craiglockhart is central in tthe opening of regeneration. How?

What does Craiglockhart represent in Regeneration? Regeneration is deliberately set in a psychiatric hospital, Craiglockhart, and this location highlights some of the major issues of war. Pat Barkers intention in terms of location is obviously because this emphasises some of the key elements of WW1 she wishes to explore, such as the mental trauma that the trenches caused, the often suicidal battle plans of those in charge of the conflict, plus other issues of hierarchical command. From the very beginning the experiences of the patients provide a disturbing insight into the effects of war on the soldiers. Within this hospital, which should be the soldiers sanctuary, their haven we are shocked and moved by Barkers portrayal of events as we realise that the men are seen as unmanly and degenerate for being in hospital. Barker uses the central character of senior psychiatrist Rivers through his therapy with the patients to highlight their war experiences and the horrific effects of those on them.
Craiglockhart, essentially, offers us a focus in the text. However it is not merely a set, it is used deliberately because it encompasses all the possible fears of the men sent there. The sheer size of the hospital is of note, a mental battle simply in its enormity, clearly daunting to those first visiting Craiglockhart, Sassoon later described the hospital as the “mecca of psycho neurosis” highlighting both its visual and spiritual impact.
The building itself represents all of the fears of the soldiers, whilst provides an obvious setting for us to see the hierarchical nature of war through the doctor and patient relationships. Craiglockhart is the physical embodiment of what soldiers at the time saw as their failure, the representation of their emasculation, the completely opposite effect that most expected from the ultimate adventure. This building also represents a comfort that disgusts the men as it represents not only their failure but the abandonment of