Elijah changes a great deal over the course of Three Day Road. When the novel begins, he is a young man who is eager to go to war and prove himself. He is naive and idealistic, and he believes that the war will be an adventure. He is also very close to his cousin, Xavier, and the two of them share a strong bond.As the novel progresses, Elijah experiences the horror of war and the loss of Xavier. He is no longer the same person who went to war, and he is haunted by what he has seen and done. He is also struggling with alcoholism, and he is struggling to find a reason to live.Near the end of the novel, Elijah has a vision of Xavier, which helps him to finally let go of his pain and begin to heal. He also decides to return to his home in Canada and try to build a new life.