronic headaches symbolize their shared fragility. The nightmare’s abrupt shift from medical progress to destruction reflects the unstable world they inhabit, where safety is always temporary.2. Analyze the significance of Eden’s paper rose in the nightmare. What might it symbolize?
Answer:
The paper rose represents fragile hope and the brothers’ bond. Its intricate design showcases Eden’s creativity despite his disability, mirroring how both characters find beauty in adversity. When the rose is dropped and burns during the attack, it symbolizes how external forces (war, the Republic) destroy their fragile moments of joy. The transformation mechanic (pulling a leaf to reveal the rose) reflects how small actions—like the narrator’s protection—can unveil unexpected beauty. Its eventual destruction foreshadows the narrator’s fear of losing Eden, making it a metaphor for transience.3. How does the chapter use physical ailments to develop the relationship between the two brothers?
Answer:
Their disabilities create interdependence: the narrator’s debilitating headaches render him helpless, while Eden’s impaired vision requires guidance. This dynamic is subverted when Eden becomes the caretaker during the headache episode, showing their roles can reverse. Their dark humor (“we almost make a whole person”) reveals how they cope through mutual reliance. Eden’s precise movements (folding paper, finding medicine) contrast with the narrator’s uncontrolled pain, illustrating how they compensate for each other’s weaknesses. Their physical struggles deepen empathy, as seen when Eden coaches the narrator through breathing exercises, mirroring earlier scenes where the narrator guided Eden.4. What does the narrator’s refusal to wake Lucy reveal about his character and the story’s broader themes?
Answer:
This decision highlights his self-sacrificing nature and survivor’s guilt. Despite extreme pain, he prioritizes Lucy’s rest, mirroring how he endures nightmares alone to avoid burdening others. It underscores the theme of silent suffering in a dystopian world where resources (including care) are scarce. His insistence on handling crises independently—even when irrational—reflects a soldier’s mentality, suggesting he views vulnerability as a liability. This moment also contrasts with his nightmare’s helplessness, showing his determination to maintain control in reality, however flawed.5. How does the chapter juxtapose hope and dread, and what effect does this have on the reader?
Answer:
The narrative oscillates between hope (Eden’s glasses, the paper rose) and dread (airships, headaches) to create relentless tension. Eden’s medical progress is immediately undercut by war imagery; his playful banter contrasts with the narrator’s internal terror about dying. This mirrors the dystopian setting’s instability—no joy lasts untainted. The reader experiences the narrator’s whiplash between relief (“Just a nightmare”) and escalating panic (the headache’s duration), mirroring his fractured psyche. The unresolved ending (headache persisting) leaves the reader in suspense, emphasizing the characters’ perpetual state of crisis.
Quotes
1. “He’s gone. He’s dead.”
This quote captures the raw terror and grief of the protagonist’s nightmare, representing his deepest fear about losing his brother Eden. It comes at the climax of the dream sequence, showing how trauma haunts him even in sleep.
2. “With your metal leg and half a brain, and my four leftover senses, we almost make a whole person.”
Eden’s darkly humorous remark perfectly illustrates the brothers’ resilience and bond despite their physical challenges. This exchange lightens a tense moment while revealing how they support each other through adversity.
3. “Breathe in, breathe out…The doctor always says taking deep breaths is supposed to help, right?”
This shows Eden’s role reversal as he comforts his older brother during the headache attack. The simple yet profound advice highlights their interdependence and the cyclical nature of their caregiving relationship.
4. “It’s times like this when I’m glad that I don’t see much of June anymore.”
This introspective line reveals the protagonist’s complex emotions about isolation and relationships. Coming at the chapter’s end, it suggests he pushes people away to spare them from his suffering.