Wednesday, 15 February 2012

We are all at war aren't we?

We are all at war aren't we?
Thats the name of this first blog post but it really is something that has been keeping me feeling purplexed these last few days.

As I am reading "The Wars" by Timothy Findley, I think im just going to try to understand life and its perplexities (if that is even a word) through the wars that are seen in this book ironically called "the Wars".

Wars = more than one war
Isnt that funny?

From my knowledge of this book it is supposed to be about the tracking of Robert Ross who is fighting in world war one.

Considering by this point in time there were no other grand wars,
1) maybe the author is foreshadowing that there will be more wars and that this "war to end all wars" that he is exploring wont actually end all of the wars
OR
2) Its about the metaphorical "wars" in Robert Ross' life.

For the sake of this blog lets go with # 2.

The novel opens with this quote:
"In such dangerous things as war the erros which proceed from a spitiy of benevolence are the worst." - von Clausewitz

Lets try to understand this. So what does benevolence mean?
Well this nifty Website- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/benevolence
Told me this-
benevolence [bɪˈnɛvələns]
n
1. inclination or tendency to help or do good to others; charity
2. an act of kindness
3. (Historical Terms) (in the Middle Ages) a forced loan or contribution exacted by English kings from their nobility and subjects
For this context I think 1 & 2 are the most appropriate.
"Jesus
 She Fell
 It was Sunday.
 Robert wasn't there."
When Rowena fell toher Death Stuart should have been watching her, but somehow she managed to fall. and died. Died. Rowena Died.
From where I have read so far in this novel I feel like Robert Ross may be the this character refelected in the opening quote who has a spirit of benevolence.
He loved his sister, and he cared for her, but that one time he wasnt there, and he left her to someone else, she died. So was this his fault? As a reader I fell like Robert is feeling ugilty for her death. he keeps replayig moments where he spoke to her, or where he made her a promise.
when she was gone he played with the Rabits because they represent her. they are similar to her, gentle, and in need of someone to help them with their life.
Will Robert Continue to reflect this character for the rest of the novel? We will see.

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