I know that the loss of innocence, animals and private vs. public are main themes in the novel. Would these also be social justice issues?
There are a number of themes you can consider. I think the sanctity of life is an important social justice theme. Robert believes in the sanctity of living beings and it is this loss of life that drives him to break away from the moral system imposed upon him by the war and the society that supports it. Robert believes all life, human and animal, is worth protecting. This is why he cannot condone his mother's decision to kill Rowena's rabbits. It is what brings him closer to Harris and Rodwell. The two soldiers share his respect for life and the natural world. Rodwell speaks to an interconnectedness between living things in his letter to his daughter. This seems to reflect Findley's own feelings about the need to preserve the natural world. You can check out more at the GradeSaver link below:
