1.) The pilot compares his severe injury to chopping wood and putting the ax in the bath. The simile reveals that the pilot is not worried about his injury and doesn't want anyone to worry about it because he does not feel any pain.

2.) The repetition of "I'm going to pass out" heightens the suspense of the story because it could be foreshadowing a event that may later happened in the story.

3.) From what I know of the historical context and background of the story I think the pilot is afraid he will land in the water because he only has one keg an he can not swim with that one leg he has.

4.)when the pilot described the clouds and sun as whiteness and blackness I think he was blacking out but trying his best to fight it and stay awake because he doesn't want to be unconscious and possibly die.