Importance of Symbolism in Timothy Findley's "War".

To be engaged in war is to be engaged in an armed conflict. Death is an all too ordinary product of war. It is an unsolicited reward for many soldiers that are fighting for their country’s own fictitious freedom. For some of these men, the battlefield is a glimpse into hell, and for others, it is a means to heaven. Many people worry about what happens during war and what will become of their loved ones while they’re fighting, but few realize what happens to those soldiers once they come home. The short stories "Soldier's Home” by Ernest Hemingway and "Speaking of Courage” by Tim O'Brien explore the thematic after effects of war and how it impacts a young person's life. Young people who

Life can bring unexpected events that individuals might not be prepared to confront. This was the case of O’Brien in the story, “On the Rainy River” from the book The Things They Carried. As an author and character O’Brien describes his experiences about the Vietnam War. In the story, he faces the conflict of whether he should or should not go to war after being drafted. He could not imagine how tough fighting must be, without knowing how to fight, and the reason for such a war. In addition, O’Brien is terrified of the idea of leaving his family, friends and everything he loves behind. He decides to run away from his responsibility with the society. However, a feeling of shame and embarrassment makes him go to war. O’Brien considers

Through the initial characterization of young Tim, O’Brien suggests that when faced with unexpected life changing dilemmas people will more often than naught end up clouded judgement and panic. Young Tim is ambitious and well educated, he is on his way to Harvard University on a scholarship. His life is heading in the best direction possible. This is until he receives the draft letter. His ideals “hurtling down a huge black funnel” and all he can do is “nothing …wait.” His helpless soon becomes rage, rage towards the government who’s motives for the war “were shrouded in uncertainty”. He is “too good for this war. Too smart, too compassionate, too everything.” “Why don’t they “draft some back-to-the-stone-age hawk?” Why must he, who doesn’t support this “uncertain” war “put [his] own precious fluids on the line.” As “the rage in [his] stomach” “burned down” he soon

Robert Ross, the protagonist of Timothy Findley’s novel The Wars undergoes a disturbing violation when his fellow soldiers rape him; this is a significant turning point for Robert’s character and a section of the book Findley uses to address many themes. Throughout the book we witness Robert maturing and experiencing many hardships that will help create the man he becomes. The most significant of these trials is the scene at the insane asylum because it is where Robert looses the last connection to his innocence and his faith in humanity’s virtuousness. Findley also uses this scene to address the topic of homophobia in that era, and

Beginning my love of reading an early age, I was never the type of child who was drawn to fictional stories. As an 8 year-old child in West Virginia, I was recognized by the local library for my love of biographies, autobiographies and recollections of world events. This love has continued throughout my adult life, desiring to read novels such as “We Were Soldiers Once…and Young” by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore rather than watch the major motion picture “We Were Soldiers” starring Mel Gibson. Even though the motion picture received multiple awards, when reading the recollection of Mr. Moore’s accounts, the feeling of loss, distress, anxiety and fear can be felt in each word that he has written while reliving this horrendous war.

In the aftermath of a comparatively minor misfortune, all parties concerned seem to be eager to direct the blame to someone or something else. It seems so easy to pin down one specific mistake that caused everything else to go wrong in an everyday situation. However, war is a vastly different story. War is ambiguous, an enormous and intangible event, and it cannot simply be blamed for the resulting deaths for which it is indirectly responsible. Tim O’Brien’s story, “In the Field,” illustrates whom the soldiers turn to with the massive burden of responsibility for a tragedy. The horrible circumstances of war transform all involved and tinge them with an absurd feeling of

Many people go into things blind without any thought process behind their actions which will often lead to the worst consequences. Many novels and movies reveal this message clearly. In the novel Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, Joe, a young soldier drafted into the war, suffered extreme injures both mentally and physically after battle due to not fully knowing what to expect going into war. Likewise, in Shenandoah, a 1965 Civil War movie, Boy, the youngest in the Anderson family, mistakenly gets forced into the line of battle and is faced with the truth behind the whole war at a very young age and faces several losses from his journey. Despite the fact that Joe and Boy both suffered different consequences, they

not a memoir--but an angry postwar statement about the effects of the war on the young

In All Quiet on the Western Front, a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, the main protagonist, Paul Bäumer, enlists in the German army of World War I with his classmates. At the age of twenty, he knows nothing of life but death, despair, and fear. As the war unfolds and the fighting continues, Pauls true character comes out. The war shaped him into a perceptive, selfless, and trustworthy soldier who will fight for his country at all times. At the beginning of the war, Paul is very familiar with living a normal lifestyle. As time progresses, he becomes perceptive with life as a soldier and learns to forget prior knowledge he once relied on, and relying on basic instinct and everything he has been taught in training. Bäumer’s insights have reminded him that what matters is “not the mind but the boot brush” and prior knowledge can be forgotten because it “is not the intelligence, but the system [that matters]” (Remarque 22).

Neil’s grades began to soar and he was able to graduate from college as the Valedictorian. He later went on to study Psychology and became a psychologist. He has come to terms with his disorder, now has some amount of control over his impulses and also plays football and tennis, during and after his practice. Neil has volunteered to help children and adults who are like him, the ones who were brainwashed by adults and other people they depended on and as a result, ended up failing at what they were destined to

Just a couple of average guys, a really expensive boarding school and of course a secret club. Set to follow and live out there parent’s dreams while just trying to live an average life. The movie Dead Poets Society demonstrates tons of transcendentalism traits but three of the main traits are spark of divinity, respect for nature, and non- conformity. For example Charlie Dalton shows the trait of non-conformity when standing up in the middle of church asking for girls to be allowed to go to the school. While on the other hand Neil Perry (the actor) has a major respect for nature.he is a tree in the play, respect for nature is also a Trans trait.

     The narrator is torn between two worlds. In his heart and mind, he knows that the war is wrong and unjust. In his family, town, and nation, however, he was expected to fight. He must cross a number of hurdles on his way to a life altering decision. It seems the man has gotten beyond the idea of self embarrassment. The problem for Cross, it seems, is the fact that his decision affects everyone around him. Like any young man in those times, he was scared. Not scared of death, but scared of life after the war. He knows that is he does not go to the war, his mother, his father, and all his friends will share the burden of his embarrassment. That is why he must go to the war. In a noble sort of way, Cross saves his family the embarrassment of draft dodging. In his mind, however, he is a coward, a man who simply put, could not stand up to himself in a time of turmoil. This lack of confidence and self assurance is something

The story “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is an enormously detailed fictional account of a wartime scenario in which jimmy Cross (the story’s main character) grows as a person, and the emotional and physical baggage of wartime are brought to light. The most obvious and prominent feature of O’Brien’s writing is a repetition of detail. O’brien also passively analyzes the effects of wartime on the underdeveloped psyche by giving the reader close up insight into common tribulations of war, but not in a necessarily expositorial sense.. He takes us into the minds of mere kids as they cope with the unbelievable and under-talked-about effects or rationalizing

A common goal in life for young people is to grow up, get married, and dream of a future with hope. For Paul Baumer a young protagonist in All Quiet on the Western Front his future is doubtful. “Let the months and years come, they can take nothing from me, they can take nothing anymore. I am so alone and so without hope that I can confront them without fear” (Remarque 295). Baumer reveals that, the war strips him of everything he cherishes such as his family, friends, and the hope of a future.

The descriptions that is being used in this quote is realistic that we can imagine in our imagination. It is effective to let the readers to feel the pain that raised the awareness. “He had never felt anything like it.” is the key point of this quote. He has never felt that kind of pain before this war happens. He is surprised and nervous. Which means a war is new and painful to them. They have never felt it and noticed how it can be happening in our life. The war will never give you anything good. Maybe the feel of winning and killing. The war is just going to give you a pain, death, and desperation. “Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle.” is the part of the quote of George S.Patton. The battle is the most magnificent competition and all the soldiers are afraid of it. The teenagers are also going