The Wars- Effects on Humans
CHEUNG 1
War has been a constant part of human history. It has greatly affected the lives of people around the world. These effects, however, are extremely detrimental. Soldiers must shoulder extreme stress on the battlefield. Those that cannot mentally overcome these challenges may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sadly, some resort to suicide to escape their insecurities. Soldiers, however, are not the only ones affected by wars; family members also experience mental hardships when their loved ones are sent to war. Timothy Findley accurately portrays the detrimental effects wars have on individuals in his masterpiece The Wars.
Findley suggests that war can alter a person's behaviour negatively. Robert Ross, the protagonist of his novel The Wars, portrays symptoms of what is known today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Findley writes:
His temper, you know, was terrible. Once when he thought he was alone and unobserved I saw him firing his gun in the woods at a young tree Other times he would throw things down and break them on the ground he had a great deal of violence inside and sometimes it emerged this way with a gesture and other times it showed in his expression when you found him sitting alone on the terrace or staring out a window.
(Findley 152-153)
War is having a growing effect on Robert; his exposure to violence is leaving him in an increasingly fragile state. His behaviour can be interpreted as being increasingly violent and can show his decreasing mental health. Robert's declining mental health may be due to lack of sleep. He said, "Sleep was dangerous No matter what your mind said, your
CHEUNG 2 body didn't listen. Part of you always stayed awake . Nobody dreams on a battle field. There isn't any sleep that long." (Findley 93) Robert said this while in a dugout near the trenches. During the night they can hear the "sound of distant rifle fire." (Findley 92) They are constantly subjected to the sound of war as well as its dangers. In
War has been a constant part of human history. It has greatly affected the lives of people around the world. These effects, however, are extremely detrimental. Soldiers must shoulder extreme stress on the battlefield. Those that cannot mentally overcome these challenges may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sadly, some resort to suicide to escape their insecurities. Soldiers, however, are not the only ones affected by wars; family members also experience mental hardships when their loved ones are sent to war. Timothy Findley accurately portrays the detrimental effects wars have on individuals in his masterpiece The Wars.
Findley suggests that war can alter a person's behaviour negatively. Robert Ross, the protagonist of his novel The Wars, portrays symptoms of what is known today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Findley writes:
His temper, you know, was terrible. Once when he thought he was alone and unobserved I saw him firing his gun in the woods at a young tree Other times he would throw things down and break them on the ground he had a great deal of violence inside and sometimes it emerged this way with a gesture and other times it showed in his expression when you found him sitting alone on the terrace or staring out a window.
(Findley 152-153)
War is having a growing effect on Robert; his exposure to violence is leaving him in an increasingly fragile state. His behaviour can be interpreted as being increasingly violent and can show his decreasing mental health. Robert's declining mental health may be due to lack of sleep. He said, "Sleep was dangerous No matter what your mind said, your
CHEUNG 2 body didn't listen. Part of you always stayed awake . Nobody dreams on a battle field. There isn't any sleep that long." (Findley 93) Robert said this while in a dugout near the trenches. During the night they can hear the "sound of distant rifle fire." (Findley 92) They are constantly subjected to the sound of war as well as its dangers. In