The Wars discussion

A detailed Summary of The Wars discussion

If you took a sensitive caring person and set them in the midst of a chaotic area, what do you think would, happen? Would these person adapt to this area, and live like everyone else, or would they become a mental mess unable to cope with what is going on around

them? This was the theme of the novel The Wars by Timothy Findley, that is exactly what happened. Findley took a sensitive caring individual, Robert Ross and sent him to war. Ross became unable to cope with all of the events that were taking place around him, and eventually went insane. The life that Robert Ross had lived before was nothing compared to what he was experiencing during war.

When Robert Ross was a child he was the captain of everything, a popular and academic student. Friends and family loved him, and he was the ideal of any boy in the community. One would think that Robert would have no problem handling the world he

lived in, but that would be an inaccurate statement. The first sign of trouble, was Rowena's death. Robert and Rowena were very close as brother and sister, losing one another was unbearable for Robert, which started a spiral down to the end result, insanity. Little things like killing Rowena's rabbits could not be done, communicating

story then picks up in 1915 but jumps back to when his sister dies. Throughout the story there is also an element of confusion as the people telling the story, and therefore the perspective also, are constantly changing. The time sequence in this novel varies because

boat to war. Then came his company of soldiers, and Taffler in the hospital. finally the horses he let free. It was the nurturing of these people and animals that kept Robert Ross occupied. The helping out gave Robert Ross the idea that his life is worth something. It

train for the war. This next quote shows how war has emotionally scared Robert Ross by making him commit acts that he doesn't believe he should do.

was "...because he loved her." (page 24). However, Robert does not want to have the rabbits killed and he does not want to do it. Robert sees the rabbits as being a part of Rowena, that would imply would truly be dead, so Robert tries to stop the murdering of

"Robert looked to one side from under the peak of his cap, hoping that no oneh had seen him flinch from the steam or stepping back from the fire. He was wishing that they would leave. His shoulders hurt. His arm was sore. There were bruises on his back. He ached. He wanted all the others who had got off the train to depart the station before him." page 18

it tends to jump from one person's opinion of Robert's situation to another. If this did not occur the novel would be much too depressing to read because of the constant view of war. The author switches from a war scene to a lighter subject in order to grasp the reader's attention and keep the novel interesting. At first glance this story seem chaotic with the time sequence. I believe that using this time sequence, to create a chaotic atmosphere just like, the world Robert Ross is in. The time sequence is very carefully laid out and is very important to the story line. Often the st

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Approximate Word count = 1273
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History