The Wars Critical Essay Example

a sense of strain. The inclusion of cold statistics from the overarching drama makes his own biography seem forced and false. A big part of the problem lies in the clipped, ominous style chosen by Findley for most scenes in the book, regardless of whether they occur on the battlefield... This dominant style is painfully unnoticeable, particularly during critical moments like Rowena's death, the revelation about Taffler and the Swede, or the various deaths on the battlefield... In these instances, the book's Hemingway-like style becomes sentimentality. To label The Wars as sentimental is the closest I can come to expressing the cumulative impact of the novel's numerous crises depicted in this flattened, yet strangely apocalyptic, manner. Such a style adversely affects the characters.

The characters in the novel often exist in the shadows, appearing as ghostly figures in various postures. Their behavior is difficult to comprehend except for its reflection of the challenges of their time. They can be described as distant eccentrics, including Robert's mother and Lady Barbara d'Orsey, whom Robert develops feelings for. Robert himself is a silent hero who is predominantly influenced by others rather than being proactive. He may be the primary victim of the novel's style. Ultimately, the novel requires our distressed sympathy, even though it has not sufficiently earned it. (pp. 173-74)