Timothy Findley (1983)
Genre
Historical Fiction
Reading Time
240 min
Key Themes
See below
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A sensitive young Canadian officer, haunted by World War I and the loss of his horses, descends into moral rebellion against the war's brutal absurdity.
The story introduces Robert Ross as a young man from a wealthy Toronto family, known for his sensitivity and love for animals. His life changes after his developmentally disabled sister, Rowena, dies from an illness. Robert is especially upset because his parents, particularly his mother Mrs. Ross, insist on gassing Rowena's pet rabbits after her death, believing they carry disease. Robert, unable to stop it, feels immense guilt and rage, locking himself in the bathroom, where he smashes his reflection in the mirror. This event marks a turning point, fueling his desire to escape his home and the grief, leading to his decision to join the Canadian Army during World War I.
After Rowena's death, Robert joins the Canadian Expeditionary Force, seeking escape from grief and a purpose. He travels to Valcartier, Quebec, for basic training. Here, his quiet nature makes him different from other recruits, many of whom are rougher. During training, Robert struggles with military life, especially the cruelty towards animals and the drills. He forms an uneasy friendship with other soldiers, including Private Poole and Private Levitt. His sensitivity is tested repeatedly, showing the greater horrors he will face in Europe.
Robert goes on the long sea voyage to England. During the journey, he sees the confined animals on board, meant for slaughter, which further shows his empathy for suffering creatures. He also meets other officers, including Captain Taffler, who will later become important. Meanwhile, back in Toronto, Mrs. Ross drinks more and grieves, unable to cope with Rowena's death and Robert's departure. Her letters to Robert are erratic and full of despair, showing the psychological toll the war and personal tragedy are taking at home. Robert's family life continues to fall apart as he moves closer to the front lines.
When Robert arrives in England, he is stationed at a training camp. He soon meets Lady Barbara d'Orsey, a wealthy woman interested in young Canadian officers. Lady Barbara represents a part of the British upper class that supports the war but is somewhat removed from its realities. Robert spends time at her estate, where he meets her family and sees social dynamics. He has a brief, intense sexual encounter with her, which confuses him and helps shape him, further distancing him from his past innocence and preparing him for the moral complexities of war.
Robert goes to the Western Front in France, where he immediately faces the horrors of trench warfare. He sees constant shelling, mud, rats, and the smell of death. His initial idealism quickly disappears as he sees fellow soldiers killed and injured. He is especially affected by the suffering of horses used in the war, often finding comfort in caring for them. The psychological cost is huge, and Robert struggles to make sense of the brutal reality. He begins to detach emotionally, a way to cope with such violence.
During a quiet period, Robert sees Canadian soldiers, including Private Poole, raping a young German girl in a dugout. This brutality deeply disturbs Robert, challenging his morality and showing the dehumanizing effects of war. He cannot intervene directly but is affected by the girl's suffering. This event, with constant exposure to violence, pushes Robert closer to his breaking point. It reinforces his belief that the war is not just about fighting an enemy, but also about the loss of humanity in those who fight.
In a moment, Robert is ordered to oversee the killing of horses trapped in mud and considered a problem during a retreat. Unable to bear their suffering, Robert defies orders. Instead of shooting them, he leads them away, trying to save them from death or abandonment. This act of compassion and rebellion against military authority marks a turning point for Robert. He is no longer just a soldier following orders but an individual driven by his own moral compass, willing to sacrifice his safety for innocent creatures. This act makes him a deserter.
After releasing the horses, Robert becomes a fugitive, deserting his post. He travels through the war-torn landscape, meeting displaced civilians and battle remnants. He seeks refuge in abandoned barns and ruins, with some of the horses he saved. During his flight, he meets Juliette d'Orsey, Lady Barbara's niece, who is a nurse. Juliette offers him brief comfort and understanding, seeing his distress. This meeting provides a moment of human connection amid his isolation, but his status as a deserter means he cannot stay safe for long, and he continues his search for a sanctuary for himself and the animals.
Robert finds refuge in a ruined barn, where he shelters himself and the horses he rescued. Other displaced individuals, including a pregnant woman, join him, and they try to create a temporary haven. However, his defiance is noticed. British officers, including Captain Taffler, are sent to arrest him. A standoff happens, with Robert barricading himself inside the barn with the animals, refusing to surrender. He is seen as a symbol of rebellion and an insult to military discipline. The authorities, unwilling to let his act of compassion go unpunished, prepare to force him out.
The standoff ends in a fire. It is unclear if the fire was accidental or set by soldiers trying to flush Robert out. Robert, refusing to abandon the animals he protected, dies in the blaze with them. His death is violent and tragic, the ultimate sacrifice for his beliefs. The story concludes with the aftermath, detailing investigations into his death and conflicting reports. Robert Ross becomes a legendary figure, his story passed down through fragmented accounts, remembered as a compassionate rebel who defied the inhumanity of war.
The Protagonist
From a sensitive, guilt-ridden youth, Robert transforms into a disillusioned soldier who ultimately rebels against the dehumanizing aspects of war, sacrificing himself for his ideals.
The Supporting
She begins as a grieving, controlling mother and spirals into alcoholism and despair, becoming a symbol of the war's psychological impact on those left behind.
The Mentioned
Her death is the initial tragedy that sets Robert's journey in motion, remaining a foundational element of his character.
The Supporting/Antagonist
From a detached superior, he evolves into the primary pursuer of Robert, embodying the strict military system.
The Supporting
Her brief but impactful interaction with Robert serves to broaden his experience of the world beyond his sheltered upbringing.
The Supporting
She provides a moment of empathy and connection for Robert during his flight, serving as a brief beacon of humanity.
The Supporting
He remains a static character, representing the brutality and moral decay that Robert witnesses and ultimately rebels against.
The Supporting
He largely remains a static character, serving as an observer and commentator on the war's grim realities.
The Symbolic
They are a constant presence, representing the innocent victims of war and acting as catalysts for Robert's ultimate rebellion.
The novel shows how war takes away humanity, making soldiers parts of a destructive machine. Robert sees the loss of individuality, the casual cruelty, and the moral decay among his peers, like the rape of the German girl. The violence, mud, rats, and constant threat of death wear down soldiers' spirits, leaving them empty. Robert tries to keep his humanity in the face of this dehumanization, ultimately rebelling against it.
“''All wars are the same. They are all fought by the young, for the old, for nothing.''”
A main theme is the contrast between Robert's empathy, especially for animals, and the cruelty he finds. From the gassing of Rowena's rabbits to the suffering of war horses and the rape of the German girl, Robert constantly faces violence. His inability to tolerate suffering, especially of the innocent, drives his most important actions, leading to his defiance to save the horses. This theme shows the struggle to keep compassion in a brutal world.
“''He had always been a solitary boy, more at home with animals than with people.''”
Robert starts the war as a sensitive, somewhat naive young man, burdened by personal grief but still innocent. The trenches quickly remove this. He sees horrors, experiences violence, and is exposed to the moral ambiguities of human nature under pressure. His initial idealism is replaced by disillusionment with the war's purpose and conduct, leading him to question authority and rebel against its destructive force. This loss of innocence is personal and reflects a broader societal disillusionment with the 'Great War'.
“''The world was just a place where things were done to you.''”
The novel is a historical investigation, with an unnamed narrator putting Robert's story together from documents, letters, and interviews. This structure emphasizes the subjective and incomplete nature of memory and historical truth. Different accounts of Robert's actions, especially his death, show how history is made and understood. Robert's story becomes a legend, his motivations debated, showing the difficulty of truly knowing the past and the impact of individual lives.
“''We are all of us, in the end, the sum of our histories.''”
Robert's journey is one of increasing rebellion against authority and the collective madness of war. His initial enlistment is an escape, but his act of defiance—saving the horses and becoming a deserter—is an act of individual conscience. He chooses to follow his own moral code, even when it means sacrificing his life, rather than conform to the military's dehumanizing demands. This theme explores the power of individual will and the moral need to resist injustice, even when facing overwhelming power.
“''He would not let them do it. He would not.''”
A retrospective narrative piecing together Robert's story from various sources.
The novel does not follow a strict chronological order. Instead, an unnamed historian/narrator pieces together Robert's story through a collection of documents, letters, interviews, and memories. This fragmented structure mirrors the difficulty of fully grasping the truth of war and an individual's experience within it. It allows for shifts in perspective and time, emphasizing the subjective nature of memory and history, and creating a sense of mystery around Robert's ultimate fate.
Animals represent innocence, vulnerability, and Robert's core humanity.
Animals are a pervasive and powerful symbolic element throughout the novel. Rowena's rabbits, the gassed horses on the ship, the rats in the trenches, and especially the horses Robert saves, all represent innocence and vulnerability in the face of human cruelty and the destructive force of war. Robert's deep connection to and protection of animals is central to his character, serving as a constant reminder of his humanity and his moral compass, contrasting sharply with the dehumanizing environment of the war.
Contrasting elements to highlight themes and character traits.
Findley frequently uses juxtaposition to emphasize key themes. The innocence of Robert's pre-war life is contrasted with the brutality of the trenches. The refined world of Lady Barbara d'Orsey's estate stands in stark opposition to the squalor of the front lines. Robert's profound empathy is juxtaposed with the callousness of his fellow soldiers and military command. This device effectively highlights the moral and psychological conflicts at the heart of the novel and underscores the transformative, often destructive, power of war.
Early events and imagery hint at future tragedies and Robert's fate.
Foreshadowing is used to build tension and deepen the impact of later events. The traumatic gassing of Rowena's rabbits early in the novel foreshadows Robert's later desperate act to save the war horses. Descriptions of confined animals on the voyage to England hint at the broader suffering to come. These early indicators of Robert's sensitivity and the cruelty he witnesses prepare the reader for his eventual rebellion and tragic end, creating a sense of inevitability around his fate.
Symbolizes destruction, purification, and Robert's ultimate sacrifice.
Fire appears repeatedly as a motif, culminating in Robert's death in the burning barn. It symbolizes both destruction and, paradoxically, a form of purification or ultimate sacrifice. The fire that consumes Robert and the animals he protects is a final, violent act that erases him physically but solidifies his legend. It represents the destructive power of war, but also the burning intensity of Robert's convictions and his refusal to compromise his moral integrity, even unto death.
“All my life I've been a man apart. I've been a man who's seen things other men haven't. And I've done things other men wouldn't. And I've suffered things other men couldn't.”
— David's internal reflection on his unique experiences and the burden they carry.
“Wars were not fought with flags and bugles. They were fought with mud and blood and fear. And the sound of screaming horses.”
— A stark realization about the brutal reality of war, contrasting with romanticized notions.
“The world was not a safe place. It was not a kind place. It was a place where things happened, and you had to deal with them.”
— David's growing understanding of the harshness and unpredictability of life.
“He knew then that he had come to the end of something. And that the end of something was always the beginning of something else.”
— David faces a significant turning point, recognizing the cyclical nature of change.
“You couldn't escape your past. It was always there, waiting for you, like a shadow.”
— A reflection on the inescapable influence of one's history and experiences.
“There was a loneliness about him that was almost tangible, a sense of being utterly alone in a world that was too big and too cruel.”
— Description of David's profound sense of isolation amidst the chaos of war.
“He had learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it.”
— David's evolving understanding of true courage in the face of danger.
“Animals were not like people. They didn't judge. They just were.”
— David's comfort and connection with animals, seeing them as pure and non-judgmental.
“The dead were never truly gone. They lived on in the memories of those who loved them.”
— A contemplation on loss and the enduring presence of the deceased through remembrance.
“He felt a sudden overwhelming desire to protect them all, the living and the dead, the innocent and the guilty.”
— David's compassionate and protective instincts extend to all beings, regardless of their state.
“Silence was a weapon. It could be used to wound, or to heal.”
— A reflection on the powerful and dual nature of silence in human interaction.
“He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and sometimes, it was too heavy to bear.”
— David's internal struggle with the immense burden of his experiences and responsibilities.
“To forget was a kind of death. To remember was to live again.”
— Emphasizing the vital importance of memory for survival and maintaining identity.
“He saw the future as a dark tunnel, but at the end of it, there was always a light, however faint.”
— David's enduring hope amidst despair, a belief in eventual salvation or peace.
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Timothy Irving Frederick Findley was a Canadian novelist and playwright. He was also informally known by the nickname Tiff or Tiffy, an acronym of his initials.
