Loss of Innocence in The Wars Anonymous 12th Grade

Many can agree that naiveté is a form of innocence and it diminishes when humans are forced to face circumstances that may cause questions about oneself and the world around them, causing such perspective and morals to change. Innocence is associated with a guilt-free mentality. When realizing that the world is less than perfect and furthermore that mankind is capable of committing horrid acts, one may feel sad, angry, and confused. Often, those who lose their innocence faster than others have been through extremely traumatic experiences, such as war, scarring soldiers psychologically and permanently as they can never go back to their previous state of mind since such naiveté is lost forever. In Timothy Findley’s novel The Wars, the exposure to violence induces a loss of innocence as depicted in the characters by Robert Ross, Rodwell, and Lady Juliet D’Orsey.

In the beginning of the novel, readers learn that Robert Ross is a kind-hearted young man who greatly values the meaning of life. The importance of life and what it means to live for Ross is emphasized by Findley when he recalls past events of Robert’s life before entering the war, having spent much of it with his sister Rowena whom he loves. Unfortunately, Rowena’s death...