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Loss Of Innocence In The Wars By Timothy Findley

850 Words4 Pages

Beginning early in life, people establish different values and beliefs through personal experience, leading them to commit to preserving certain ethics and ideals. These commitments serve as the cornerstone of one’s identity and heavily influence the life decisions one makes. In Timothy Findley’s The Wars, the protagonist, Robert Ross has a clear commitment to preserving the purity of life and innocence. Thrown into the hectic environment of World War 1, Robert struggles against all odds to preserve the integrity of his own humanity. Using The Wars, we can determine that perseverance in the commitment to upholding one’s beliefs and values can guide them through even the most stressful environments. Robert’s sister, Rowena, is a girl bound to her wheelchair due to being born with …show more content…

To Robert, she is a symbol of the purity and innocence that fuels his belief in humanity. After the unexpected death of Rowena, Robert locks himself away, blaming himself for his failure to protect her, as he was “her guardian”. Seeking refuge from the shame and guilt he bestows upon himself, he enlists himself in the army. From the beginning of the story, Robert is established as a man with a strong connection to animals. They are used as a persistent reminder of Rowena and all that she embodied. Robert relates more to animals than his fellow soldiers, as animals do not judge him for his decisions. The recurring motif of innocence is played throughout the story as a foil against the cruelties perpetrated in war.
As Robert experiences the horrors and inhumane atrocities of war, he realizes that his intrinsic values do not fit well in the terrorizing warzone. He struggles to hold onto the humanity so many of the soldiers around him have abandoned. This is especially evidenced when

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