Inner/Outer Battles

Throughout the novel, Robert is faced with many difficulties that war brings upon him. Many of these battles are inner and outer battles that are waged throughout the book. Also known as mental and physical battles, these inner and outer battles that Robert is faced with take its toll on his body, and more importantly his mentality.

Dealing with outer battles first, Robert has endeavored many physical clashes throughout the novel. Whether it is sleep deprivation or lack of nourishment, these physical factors add up and take its toll on Robert.

“Robert had only taken eight hours’ sleep in the last three. He was living on chocolate bars and tea and generous portions of rum which he took from the supply wagons. His body was completely numb and his mind had shrunk to a small, protective shell in which he hoarded the barest essentials for reason.” (Findley 182)

Robert had only slept eight hours in the last three days and was surviving on alcohol. At this point of the war, times were very stressful with the German aerial attacks taking place. With Robert’s lack of sleep and food, his body was, in the essence, deteriorating. The fact that at this point of the war, Robert is being faced with these conditions is bad enough to think of, but to think that this is how many soldiers had to survive throughout the entire war is inhumane. Robert had to not only survive the German attacks, he had to survive and fight for the bare essentials to sustain life. These conditions that Robert is being faced with now are what he has been faced with throughout the entire war of about three years. These conditions definitely took its toll on Robert and it showed in this example by his whole outlook of the war and what it has done to him mentally.

Looking at the other aspect of war and how it affected Robert mentally, war changes people. For Robert, he had to deal with so much extreme tragedies throughout his time in the war. Dealing with death, harsh conditions, etc. all these factors add up over time and changed Robert mentally in the aspect of losing his sanity. In the quote above, it states that Robert’s mind had shrunk into a small protective shell for bare essentials. This is an excellent example of how Robert’s state of mind was at this time of war. It shows how over this war time period, Robert’s mind slowing was demolishing into nothing but the need for survival. Robert has dealt with so many inner battles throughout the war, it has taken effect and is finally seeping through to reality that war has indefinitely changed Robert’s mind set to the point of insanity, which led to his death in the overall outcome of the situation.