Analysis Of The Wars By Timothy Findley

Psych of the Protagonist

Born in Toronto, Ontario; Timothy Findley is known for his great work in literature and playwriting. Throughout the year, he has been able to capitulate many of his readers through his novel The Wars. Sigmund Freud, a well-known developer of psychology itself came up with a way to analyze text by looking at different characters and explores the psych of any given character or even the author. In the Wars the protagonist; Robert Ross, enlists himself in the Canadian army due to the tragic death of his disabled sister, Rowena. The story initializes several aspects containing the protagonist’s confrontation with several reoccurring themes and aspects such as death, sexuality, violence, and love whether it arguably be

This can be portrayed through several symbolic aspects such as, animals, his pistol, symbolic elements: “Yet it becomes lodged in each of their psyches in some form. They struggle to absorb the catastrophe and make it part of their daily lives.” (Matthew Crockatt. Shaken to the core). So many symbolic aspects occur in one’s life that can have several psychological effects on the person. In The Wars, the animal theme that is portrayed the book portray an important role, when it comes to understanding ones character. Though the novel, Robert has had many encounters with animals whether it being killing the rabbits which had a symbolic connection to his sister, to whether killing the horses on the boat due to their injuries and sickness. By the ending of this novel it is evident that to Robert animals our considered to be much more prominent. To Robert animal’s value much more than human do: “ ‘ If animals had done this-we would call it mad and shoot it,’ and at that precise moment Captain Leather rose to his knees and began to struggle to his feet. Robert shot him between the eyes.” (Findley, 184). It is understood that by killing a human, Robert is able to save dozens of horses that mean no harm to this world. Unfortunately, Robert was unable to save the horses since they were already going through so much pain. Instead, he himself, killed all the mules and

Latent content is usually referred to, upon analyzing there is different meaning to what the book actually means. Through analysis, the manifest meaning can easily be analyzed to a latent analysis. Sigmund Freud states that, "[h]e regards the dream itself as manifest content that screens latent and unconscious meaning. Unlike the analyst, however, critics lack a subject who can free associate or elaborate, so their first task is to define whose unconscious they seek. Then, since all textual evidence is manifest, critics must determine how to gain access to latent meaning” ("Latent Content." Columbia Dictionary Of Modern Literary & Cultural Criticism). By analyzing the text, there is a significant different between the manifest meaning behind Mrs. Ross going blind and a latent meaning behind it: “In the drawing room, sitting in its silver frame, Roberts picture started to fade. It got completely dark.” (Findley, 186). Evidently, one can easily say that due to the fact that Ms. Ross is abuses alcohol or is too old, is the reason to why now unfortunately blind. However, by analyzing this the latent meaning behind this aspects is the fact that Robert went to war and since he is now suddenly disappeared, the light to Mrs. Ross is no longer here. Essentially, Robert was the light to her eyes, upon his disappearance, she had no meaning to live her life, Mrs. Ross is no longer able to see