Timothy Findley's The Wars

Everyone deals with change differently. Someone's perception of change is what builds them as a person and is their guiding factor when they decide how to handle change. Timothy Findley uses change guided by the war in the novella The Wars, to show how a character perceives a certain event. Characters such as Robert Ross and Mrs. Ross deal with a series of changes in their life that affect them both greatly. The effect of the war on Robert Ross is that it changes him through his experiences and what he views throughout the novella. His perception of war also changes, which makes him see it in a different light. Mrs. Ross, after losing Rowena from hydrocephalus and Robert through war, is unable to deal with this loss and is negatively affected. Findley uses war as a tool to display how the characters perceive and how they cope with change.

Robert Ross, the protagonist, is dealt into the hands of war from the beginning. He is an innocent, boy which after the death of his sister, Rowena, places himself in the army. After being admitted into the army for some time, Robert meets one of his superiors, Eugene Taffler and the novella states that “Taffler was a hero.” (Findley 31) Later, an incident at Lousetown, within the brothel occurs. Robert is presented with a view that shatters his respect for Taffler. “His mind began to stammer the way it

Findley, displays change within the characters, specifically Robert Ross and Mrs. Ross. Through the experiences which they go through, they find themselves perceiving everything in a different manner. Although, both characters are found coping with change differently, they both find themselves hurt because of it. Findley shows the change within a character and the negative effects of being unable to accept it. Even though change happens often, there are times where one cannot deal or move one, which has negative outcomes for