Small Pain In My Chest

What were the different symptoms of the deteriorating condition of the wounded solder?

At the very beginning of the poem the poet found the wounded soldier sitting under a tree. At the sight of the poet he complained of thirst and wanted to satisfy it by requesting the poet to lend his canteen to him. So thirst was the first symptom of his deteriorating condition.

The second symptom of his deteriorating condition was a feeling of coldness that made him feel that he was getting old. He could see the sun shining brightly but he could not feel warm despite the heat. Loss of warmth due to his blood running cold was the second symptom of his deteriorating condition.

The third symptom of his condition getting worse was due to the gradual loss of his vision as a result of which everything aound seemed dim to him.

The fourth symptom of his deteriorating condition was psychological. He was haunted by the thought of what his wife and mother would feel at the sight of him sitting under the tree with a small pain in his chest that rendered him incapable of movement.

How did the wounded soldier offer a picture in contrast?

The soldier was wounded to the extent of being unable to stand on his feet and move but he said with a feeling of confidence that the pain he was feeling in his chest was a small one. He was not in the least inclined to think that anything deadly had happened to him. He was a soldier boy but the loss of warmth in his blood despite the sun shining brightly made him think that he was getting old.

What were the positive signs of the wounded soldier?