During one of the therapy and wit sessions between Rivers and Prior at Craiglockhart, we discover that class struggle is an issue plaguing Prior. Pat Barker introduces the reference to Bolsheviks on page 135 in order to have her readers strictly denounce the caste system of British society, both for the soldiers returning home, and also the women who continued to be victims of the same system in Britain during World 1xbet sports betting One.

Understanding the role Bolsheviks play in affecting Britain's soldiers and citizens during World War One first requires background information on both Russian interests and Russia's relationship to Germany. Russia entered World War One after Germany declared war against Russia due to an alliance system between Germany and Austria. The Russians had little success in repelling the Germans, illustrated by the disaster at Tannenberg where more then 30,000 Russians soldiers died (Sherow). Germany subsequently made large gains into Russian territories. Tsar Nicholas II had no choice but to abdicate the throne in March 1917, allowing the Bolsheviks to take power (Sherow). It is very important to note that the Germans allowed &1xbet sports betting ;prominent Bolsheviks like Lenin and Trotsky&1xbet sports betting ; to pass by rail through their country &1xbet sports betting ;to start a revolution and knock Russia out of the war&1xbet sports betting ; (Simpson). Due to the Bolshevik revolution not completely coming from a democratic mandate from the people, Britain shows extreme suspicion towards Russian motives henceforth.

Distrust and skepticism within Britain toward the new Bolshevik government led to Britain's reluctance to support it and a hands off diplomatic approach to Russian problems. By 1917 it was evident that the &1xbet sports betting ;question of peace and war would be a bitter source of controversy within the Bolshevik party&1xbet sports betting ; (Kowalski 11). Lenin had uncompromisingly defended his position not to continue the war, a decision that was leading to a split in the upper ranks of the party (Kowalski 33). His reasoning was that any imperialist states should not be negotiated for peace, instead calling &1xbet sports betting ;for an international civil war against world capitalism&1xbet sports betting ; (Kowalski 11). Lenin’s statements are quite a shock for the newly opened spheres of investments that had led to a great interest in Eastern Europe industries (Sherow). France and even Britain had loaned out much money to facilitate the growth --and, hopefully, returns-- in Eastern Europe; any resort to war at this point would cost both countries dearly (Sherow). War minister Winston Churchill was the only prominent British cabinet member to call for &1xbet sports betting ;large-scale deployment of British troops into Russia&1xbet sports betting ; (Kadish 11). The cabinet immediately isolated Churchill and his hawkish views. March 1918 brought the deployment of the British Expeditionary Force in Northern Russia. They had a plain purpose to firm any &1xbet sports betting ;eastern front against the Germans, but with the hope that the Bolsheviks would somehow be accidentally overthrown in the process&1xbet sports betting ; (Kadish 11). This hope to overthrow the Bolsheviks highlights the dislike and distrust felt by most of Britain towards the alien, anti-imperialistic views of the incoming Russian power.

Prior's Bolshevik comment is part of his larger plan to test Rivers' wit and intelligence, in order to gain his respect and eventually friendship. In the scene where Prior references Bolsheviks, we learn that Prior is very eager to go back to the front-lines and continue proving himself as a higher class citizen in the &1xbet sports betting ;club to end all clubs&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 135). Rivers immediately sees an opportunity to usher the conversation back into his corner by saying that even he had not finished school at a Cambridge or Oxford, yet he still made it into the upper ranks of British medical society. Rivers immediately goes on to describe how the system will be inherently different in Britain after the war, thus altering Prior's immediate future. Rivers can't help but think that &1xbet sports betting ;things'll be freer after the war…hundreds of thousand of young men have been thrown into the working class…that has to have some impact&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 135). Prior shows his natural wit by quipping that Rivers should be careful about what he says, warning him that he is &1xbet sports betting ;beginning to sound like a Bolshevik&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 135). Being the only patient to seriously reference the current world events, Prior is clearly trying to up the ante for Rivers, using his intelligence to do so. Prior’s witty remark takes Rivers' intended purpose to convey a need for Prior to have faith in his abilities and flips it right back. This is Prior's way of letting Rivers' know he approves of his remarks, and Prior even &1xbet sports betting ;scowled ferociously, probably to his pleasure&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 135) in light of Rivers’ gracious complements and attention to his woes.

Prior's accurate knowledge of the military caste system implemented by Britain during World War One perfectly depicts the different class status for the same military rank, even further perpetuated when the soldiers come back to British soil. Officers like Sassoon are given special treatment for being Cambridge or Oxford educated gentlemen, as compared to the lower class treatment Prior receives because of his &1xbet sports betting ;temporary gentlemen&1xbet sports betting ; status given to temporarily fill the shortage of officers. Sassoon's status awards him the use of Rivers’ time when he finds it convenient around his golf schedule and Rivers even &1xbet sports betting ;put [Sassoon] up for [his] club&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 70). Rivers does not offer anything close to this hospitality to Prior and is often quite rude to him. This rudeness is never verbally spoken, but the omniscient view of Rivers tells the readers that he thought of Prior as &1xbet sports betting ;cuckoo-backed to the point where normal conversation became almost impossible&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 65). Getting into Rivers' mind allows the readers to see the facade he erects when talking to the lower class versus upper class. This facade allows Rivers to perpetuate the caste system by awarding Sassoon preferred treatment, something Prior and the rest of the patients at Craiglockhart are unable to receive.

This type of caste behavior is not just limited to the soldier's brothers in arms; British civilian population also perpetuated the caste system. Sarah's mother, Ada, attempts to perpetuate a generation of caste beliefs of a woman's place in British high society, a society that World War One is quickly circumventing. Ada views the only method of becoming a high class women is to &1xbet sports betting ;put a value on yourself,&1xbet sports betting ; for the sole reason that if &1xbet sports betting ;you don't, they [gentlemen] won't&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 194). Viewing this type of behavior as ridiculous, Sarah has all the proof in her sister's following of their mother's advice and leading her into barely making it in the world. Barely making it is quite an understatement, because, according to Sarah, if her sister &1xbet sports betting ;didn't live at home, she wouldn't eat&1xbet sports betting ; (Barker 194). Sarah is quite the opposite as she embraces a &1xbet sports betting ;rough&1xbet sports betting ; lifestyle, according to Ada; Sarah is prosperous enough to afford a room and basic necessities. According to Ada, a rough lifestyle is working at a local munitions factory, mingling with the other women who work there. The munitions job aids Sarah monetarily, helps defy the caste system that controlled women's life up until World War One, and takes strides in creating a society catered more towards the returning soldiers, just like Prior.

The importance the Bolsheviks place in discussion of class is often echoed in Regeneration. Class adds a cultural depth to the world of Craiglockhart and the surrounding town to truly show the challenges the soldiers would face when coming back to Britain. Even the women left behind were not exempt from the same type caste society that the returning soldiers were facing. Pat Barker exemplifies how quickly any camaraderie of the battlefield melts away, allowing the caste system to perpetuate, even after the lessons of World 1xbet sports betting One are learned at such a high human cost.

1xbet sports betting , Pat. Regeneration. 1xbet sports betting York: Plume, 2003.

1xbet sports betting , Sharman. 1xbet sports betting and British Jews: the Anglo Jewish community, Britain, and the Russian Revolution. London: Frank Cass & Co. LTD, 1992.

1xbet sports betting , Ronald. The 1xbet sports betting Party In Conflict. London: Macmillan Press LTD, 1991.

Sherow, James. &1xbet sports betting ;The United States and World War.&1xbet sports betting ; Kansas State University, History 252. Manhattan, KS. 28 Feb. 2003.

Simpson, Matt. &1xbet sports betting ;The Minor Powers During World War One – Russia.&1xbet sports betting ; 4 Dec. 2001. First World War.com. 13 Apr. 2003. <http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/minorpowers_russia.htm.