The Impact/effect of War on a society and the individual

                                              "The Wars"

                                                         (3)

                                                                The Impact/Effect of War   

      Throughout the novel, the act of war is often displayed. As the book progresses, Findley often teaches how War has such a terrible effect/ impact on a society as well as the individual. War affects everyone no matter who you are or where you come from. Findley also expresses multiple times, the reality of War and how inglorious it really is. This message/theme conveyed by Findley is not often clearly seen throughout the book but requires closer analysis and deeper thought behind the lines of the novel. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy1kOwUyEsM

The video attached displays the impact as well as effect, war had on thousands of people. No matter who you were, war affected you in various ways. The video shows many towns as well as cities destroyed. In the book often Findley tries to show the reader how war was such a terrible thing that negatively impacts all people. Findley stresses how war is not a glorious act. Based on this video, Findley's point is only strengthened.

She was a city of patience; of proud name,

Dimmed by neglecting Time; of beauty and loss;

Of acquiescence in the creeping moss.

But on a sudden fierce destruction came

Tigerishly pouncing: thunderbolt and flame

Showered on her streets, to shatter them and toss

Her ancient towers to ashes. Riven across,

She rose, dead, into never-dying fame.

White against heavens of storm, a ghost, she is known

To the world's ends. The myriads of the brave

Sleep round her. Desolately glorified,

She, moon-like, draws her own far-moving tide

Of sorrow and memory; toward her, each alone,

Glide the dark dreams that seek an English grave.

This poem was written by a soldier in the time of WWI who witnessed his hometown being literally being burnt to the ground. This poem, shows the effect that war had on not only a society of people but as well as the individual. Just like the soldier in the poem, Robert is also negatively effected by War. 
War can have a physical effect/impact on a person and as well as a mental effect/impact. War can change a person life not only during that time but for the rest of their life. 




By looking at this photo taken in the time of WWI, one can see many people dead  on a mud field (that looks a lot like no mans land). Also one can see many living people looking closely in shock at all the dead people. This photo again displays how war has such a negative impact on people physically and mentally. Just like in the book, Findley often describes war to not be a glorious act of valor. That dying for you're country is not a glorious death and that war is stupid. This photo clearly demonstrates Findley's point consistently throughout the novel.


The last example is a quote listed from the Novel:

"Both of whom claim that Cassles went out-unarmed to-prevent Robert's passing and thats when the private made a grab for Robert's reins, [and] Robert shot him in the face".

This quote is a great example of how war can not only effect/ impact a person but also change them completely. In the beginning of the novel Robert Ross is portrayed to be a man that would never hurt a fly. However by the end of the Novel Robert is seen abandoning war and killing his innocent fellow soldiers to save animals. I believe that Findley is trying to desperately stress how war can change anyone with good intentions just like Robert. That war negatively impacts everything and everyone to be bad things; and that war is just stupid.