Introduction
The Wars is a novel written by Timothy Findley about a young Canadian, Robert Ross, who takes part in World War I. The story follows his journey, starting with the death of his beloved sister, which makes him enlist, ending with his death. The narrative moves between people who knew the main character, telling about the madness and cruelty of war that ultimately changes him. Seemingly, the plot is set on the battlefield of one war; however, the word war in the title of the novel is pluralized. The author’s decision to mention multiple wars in the title can refer to nature’s war, the war of innocence, and the war of justice against obedience.
Nature’s War
World War I, presented by Timothy Findley in his novel, does not only show the sufferings and struggles of men but also nature. Throughout the novel, nature takes two forms: four elements and the animal kingdom (Urbaniak-Rybicka 84). The four elements are earth, water, air, and fire. Earth is represented by mud that claims the lives of many of Robert’s comrades and is damaged when chlorine gas seeps into the earth. Air is poisoned and turned into chlorine and mustard gas, which also suffocates the soldiers. Water fills the war trenches and is filled with the dead bodies of those who drowned in it. Fire, representing the all-consuming destruction of war, torturously takes the lives of many, including Robert.
Animals are treated like inanimate objects and abused by people; for example, horses are turned into yet another piece of war technology and transported like cargo (Findley, 38). Starting with Robert’s sister’s rabbits, the animals are killed for no stated reason (Findley 44). The nature in The Wars is struggling to survive because it is abused by people to cause damage and itself is damaged in return.
The War of Innocence
Another war that is seen throughout the novel is Robert’s struggle to keep his innocence over the course of World War I. Through Robert, Findley demonstrates how battlefield, violence, and killing rob young men sent to the war of moral values. His innocence starts fading when he is forced to shoot an injured horse. The change of Robert’s character due to the loss of innocence is reflected in the violent sex scene, despite being terrified of what he saw in a brothel a few months before (Cormier 70). In such a short time cruelty of war forced a kind and caring person to change drastically. The last remnants of innocence in Robert disappear after his brutally raped by other soldiers (Findley 199). It is demonstrated by him burning a photo of his sister because he can no longer be reminded of purity existing in such a cruel world. After being forced to witness and commit murders, the soldiers like Robert lose their virtue and are no longer bound by moral principles, turning into the monsters like those who raped the main character. Trying to win the war for their country, they lose their war of innocence to violence.
The War of Justice Against Obedience
Robert’s loss of innocence and morals leads to the struggle of his own version of justice against the obedience of a soldier. Robert and Devlin value animals’ lives and are desperate to save them from a certain and painful death. The captain’s refusal and the murder of Devlin do not stop Robert from committing to his plan. He kills the captain and runs away with the horses (Findley, 210). Robert Ross enlists in World War I motivated by glorifying himself as a war hero. He and other soldiers are led by the sense of honor that is defined by the capacity to obey their officer’s commands. The soldiers fight honorably throughout the story; they risk their lives for each other, embracing their sense of duty and self-sacrifice mindset. However, Robert’s sense of justice and duty comes into conflict with his obedience. When Robert chooses to kill his captain to save the horses, his sense of justice overcomes his sense of obedience. Because of the prevalence of duty in Robert’s character, he acts according to his own justice, leading him to disobey orders.
Conclusion
The wars that Findley reflects in the title of his novel can be considered the war of nature, innocence, and justice against obedience. The first war represents human abuse and exploitation of nature that destroys the lives of many people, as well as harms nature itself. It can be seen through the reoccurring themes of four elements and the animal kingdom. The war of innocence depicts the demoralization of a person who is forced to witness and participate in war. The loss of innocence results in a man’s complete lack of guilt and virtue. Because of this loss, the main character chooses to follow his own version of justice over obedience. The story depicts a young man who goes through World War I and witnesses many horrifying events that change his personality and alter his life.
Works Cited
Cormier, Matthew. “Ulyssean Influences on Postmodern Identities: Revisiting Timothy Findley’s The Wars.” English Studies in Canada, 44, no. 4, 2018, pp. 63-85.
Findley, Timothy. The Wars. Penguin Books, 1996.
Urbaniak-Rybicka, Ewa. “A War of Worlds – Timothy Findley’s The Wars.” TransCanadiana, vol. 9, 2017, pp. 79-100.