Imagery (Exterior)

Another example of imagery in the novel is on another occasion of chaos in the war. Soldiers in this war had to face this obscure battlefield each and every day along with the chaos that led towards this broken land, which took its toll on the mentality of these young soldiers. This chaotic description is used, circling around Roberts endeavors in the war, and is faced with many similar dilemmas throughout his time in the war. Robert had been engaged in many of these muddled predicaments throughout his time of war, and after time, this imagery of the scene laid upon him took effect on his mind.

“Fire storms raged along the front. Men were exploded where they stood- blown apart by combustion. Winds with the velocity of cyclones tore the guns from their emplacements and flung them about like toys. Horses fell with their bones on fire. Men went blind in the heat. Blood ran out of noses, ears, and mouths. (…) Levitt had gone quite mad and sat with his books piled up on his knees until they touched his chin.” (Findley 132-133)

The Germans had just introduced flamethrowers, a technology new to WWI, which burned soldiers alive. This passage has great imagery of soldiers literally getting blown away in the wind from the combustion of the flamethrowers. This imagery of soldiers turning to dust imbeds itself within a soldiers mind and if they were lucky to survive, scarred them of this picture in their minds. These soldiers had to endeavor the most excruciating events, which if they were even lucky to survive, had to struggle with these images no young man should ever have to encounter. These pictures of other men dying, like in this instance, stuck with each and every soldier and scarred them mentally to the point of insanity in many cases. Also, this quote has context to how this war ridden chaos affected one of the characters within this event. The quote conveys that Levitt, one of Robert’s colleagues, had gone mad because of this situation and it fundamentally got to his head with a mixture of madness and scarcity. Findley shows these devastating scenes through the use of his words and has a very powerful effect on the reader. Imagine being a soldier in these elements being faced with this every day; no wonder why so many soldiers went mad.