War, something that sounds so cliché yet endeavours a greater meaning; a meaning of finding your true self within yourself, and seeing your natural, brave or mediocre side. The concept of bravery and heroic men is often the label associated with war; however, in Timothy Findley’s The Wars, it is in fact the exact opposite. The Wars is an anachronistic example of what one goes through both physically and mentally. Findley accurately portrays the protagonist, Robert Ross, as a naïve nineteen year old who wishes to escape his excruciating feelings of reality for being held accountable for Rowena’s death by enlisting into war, as well as to adhere to societal norms. Robert is an incompetent young boy that achieves most of his knowledge of war from …show more content…
The Wars is a symbolic masterpiece that illustrates the great impact war brings on the microcosm of society and how individuals juxtaposed to the war are affected. The novel itself requires active reading; because without it, the novel would seem very simplistic; however, after further examination, readers can evidently recognize the complexity of Robert’s character with the aid of many heteroglossic components, techniques, devices, and the reworking of literary conventions. Robert’s physical, mental and emotional journey he endeavours, followed by the constant re-evaluations of his truths and becoming a more proficient soldier, can be seen through a formalist perspective with the use of foreshadowing to signify Robert’s transition from a sane to insane soldier; the utilization of animal imagery highlighting Robert’s development through the horrific experiences of war; and the several themes in the text to illustrate Robert’s evolution as a soldier through his inner …show more content…
Robert’s character development and his constant revaluations are evident through the use of foreshadowing as it allows the reader to make connections to Robert’s road to madness; the implementation of animal imagery depicts Robert’s shift in character; and the many themes throughout the text are symbolic of Robert’s struggle into becoming a sophisticated soldier. Findley’s use of diction shows the complexity of Robert’s character and his overall development which changes how a typical reader would view the novel. The Wars is a microcosmic depiction of inescapable horrors where Findley makes the reader one with his tone and allows them to hear, feel and witness anew; he leaves ineradicable images and reverberations in the heart and mind of the
The ability to possess strength is built on by a continual commitment to personal values. Individuals who are tenacious and who are willing to have faith in their beliefs are capable of being extremely empathetic and have the ability to identify and connect with others. Strength and empathy work hand in hand to create a strong sense of resilience in the face of conflict. Individuals who are able to act in a resilient manner for their personal values live balanced lives and are successful in upholding personal goals. Throughout Timothy Findley’s novel The Wars, the power of empathy is demonstrated by Robert Ross; an extremely compassionate and caring young man.
There are many possible ways to analyze The Wars by Timothy Findley. For the purposes of this essay the critical approaches of psychoanalytical and archetypical have been used. Within these two critical approaches there are two main thesis's that apply to this text. The actions and inactions of the characters affect the outcome of the story, and Robert's gun is a symbol of his masculinity. Throughout this essay five sections of the novel are analyzed in order to prove these thesis's.
The war can be seen in many different aspects, sometimes good most times not so good. The war past, present and future can be a hard topic for most. War novels, writing about the war, or even talking about the war can be very difficult for most people to talk and share their experiences. People are affected by the war in many different ways, and tend to deal with the affects differently. The effects on war not only affects the person who experienced the war hands on but also the people around them also.
It is sometimes difficult for individuals to settle the discrepancy between truth and illusion, and consequently they drive others away, by shutting down. Mrs. Ross, in The Wars by Timothy Findley, is seen as brittle while she is attending church, and cannot deal with the cruel reality of the war and therefore segregates herself from the truth by blacking it out. As a result, she loses her eyesight, and never gets to solve the clash between her awareness of reality and the actuality of the world. She hides behind a veil, and her glasses to distance herself from reality. Mrs. Davenport has to wheel her around in Rowena’s chair to keep her awake, so she doesn’t harbour up subconscious feeling within her dreams, which she is unable to deal with.
Findley shows how war can adversely affect a man’s deportment through his characters. Robert Ross, the protagonist of the novel The Wars, indicates manifestations of a mental health condition that is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As the novel progresses, Robert is faced with many challenges, which in the essence, transforms him from who he once was to a soldier loaded with madness. “His temper, you know, was terrible. Once when he though he was alone and unobserved I saw him firing his gun in the woods at a young tree…
Different voices and tones depict the various ways that characters in a novel suffer. Julia Alvarez, Tim O’Brien, Zainab Salbi, and Sebastian Junger illustrate the hardship of war, and how a war participant is shaped by the concept of war. All four authors/lecturers present a different perspective on war; however the four authors/lecturers are cohesive with the idea of war being complex. In Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of the Butterflies, Alvarez parallels a historical event with fictional sisters who fight a war by not succumbing to the suppressive laws.
Responsibility often comes with the connotations of burden and sacrifice and most of the time, this is true. In The Wars, by Timothy Findley, the concept of responsibility is demonstrated in the character of Mrs. Ross whose duties as a wife and a mother may be viewed as cold, cruel, and purposefully isolating; the complete opposite of the archetype of a compassionate mother figure. However, like each unique individual in society, the way one responds and takes responsibility varies infinitely; Mrs. Ross attempts to dissociate from society when she feels she has not fulfilled her duties and responsibilities. However, her empathetic nature prevents her from completely isolating herself from all sentiment. Rather, she subconsciously internalizes the welfare and hardships faced by others while sacrificing her own well-being.
Lament to the Spirit of War Quiz One Response In Lament to the Spirt of War, the idea of war is a frightening and quite scary place to be. Although reading this story is not like the reality of war, a person has a sense of what it feels like to be caught in the war itself. The story gives details that explains what a soldier feels like when he or she is in battle. Like a “raging storm” or a “fiery monster.”
His embarrassment causes him to enlist in the military and he ends up serving time in Vietnam. The novel touches on his experiences and bonds with his platoon while serving his time in Vietnam. Throughout the book, Myers shows a realistic depiction of war such as the graphic violence, the inner thoughts of a soldier, and how the platoon struggles to survive. Throughout the novel, Myers utilizes many different ways to portray the realistic depiction of war.
In the novella “The Wars” by Timothy Findley, the setting, plot, and characterization of Robert Ross, shows how a villain is produced. The setting of the story takes place in Canada, British Isles, and France during World War One. A summarization of the plot illustrates that a Robert Ross’s has changed due to war. Robert volunteers to join the war after his eldest sister Rowena dies. As he comes from money, he becomes in charge of a convoy.
¬¬¬¬¬The Wars Essay The concept of resilience is often described as being able to recover from difficult experiences or pasts, where one’s resilience could be impacted by drastic changes that occur in their lives. It is something that guides one’s decisions and often defines their morals and what individuals perceive to be right or wrong; depending on the situation they are encountering. Resilience is highly dependent on the thought of empathy, where the resilience of people who have experienced empathy will be different from others who haven’t. How individuals deal with these differences determines one’s level of empathy and also impacts their resilience.
In Timothy Findley’s novel, The Wars, he uses symbolism and character development to suggest; that despite how hard one may try to change themselves, they will never be happy, they should only be content to stay as themselves and not try to be like others. Initially, Robert Ross is a great protector of innocence. As the story progresses, he tries hard to become a war hero in order to gain redemption but fails in the process. By the end, Robert
Timothy Findley's The Wars is a piece of modern literature which depicts the vividness of the First World war and its implications. The novel is unique in that it violates the normal chronological presentation of events by incorporating flashbacks, which are communicated through the perspectives of multiple characters. Also, the complexity of the novel lies in rigid connections between the major themes presented such as war, animals, and privacy. To begin, the loss of innocence is a prominent theme which inevitably arises from the background of war. Intuitively, the loss of innocence can be defined as any process that helps to widen the observation of cruelties, tragedies, and injustice which are embedded in the world.
The novel focuses on coping with the death and horror of war. It also speaks volumes about the true nature of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the never-ending struggle of dealing with it. In the
Catch 22 Paper In Catch 22 by Joseph Heller the book is a complex novel. Heller uses many themes, does not have the storyline in chronological order and often uses irony in his descriptions. Many of the themes can be compared to other literature. One of the themes that can be compared is fear in war.