Ruination of Innocence - Case Study

Running head: RUINATION OF INNOCENCE
RUINATION OF INNOCENCE
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RUINATION OF INNOCENCE1
The Wars by Timothy Findley portrays the period during World War I, revealing the
turning of the idealism of Western society into disillusionment. The story is based on a young
Canadian soldier Robert Ross, who marches forward on his way to military training through
his hometown, where everything was changed and transitioned culturally and economically
due to industrial war effort. Findley, from the beginning of the novel, focusses on broad
economic and cultural changes through the eyes of Roberts’ and his fellow mates, signifying
the corrupting effects of war which has further put an impact resulting in diminished or
wrecked innocence (Grace). The novel further provides details of the gradual loss of a
soldier’s moral innocence, along with Robert’s loss of innocence upon sexuality. Findley
points out how young people are forced to commit and witness the terrible incidents,
violence, and inhumane acts on the battlefield due to which their moral virtues, fabrics of
humanity and innocence are lost revealed through various traumatic events and is also seen as
an example of a tragic event. The essay focusses on the deliverance of thematic
representation of the novel, The Wars by Timothy Findley through an in-depth research and
analysis of the loss of innocence that is present in the novel as a major theme.
The following paragraph facilitates a thematic representation of the novel provided
with an evidence.“All these actors were obeying some kind of fate we call “revenge.”
Because a girl had died—and her rabbits had survived her”. The referred quote is taken from
Part 1 chapter 9 of the novel (Grace). The traumatic atmosphere of World War I has brought
drastic contrast in the characters. It is evident in the referred quote, revealing how Robert’s
mother, after the tragic death of Rowena, tells Robert to kill Rowena’s pet rabbits, as he has
become a grown man now (Goethals). Through Mrs. Ross’s action, relentless vengeance is
revealed towards those innocent rabbits. It signifies that people eventually tend to seek out
justice desperately in order to cope up with unwanted tragedies (Grace). Mrs. Ross further
continues to depend on alcohol to diminish her emotions yet she continues to show the