Gender Identity and Roles in Timothy Findley’s Book the Wars

Men are portrayed as strong, dominant, and concentrated in life as a whole. What if males are emotionally unstable, victimized rather than victorious, and exposed? What about guys who are capable of crying over inappropriate things and those who become the targets of assault? What about women who are powerful, dominating, courageous, and confident? The Wars by Timothy Findley will, in part, show readers a complete and noteworthy reversal of gender roles and the work of the feminist movement bearing fruit by empowering some women to the point where they are perceived to venture outside of their traditional domains. In examining Findley’s text, the roles and identity of men and women in the Canadian society following the World War 1 will be analyzed in light of that historical period. Notably, sexuality is a central theme when addressing matters related to gender roles and identity and as such will be interwoven in the text. Evidently, normative masculinity is criticized by the characters inability to maintain consistency.

On the face value, men are presented as strong and capable of taking responsibility for their own lives and emotions but as the novel progresses this strength and responsibility is put into question. For instance, Robert shirked obligation is attributable to the death of Rowena who was quite close to him as a sister. As such, Robert is unable to suppress his emotions, and this death causes significant changes in his life as he seeks to come to terms with this reality. Robert is not even able to kill Rowena’s rabbits, and the emotional journey becomes an uphill task for him. Here, the male vulnerability is presented, and it would be accurate to say the societal expectations and constructs that suggest that men should always be strong is limited since some human experiences are too difficult to deal with such that a person is forced to yield. The composure saw in Robert’s life before the war and after the war present a situation that one can be strong and maintain their poise when the environment is conducive and familiar. However, in the chaotic and unpredictable environment, like the war zone, Robert found himself, the responses and reactions also become unpredictable. Therefore, gender identity can be changed by an external situation that a person may find themselves in.

In wars, women are mostly seen as victims of assault, but in this novel, Robert Ross is raped by his fellow soldiers that results in significant change in his disposition and inclination towards humanity. The rape by the thirteen soldiers was an ordeal that Robert ever saw himself surviving. Findley notes,

“His legs were forced apart so far he thought he they were going to be broken. Mouths began to suck at his privates...” (p. 192)

At first, Robert is seen as a man who believes in the sanctity of life and would not imagine bringing himself to a place of killing Rowena’s rabbits, but following the rape assault, all that innocence gets lost and in a sense changes him to be violent and reactive. His loss of faith in humanity is seen in his burning Rowena’s only remaining picture as an act of charity. The kindness that was keeping him in check like a man of control is now lost when he witnesses Leather killing Devlin and burning the horses he was trying to protect all along, he loses his anger, snaps and shoots Leather killing him and escapes. Robert Ross is no longer the innocent nineteen-year-old but he has now been hardened by the war and killing for him is no longer a big deal. It is notable that the strength of Robert remains, but his value remains for horses since they are the only innocent things that deserve to live. Something that Robert does not lose is his strength to fight for something that he believed was worth fighting for. Even is his assaulted situation he chose to remain on the battlefield until his death.

The men are also seen as people who have been trained by the society to suppress their emotions instead of expressing them. There is a sharp contrast between how men handle their feelings at first instance and women do that throughout the novel. For example, immediately after the rape ordeal, Robert does not retaliate but seeks his pistol which is a symbol of strength under control. In a sense, the pistol could be used to kill, but Robert does not do that until Leather’s actions provoke him. Leather is a man determined to keep the soldiers under his control and the troop in order at whatever cost. Devlin asserts that Leather is half mad because of the war field experiences. Despite that knowledge, he suppressed that knowledge and rationality and in loyalty to tried to help Robert resulting in his own death. It seems, that men in authority desire to assert their power and abilities especially when those under them do not respond accordingly.

Women in The Wars are presented in different facets. While some are naturally caregivers and loving, others are overly confident and daring. Marian Turner is presented as motherly and caring particularly in Robert’s final moments nearing his death. Marian Turner notes,

But that night - surrounded by all that dark - and all those men in pain - and the trains kept bringing us more and more and more - and the war was never, never, never going to end - that night, I thought: I am ashamed to be alive. I am ashamed of life. And I wanted to offer some way out of life - I wanted grace for Robert Ross.“(Findley, p.114)

Turner is overwhelmed by the rising incidences of death during the wars and is also ashamed of the state of the world then and seeking race for grace for Robert; she believes it would be more honorable for Robert to die than to continue in suffering. Her persuasion is that the war may never end and she pities all that Robert has lost and may continue losing in the wars. In suggesting the easy way of death, Marian Turner expresses her pity and misunderstanding of why someone would choose life on a battlefield of loss and pain. Ross rejection of the assisted suicide reveals that Ross had grown to be a man, an ideal man that the society desires. Becoming a man for Robert was a process one of pain and difficulty, and that is mostly the defining path towards masculinity (p.104). One who would not die in an easy way but one who even in death would show courage and tenacity.

Women like Mrs. Ross, Robert’s mother are shown as the epitome of vulnerabilities and deep relationships such that the departure of loved ones results in pain and distress. Women in the novel also reveal that they rarely go to the war but remain home to take care of their families like Mrs. Ross. When Robert decided to go to war, his relationship with the mother is severed because of the love the mother had for the son. And when she receives the news that the son is missing in action, she is unable to deal with the situation and immediately goes blind. Although she has accepted to allow her son go the war in the hope that she will be able to cope and remain strong, her ability to endure is put to question by the end of the novel when her character breaks and her countenance falls. Mr. Ross is presented as opposite of his wife since he remains composed even after Rowena’s death although he was hurting. As a man, Mrs. Ross expected him to take the leadership role and ensure that the family remained together. The frustration that Mrs. Ross exhibits including moving out of the church service would also reveal that she was dissatisfied with her husband’s role as the head of the house. She thought the husband would dissuade the son from enlisting in the World War 1, but instead, the father offered his support including going to Robert’s funeral. Women are forced to follow the decisions their husbands make without altering the choices but to accept since the society of then esteemed male dominance (p. 1). That presents significant suffering for married women whose husbands fail to make wise choices

Findley also presents his novel as a support for the Western socializations that uphold ecofeminism which is a school of thought that asserts that women have a high affinity towards nature and environment than men. Therefore, with that disposition, men are not supposed to be lovers of nature and those who present such inclinations regarded as weird and queer. However, according to Nielsen, such a stand is a cultural construction that needs to be demolished since human beings have a choice and can decide to love nature including men (2). Nielson criticizes Findley’s text on Not wanted on Voyage since he presented ecofeminism throughout the book as related to women and predisposed to them because of their gender. This ecofeminism works hand in hand with radical feminism is Findley’s novel, the War. For instance, the nurses in the war field are women since women should portray pity and care and through the motherly instincts be able to nurture others. Turner is moved so much by the suffering of Robert Ross that she proposes assisted suicide. Apparently, despite the ecofeminism aspect presented in the novel, most characters seem to defy the unspoken rules of the society that depict static masculinity and femininity. For instance, Robert Ross love for the animals and nature goes against that gender rule. Robert is deeply and emotionally moved by the sickness of his friend Harris who contracted Pneumonia. Robert takes care of him until his death and reconnects with himself and let go his friend by throwing Harris’ ashes to the river. Harris is also presented as ecofeminist since Robert narrates and expresses that Harris enjoyed the sea. Such level of care is anti-men who don’t appear sentimental. Also, this characteristic is juxtaposed with that of Teddy Budge who appears manly enough to be able to slaughter Rowena’s rabbits. Budge is presented as a man of no remorse, depicting emotional strength and control. Robert’s brother also does not show much remorse and pain and is disconnected with the caring trait that is seen in Robert. Stuart was in the vicinity when Rowena fell off the wheelchair on a concrete floor resulting in her death. Thus responsible for her death.

Sexuality is depicted as a central aspect surrounding gender roles and identity. For instance, in the pre-modern society that Findley writes from, women are supposed to be recipients of love and sex as opposed to men who are supposed to pursue women for sex. Implicitly, the dominant male society presents men as a gender that seeks sexual gratification at whatever cost and with whichever woman is available. The men in the book show a situation where pleasure is primary for them. For instance, Robert Ross negligence for causing Rowena to fall from the wheelchair occurred when he was trying to find sexual satisfaction from himself through masturbation. In another case, when he is walking upstairs with Ella, a whore, he ejaculates prematurely perhaps depicting his worry and unfamiliarity with the sexual world. Ella takes the assertive role and tries to seduce Robert to bed but he would not since he was nervous and eventually Ella gives up on her pursuits. In a way to let Robert let go his innocence and be a normative man, Ella opens a peephole and lets him look through seeing two men having sex. For the first time, Robert sees gays, and that leaves him shocked and perhaps questioning his masculinity. Notably, the subjectivity of women as lower beings is succinctly presented in the book. For instance, although Lady Juliet admired and loved Robert from a tender age, she dared not to let him know that. She did not approach Robert as that would be regarded as a taboo. Women were supposed to remain submissive to men within the society, but some women defied those codes and pursued happiness. For example, Lady Barbara understands that men are homoerotic but does nothing to keep herself from getting swayed by different men. Apparently, she depicts a situation where her pursuit of feminism and female liberty, she is enmeshed in slavery instead of freedom. Her lack of a firm stand like her sister, Juliet, leaves her frustrated as she moves from one man to another.

Findley’s the Wars reveals incoherence and inconsistency in the gender identity presented particularly as it relates to normative masculinity. In considering the male characters even those who appear reputable and famous, it is evident that any human being cannot attain normative masculinity and those social constructs only enslave instead of liberating(130). Additionally, the men are forced to mask in public but remain true to self in the private lives to avoid maybe social criticism. However, such pretense does not last long since it is not ingrained in the character of the persons. In the Wars, Eugene Taffler is first presented as a war hero who was always accompanied by a horse and a dog which are symbols of strength and control. When he is first seen in the novel, he is playing off bottles with stones and aims with much accuracy and power. Such strength is a reflection of his reputation in the war as a man who shot the enemies like he was playing a game. Because of such, Robert Ross finds a role model. In Robert’s eyes, he is the epitome of masculinity. However, this status would change in the course of the novel when he loses his arms and finds no reason to live since his identity is attached to his abilities through the hands. In fact, Taffler attempts suicide by rubbing his stubs on the wall, but Lady Juliet thwarts the plan. It is evident that Taffler’s hands are closely associated with his self-image and reputation which characterize his masculinity. The realization that Taffler did not measure up to Robert’s definition of masculinity, Robert ceases to hold him in that high regard although Taffler also had heterosexual relationships with women like Lady Barbara. Although the men knew the societal expectations of ideal masculinity, their human shortcomings denied them an opportunity to live up that standard making them victims of their own rules.

In conclusion, Timothy Findley presents an English society with well-defined gender roles of women and men. However, the normative masculinity is seen to be attached to what a person is capable of doing and attaining as opposed to inner traits or character. The gender identities are transformable are seen to change significantly through the novel. Some women and men defy their socially defined scope of gender role, and the external influences seem to play a role in that change. It is accurate to conclude that normative masculinity and femininity are unattainable.

Bibliography

Findley, Timothy. Penguin Modern Classics the Wars. Penguin, 2016.

Hunter, Floyd. Community power structure: A study of decision makers. UNC Press Books, 2017.

Nielsen, Dorothy. Timothy Findley’s Not Wanted on the Voyage: an Exemplary Ecofeminist Text. 1998.

Wang, Mei-chuen. ”Genre, Narrative, and History in Timothy Findley.“ 臺大文史哲學報 72 (2010): 129-151.

York, Lorraine. ”“What It Took and Took/To Be a Man”: Teaching Timothy Findley and the Construction of Masculinities.” Journal of Canadian studies 33, no. 4 (2009): 101-113.