Summary Part 2

Robert meets Eugene Taffler, a war hero while in training. Eugene Taffler is very big and strong. Robert's first encounter with him occurs while he is looking for some lost horses. He comes across Taffler throwing stones at glass bottles, and later at a brothel where Taffler is engaging in gay sex with a large male, named "the Swede."
While on the S.S. Massanabie to England, Ross has to kill a horse that broke its leg during a storm. Robert struggles a lot trying to kill the horse, firing and missing many times before landing his shots.

    Robert is now in France and in charge of a convoy. He has become lost in the fog and separated from his men. He falls into a muddy sinkhole and nearly drowns. After 'saving himself' he is met by Poole and Levitt, two of his men.

Beginning of a Theme

 Every story in the history of writing has a theme, some are very easy to come across and some you really have to look for. The one that I have found in “The Wars” is right there in the middle. To some it may be obvious and to others it might be difficult. I believe to what I have read so far in the novel the theme is based around guilt. The guilt that Robert Ross is trying to run away from and hide in hope he forgets it all. The guilt in his mind is the death of his older sister Rowena. As soon as she dies he tries to find a way to leave his home. By joining the army he puts as much space as he can from him and his family. Some foreshadowing that I link  to this theme, is at the beginning of the novel when Robert sets free all of the trapped horses. This makes me think that it is like him trying to free all of his trapped guilt. He also runs away with all of these horses into the woods showing he is running from the guilt and heartbreak he faced. Hopefully this is indeed one of the themes that Timothy Findley has left for me to find. I’m sure the further I read into it the more I will find about either my theme or even a new theme.

Symbols in The novel

There are a few things that I have noticed in the novel. There are many symbolic items or beings in the novel that you don’t see right away, but it begins to become more clear the more you read. The first symbolic phrase you could say I found in the novel is the most obvious and easy to see. It is right on the front cover of the book itself. Its in the title.. “ The Wars”.  You notice that it is plural. This means there are multiple wars happening. The only physical actual war being fought is the World War. But there is many other wars happening in the novel. The wars that Robert Ross are fighting emotionally in his head. Trying to forget the guilt he feels for not being with Rowena when she died. The ways he tried to get over this was to run away and join the army to get as far away from his family and home as he could. Another symbol that appears is Rowena’s rabbits. They symbolize the purity and innocence of Robert Ross. He is 19 years old and really hasn’t lived much of his life. He doesn’t know the evil in the world until he joins the army. He realises just how corrupt and self destroying man really is. Finally the last symbol I have found so far from what I have read is a coyote that Robert runs with in training camp. He runs for a very long time with a wild coyote. The coyote represents the relationship between man and beast. It can mean friendship, companionship, and loyalty towards Robert. The coyote willingly ran with Robert. In this section of the book where Robert runs with the coyote you get your third look of Roberts love for animals. The first being him saving the horses and the second trying to save the rabbits.These symbols all give you hints into the mind of Robert Ross and help you to understand him more clearly.

Canada's Involvement In World War 1

      Canada's involvement in the first world war was one of immense proportions. However, this tremendous commitment introduced many Canadians to the horrors of war.  Canada sent over 625,000 men and several thousand women to the front from the years 1914-1918. This was an enormous contribution for a country with a total population of only 8 million. Of all the Canadians that went to fight in the great war, 1 out of every 10 died, and many of those who returned home were damaged either mentally or physically. During the war effort, Canadian solders gained fame for their assault capabilities on the Western front. For this reason, Canadian soldiers were often the ones that had to face many battles in which they were pitted against huge odds, introduced to chemical warfare, and expected all the time to deal with the horrors of trench warfare.



Battle of Ypres





Gas masks used to protect soldiers from chlorine gas



   

 Many of the names, places, people and events that Findley refers to in the Wars have actual historical significance . The Ypres Salient, for example, is the site of an actual battle in which the Canadians gained fame for their heroic action against the Germans in April 1915.Verdun is another battle which was mentioned in the Wars; this was a horrific battle in which half a million men were killed in less than eight months. It was also another instance in which the Canadian military performed at high standards. In Verdun many Canadians lost their lives. The town of Verdun, Quebec, is named after this famous battle ground. Tom Longboat was mentioned in the novel and he is a significant character in Canadian history. Longboat was an Onondaga Indian from a reservation near Hamiltion Ontario. He was a distinguished Canadian marathon runner. Kingston, Ontario, is where Robert Ross went to study military law and trajectory mathematics at The Royal Military College. In the novel the hospital where Canadian Soldiers were taken for medical services was Bois de Madelaine. This was an actual hospital located in France, located 4 miles from Bailleul which was a battle ground referred to as "the last place in civilisation." The Somme offensive was also mentioned in the Wars. This was an actual offensive in which the Canadians floundered in the mud and barbed wire; the Canadians main role in this operation was the amazing seizure of Vimy Ridge.



Vimy Ridge



      On April 15 soldiers of the Canadian army saw action in their first major battle of World War One. On the 22^nd of April the German army advanced in the Ypres sailent. The Germans advanced towards the allied lines behind yellow masses of Chlorine gas. This gas suffocated the French division which were placed to the left of the Canadians. The French forces retreated and a large hole was created in the allied front. What is so significant is that, while the French troops fled, the troops of the Canadian Dominion stood strong. They thinned out their division in order to fill the gap left by the vacant French troops. The German offensive was halted but at an enormous cost. Over 6,000 Canadians lost there lives, many from breathing in chlorine gas. Those who survived were introduced to the true horrors of war.

Part 1 Summary

Robert Ross has enlisted in the army after the death of his sister which he feels guilty about. His sister, Rowena, has recently died from falling out of her wheelchair in their barn while playing with her rabbits. Robert feels guilty because he was unable to save her since he was making love to his pillow in his locked room. He then joins the army to distance himself from the pain. Rowena was in a wheelchair and Robert watched over her. She had rabbits and loved to play with them. When she died, Robert's mother wanted him to kill the rabbits but Robert refused. Instead, Mrs.Ross called someone else to kill the rabbits. In an attempt to stop the rabbit-killing by Teddy Bulge, Robert was beaten up, covered in bruises. Robert's mother came to talk to him as he soaked his bruises in the bathtub. She was drunk and smoking a cigarette when she confronted him, and said there was nothing she could do to stop him from going to war. This is the end of part one in my book " The Wars" by Timothy Findley.

Teddy Budge the Grim Reaper

I do not like Teddy Budge. Teddy Budge is the man that Roberts mother called to come kill the Rabbits. Teddy Budge has no remorse no thought of what he does he just does it. So he was the perfect guy to call to come murder Rowena’s Rabbits.  As Ted was walking into the stable where the rabbits had been kept, Robert ran out and head butted him. Teddy being the big lummox he is beat the living hell out of Robert with the nearest club weapon. Then proceeded to kill every single one of the innocent rabbits that never did anything to anyone. Personally I love animals and could never ever hurt a living creature this is probably why this part slightly bothered me. After Roberts severe beating he is laying In the bathtub while his mother walks in. They begin to talk about Roberts childhood and how he was so serious and how he always persevered. I found this interesting because I learned more about his character.  Roberts mom then went off and said

“ You think Rowena belonged to you. Well I’m here to tell you ,Robert, no one belongs to anyone were all cut off at birth with a knife and left at the mercy of strangers. You hear that? Strangers. I know what you want to do. I know your going to go away and be a soldier. Well - you can go to hell. I’m not responsible. I’m just another stranger. Birth I can give you- but life I cannot. I can’t keep anyone alive. Not anymore”

This whole speech to Robert I found really significant. Robert was probably looking for a reason to stay and not go to war. His mom showing she doesn’t care most likely set it in stone he knew at that moment he was going to war. This was the last time they breathed in one another's presence.

"Because he loved her"

"Because he loved her" This really stuck out to me while I was reading. This was said by Roberts mother after Rowena died. The family was discussing what will happen with Rowena’s rabbits. Robert’s mother wanted him to kill the rabbits, it does not say why. All it says is the quote above. I believe she says this because she knows Robert is joining the Canadian Forces and he has to be able to kill for no good reason. She is trying to prepare him. Also earlier on in the story Rowena and Robert had a conversation that went like this :
“Robert?”
“Yes Rowena?”
“ Will you stay with me forever?”
“ Yes Rowena.”
“ Can the rabbits stay forever, too?”
“ Yes Rowena.”
After the death or Rowena it said “This was Forever. Now the rabbits had to be killed”

    Robert would do anything to keep the Rabbits alive but nothing he could say would save them they were doomed. His mother wanted them dead and that was their  fate. Although Robert wouldn’t do it, his mother made a call and got someone with no remorse to kill Rowena’s rabbits. I don’t believe Roberts mother would just kill the rabbits for no reason. She must be following what Rowena asked Robert. Now that he can no longer be with her forever, he is joining the army. Now that the rabbits can’t be with her forever they have to die. I also believe that she thinks Robert is going to die while he is in battle. But like I said it was said  because she is trying to make him a cold killer instead of a soft big hearted young man.

"People got on and off just as if the world wasnt going to end."

"People got on and off just as if the world wasn’t going to end." I noticed this line in the book and found it quite strange. It was an odd thing for the narrator to say especially since he knew the world had not ended because he is telling this story many years later. After reading it a few more times i realized the narrator was putting himself in Robert's shoes. feeling the sorrow from the death of his older sister who he loved so dearly and would do anything for because he was her guardian. He changed the point of view from his own to Roberts. Robert feels as though he has nothing left to live for, so he decides he’s going to join the army to try and get away from everything that will remind him so much of his sister Rowena. He doesn’t realise the hardship of war when he makes this decision. He doesn’t know that he is not ready to face what happens and the consequences involved in battle. This was very irrational of him to do. But losing the person you care about most in the world can be detrimental to you train of thought. You may do something very impulsive that you would regret later on. Putting myself in Robert’s position I would be thinking the same way. I have nothing to live for and my existence might as well not be here anymore. This is what I comprehended from the quote above, Robert Ross had nothing more to live for and basically thought his world was over.

Marian Turner archives

I was just reading Marian Turners’ first transcript of the novel and she talks a lot about Robert Ross. She said she didn’t want to describe his looks because she thought that it would say to much about his possibilities. Eventually she said he was very handsome and very muscular. One part that really stood out to me was when she said “ The Human body - well- it’s  like the mind I guess, terribly impressive until you put it in jeopardy. Then It becomes such a delicate thing- like glass” then she talks about how it was the war that is crazy and not Robert Ross. This really stands out to me that the war really impacts Robert and he becomes crazy from all the horrible, terrible, inhumane memories and sightings that go along with war. Then at the end of the transcript by Marian Turner she says “Robert Ross was no Hitler. That was his problem.” This entire transcript by Marian Turner stood out to me. It tells that Robert Ross encountered many things while he was fighting the war in Europe and that he witnessed many things that really messed him up mentally. This probably happened to millions of people during these wars and in modern day wars too. Seeing your friends die, being shot at, being poisoned with chlorine gases and smelling the powerful stench of death is more then enough to make the most normal member of society turn into a crazy, insane person. I cant imagine being in a trench for months at a time being poured on by the elements, being eaten by rats and housing in mud it would be terrible and nobody could say differently. I put myself in Roberts shoes and feel that if I witnessed half the things he had to go through I would probably not be the same person I am today because of the scarring memories and horrible images.The quote about Robert not being like Hitler in my mind means Hitler knew exactly what he wanted and knew exactly what he had to do to get it, through any means if he had to kill entire races... meaning he was remorseless he wasn’t effected by sadness or death he was not phased he didn’t have much of a soul. Robert having a big heart felt bad about killing anything he could not handle the stress of war and was really afraid of killing and death which is not the assets associated with war.

"The Wars" Characters

Robert Ross: Was 19 years old when he enlisted into the Canadian Forces. He is a compassionate loving man who is also very handsome. He suffers the loss of his older sister Rowena who he loved very much. He received a lot of guilt and sorrow when his sister died and blamed himself for not watching over her because he considered himself her guardian. He loses touch with his mother because of the death of his sister and becomes closer to his father. He then joins the army to further himself away from his family and the memories of Rowena.

Rowena Ross: Rowena is Robert's older sister, whom Robert felt a connection to from a very early age. She was hydro-cephalic, meaning she was born with water in the brain. This caused her to have an adult sized head but a body of a ten-year-old, and made her unable to walk. Robert acted as her guardian for most of his life. She was 25 years old when she fell out of her wheel chair in their barn and shortly after, passed away. Because of Robert's protective nature towards her, he felt extreme guilt for not being there to watch her and make sure nothing happened, like that. However, she remained in Robert's heart and mind throughout the rest of the novel and was constantly referenced. Rowena also had ten rabbits that she looked after and kept as pets while she was alive that Mrs. Ross insisted be killed, against Robert's wishes, shortly after Rowena's death.

(The anatomy of a skeleton with Hydro cephalic)

Thomas Ross: Commonly referred to as Mr. Ross in the novel, who is the father of Robert Ross. He was the more lenient parent in the family and loved every member enough to encourage Robert to go for what he wants, but be lenient towards Rowena's death and the accusations that were made. The relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Ross becomes helpless after Rowena's death and Robert's enlisting in the army.

Marian Elizabeth Ross:  Mrs. Ross is Robert's mother who has issues with closeness to people that she truly loves. She believes it’s hopeless to try and keep people alive. This way of being "distant" from the ones she loves is displayed early on in the novel when she joins Robert in the bathroom during his bath. She tells him that "people in the world are all born alone and at the hands of strangers" and tells him that she could do nothing to keep him alive from the moment he was cut away from her. This statement makes it seem as though she doesn't care about Robert going off to the army because she can't keep him alive anyways.

Marian Turner: Marian Turner is a young nurse during the war. She is introduced through transcripts and she tells about Robert when he was a young man.

Part 1 Important, Yay or Nayyyyyy?





    In the first part of this novel I mean the very first page it starts off with the main Character Robert Ross in what appears to be a war zone. He is incredibly hurt and in a whole lot of pain. He is on a set of train tracks with a city directly behind him and the countryside to magdalene wood in front of him. To his left was an abandoned train to which there is no clues to what happened to the engineer and his crew. Standing directly in front of Mr. Robert Ross is a big black mare. Aka a horse that is the pun in my title... Also there was a dog who greeted him happily as well. Anyways Robert checks out the horse and climbs atop of it. As Robert and his two new acquaintances rode off into the night. The horse stopped abruptly and let out a big nayyy. There was other horses among the abandoned train. Robert then said " All Right, Then we shall all go together" he released the horses from within the train and he let out over 100 horses, 130 to be exact. Robert his two new acquaintances and the other 130 horses took off down the tracks towards the Magdalene wood at 1 am in the morning the book referenced the moon as "rising red".



Abandoned Train



The Moon Rising Red





     After reading this first passage of my novel the wars I come to the conclusion Robert Ross really has a soft spot for animals. He really cares for all living things. I get this from the fact that he made two quick friends with this Dog and Mare. He also took the time to release all 130 horses from the abandoned train, and in turn saved all their lives when his was in danger from being so hurt and wounded.



Bailleul a small town in France where Robert Ross currently is



     A theme I pick up from the first couple of pages is abandonment. This appears to me because Robert Ross is clearly running away from something, my guess would be his commanding officers. Another clue to this would be the horses are left there abandoned almost like Ross is doing to his fellow soldiers and company. When he releases the horses they all flee into the forest. symbolizing that he is fleeing away from something. I find this really important to the novel and I know its going to be a big part of it. I believe that this exact part will come up later on closer to the end because I did not get a whole lot of details and it is very important I know so.

Summary article 3 in more detail ;)

Brett Perry
Ms. Breivik
ENG4U
March, 4/2011

In this article the author critically analyzes the commentary and the photographic technique that Timothy Findley portrays in the novel “The Wars”. The photo narration that Findley depicts is truly amazing the description he gives basically paints the exact same picture in everyone’s head. The article includes a whole venue of the opinions from timothy Findley’s peers and critics. Most authors believe Findley was amazing and all the critics in this article analyze Findley the same way and say he is great a deserves the title of “BEST”.

Summary Article 2 Also in more detail :D

Brett Perry
Ms. Breivik
ENG4U
March, 4/2011

Sullivan, Rosemary. "Findley, Timothy (Obituary)." The Canadian Encyclopedia. 15 July 2002. Web. 02 Mar. 2011. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012305.

When a writer dies, he becomes his words. Timothy Findley who died on June 20 at 71, left behind an extraordinary body of work. We will read his books differently now, knowing there will be no more of them.
Findley's death has special poignancy. His generation of writers changed Canadian culture forever.

Findley had alot of strength in his writing and savagely critzised his weaknesses

 Findley turned 47 the year The Wars was published. His first two novels had been greeted lukewarmly, and he was stuck writing scripts for television and radio.

What will his legacy be? In the long run of history, most great writers have only two or three works that last.
Findley's will be The Wars.

As I begin my reading, I hold to a comment he made about The Wars: "Dreadful things happen, but the book ends up saying 'Yes!' " That's what moves me about Timothy Findley: despite the darkness he perceived, he always found the stamina to affirm.

Summary Article 1 In more detail :)

Brett Perry
Ms. Breivik
ENG4U
March, 2/2011

Gale Database. “Timothy Findley.” Gale Literary Databases February 25/2011 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/GLD/hits?r=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=1&locID=stc23378&secondary=false&u=CLC&t=KW&s=3&NA=timothy+findley&TI=the+wars&GD=%22Male%22>

    In this article on the  Gale literary databases archive there is a lot of information on Timothy Findley. There is his personnel life information his career and his books published along with some other useful info, but the most useful part of this website was its critical reception and its other criticism on Timothy Findley. It talks about how Findley has thematic interests. It even talks about the ways he portrays the characters in his novels with a certain psychological insight that makes them seem real while you are trying to grasp your mind around the novel. John F Hulcoop says that Findley is the second best writer in Canadian history only next too Margaret Attwood. At the bottom of this webpage there is a list of essays that I could go to and read more on the criticism on Timothy Findley.