The Wars by author Timothy Findley portrays the cruel and perverse nature of war. Situated upon the First World War, Findley exemplifies his feelings by developing the idea that war, in and of itself, is meaningless, unjustified, and irrational. However, as the plural in the title suggests, the story is more than a historical reenactment of the First World War. A pacifist message is contained within the story about three different wars. Vividly shown, we are able to see the destruction of nature because of man. Because of this, the war of technology against nature is described. Another war, not as obvious as the first, is the inner struggle of main character Robert Ross to become a natural person and cope with all the changes his life as a soldier has created within him. This inner struggle leads us to the third war, the war against obedience, which significantly reappears throughout the novel. A suggestion Findley presents, based on this information is that people should take more responsibility for their actions and to question authority. .
The Wars is told by means of a fictional historic research document. Creative piecing constructs a plot in which different accounts and recollections are shown from a handful of people. The effectiveness of this technique allows the author to present all accounts of the story as straightforward and precise. This causes the reader to create their own assumptions and form strong opinions of the plot that is unfolding before them. In addition to this, a greater immersion of intense imagery is used. Findley introduces from the first initial moment, the war against nature. Through such imagery, Findley presents the audience to nature's alienation from its natural way of being by the use of war machinery.
A shift in the novel focuses the reader's attention on the second metaphoric war, the struggle within Robert. Robert is a solitary man in the process of self discovery.
