'Robert?'
'Yes Rowena?'
'Will you stay with me forever?'
'Yes, Rowena.'
'Can the rabbits stay forever too?'
'Yes, Rowena'
"This was forever. Now the rabbits had to be killed" (Findley 17). Findley uses rabbits to represent Rowena, Robert's pure and unadulterated sister. The rabbits and Rowena are alike, like the rabbits, Rowena was vulnerable. Rowena had a close relationship with the rabbits and when she passed away,the rabbits were all that Robert had left of her. And then he had to kill them. Ten beautiful creatures that held the memory of his sister, and he has to kill them because, "he loved her" (19). Robert's father called Teddy Budge, a, "large and mindless man" (19)to kill the rabbits. To this Robert screams, "what are soldiers for?" (20). In the future, what do you know, Robert becomes a soldier. It can thus be assumed that Robert enlisted as a result of Rowena's death. "All these actors were obeying some kind of fate we call 'revenge'. Because a girl had died and her rabbits had survived her" (20).Robert loved Rowena. Rowena loved her rabbits. Rowena died. Rowena's rabbits were killed. Robert lost Rowena through her death and the death of her rabbits. Robert wanted to maintain at least one of the promises he had made to Rowena but the soldier ruined that for him. Robert was left with nothing.
I found your post enlightening. You had some very good points. Well done. Keep up the good work. I also agree with anything Reza or Eddie or Brian said/will say because they have a good knowledge of the book and will add insightful points.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jeevan (and/or Eddie and Brian).This post is both insightful and inspiring and I will continue to refer to it for a fresh perspective as I progress through the novel.
ReplyDelete