In the novel “The Wars” . Timothy Findly suggests that as a individual is tested in life. there response to compelling fortunes show the nature of their character. the artlessness or ferociousness with in them. Robert Ross. is the chief character in the novel and goes through many character proving events throughout. war inherently changes people and Robert is no exclusion.
Rowena is Roberts handicapped older sister. she is a symbol of pureness and artlessness to Robert. and ground tackles him to kindness and compassion. Rowena is closely associated with the color white. she is pictured with “white rabbits” and even at her funeral her “coffin [ is ] white” in a cover of snow. Roberts love for Rowena keeps him pure and focused and this is why he cares for her. Without Rowena Roberts life would hold small way. When Rowena dies. Robert is heartbroken. he feels responsible even tho his younger brother was to be watching her at the clip. “She fell. ” Robert felt that if he wasn’t “making love to his pillows” he would hold been at that place to halt this and his sister. the lone individual he of all time loved. would still be alive. After her decease Robert is confused and feels he must fall in the ground forces to contend in Europe in an effort to assist the universe regain the artlessness it lost with Rowenas decease.
The response to decease trials the character of Robert throughout the novel ; no more so than when he is the 1 who must kill. Robert is an innately sort individual despite the fact he has had really few normal relationships. Everyone he has of all time loved either can non return the sentiment or dies and leaves him entirely in the universe yet once more. His first experience of lose is when his sister dies and he deals with this by traveling to war. and happen what it is to be a adult male. This reaction is non unreasonable it merely shows Robert is endeavoring to be an outstanding citizen and trade with his loss. When Robert is on the boat to Europe. he is ordered to hit a Equus caballus injured during a storm at sea. Robert is profoundly conflicted. as an animate being and nature lover. destructing something he cared for and attended to go forth him profoundly torn.
Roberts artlessness is shown when he inquiries. “what of all time it [ is ] you kill in wars. ” purchase holding to redder to “Chums” and an image of “a cowpuncher hiting a Equus caballus behind the ear” when it came clip to kill the injured animate being. Robert has no thought how to kill another living thing and it pained him to make so. Having to hit the Equus caballus left him non merely emotionally damaged. but physically every bit good. Robert injured his legs and had to be moved to the ill bay along with his good friend Harris. The already strong relationship between Harris and Robert merely strengthened when they spent clip in the Royal free Hospital. As Robert recovered Harris’ merely worsened. Robert continued to see Harris. and began to love him like a brother. but Harris worsened and finally passed. Robert grieved by distributing Harris’ ashes in the H2O he spoke so lovingly of. However. war alterations Robert and he stops doing degree headed determinations. particularly when he loses religion in the war he is contending and the people who is contending with.
Dehumanized. humiliated. and brutalized. Robert begins to recognize how much the war alterations people when he is raped by his fellow solders. Robert views the baths at Desole as a return top normalcy. His “thoughts of his poulet dinner” make full his caput after his bath. but as he enters his room he realizes something us incorrect. “Someone [ is ] in there with him. ” Robert is non certain what is go oning. fearing an onslaught. When Robert realizes what is go oning he fights “with such impressive force that all of his attackers fell upon him at one time. ” He struggles but is over powered but what must be about 4 work forces. “His encephalon went soundless. ” non being able to bear what is go oning he loses consciousness. As his attackers left. they say something about go forthing his money in order to avoid being caught. and these work forces who Robert thought to be “crazies” are more likely “his brother officers” . Devastated Robert stands in the center of his room. bare. hankering for clean apparels. and his handgun.
He tears apart his room in hunt for his gun. the lone thing that would convey him comfort. “He wanted his gun. ” Some clip ulterior Poole arrived at his door with Roberts kit bag. Robert is in a province of daze and buzzword seem to talk with Poole in the manner he wanted to. doing awkward gags. with long awkward silences. He about catch his kit bag from Poole. and when Poole must go forth. demoing how much he needs the support of a friend. but knows that this is non the manner a adult male acts and restrains him self. Robert searches his bag and finds Rowenas image. “Robert [ wants ] with all his bosom that the two work forces could embrace””Robert [ Burnss ] it in the center of the floor. ” This was non in fury. “but an act of charity. ” seeking to screen Rowenas psyche from the immoralities and ferociousness in the universe. taking the last memory of her from the universe. Robert is conflicted invariably between what he wants to make and what he should make and as he starts taking actions toward making what he wants we see who he truly is.
Robert positions nature and animate beings as pure and inexperienced person. he feels they have no topographic point in the war and efforts to liberate a group of Equus caballuss and deliver them from the war. non allowing anyone get in his manner. to do a Robert ab initio attempts a strategic retreat in order to salvage the Equus caballuss. but Capt. Leather refuses. stating it would do them look weak. Robbert does non take this as a valid ground and consults with Devlin who concurs that the Equus caballuss and mules must be saved when the heavy weapon shell get down doing direct hits on the Head Quarters. As Robert reached the Gatess to liberate the animate beings. three shells exploded in sequence and tossed Robbert and Leather off. all the Equus caballuss were either dead or deceasing. he stood “looking at the whole scene laid out before him and his choler rose to such a pitch that he feared he was traveling to travel over into lunacy. ” At this clip Captain Leather began to recover his terms. “Robert changeable him between the eyes. ” this is the beginning of Robert’s bend to madness and ferociousness. The town of Bailleul was devastated by German heavy weapon work stoppages. merely as it reopened to ships from North America. this left work forces and animate beings likewise stranded and in fright for their lives.
As Robert wanders. AWOL and a treasonist to his state. he comes across a lone Equus caballus and a Canis familiaris. Robert is animalistic now. “ [ sitting ] on his haunches” watching the brace. Robert finds a train full of Equus caballuss and begins to take them to what he thinks is safety. On his manner Robert encounters some other solders. and when a Private Cassles tries to halt him. “Robert [ shoots ] him in the face. ” Robert finally finds himself in a barn with all the Equus caballuss and a company of solders outside who’s orders are to confine Robert and repossess the Equus caballuss. In an effort to drive Robert from the barn they set the roof on fire. it rapidly ignites and Robert is trapped. he can non open the door. The Equus caballuss are trapped in the combustion barn and all of them died. Roberts actions are really barbarous. killing two of his ain work forces. but he is seeking to what he feels is right. liberating the Equus caballuss. returning artlessness to the universe. His end is lost it the ground forces. they see him as a treasonist and maintain an Military policeman at his side at all times. even on his decease bed. He tried to do the universe a better topographic point. but in the terminal he saw nature that he loved. and all its elements turned into devises of decease. “earth and air and fire and water”
Robert Ross was a immature. naif. Canadian solider. He is covering with state of affairss far to extreme for most. yet he tries to manage all of them by maintaining with his values. His life is full of love and loss. lucidity and confusion. but he keeps near to thing things he loves and his actions portray that. Through Robert Ross and the events that occur about and to him and his subsequent actions Timothy Findly shows the ways in which a individual reverts to the kernel of their being and there is merely one true manner a individual will act.
