It symbolizes companionship and loyalty, as the coyote willingly ran with Robert. Rabbits appear throughout the novel, most notably as the pets that Rowena kept and that Robert was told to kill after her death. Rabbits, along with Rowena, symbolize innocence and purity. Horses appear throughout the novel as well.

The abundant animal imagery in the novel is used to parallel and reveal the character of Robert Ross, foreshadow the situations he finds himself in, and symbolize hope amidst war. He even helps a rat, an animal associated with disease and death, escape a muddy grave.

Horses Symbol Analysis. As horses are a traditional symbol of freedom, Robert Ross’s exposure to their captivity and mistreatment as military animals parallels his gradual loss of innocence throughout the novel and highlights World War I’s devaluation of both human and animal lives.

This is Timothy Findley, writing in his journal in November 1976, describing his experience in the mud. He was researching his WWI novel, The Wars, attempting to duplicate soldiers’ fighting conditions: an impossible task, but one undertaken with determination nonetheless.

The rabbits are a symbol of innocence and purity and bring back memories of Rowena, and lastly the horses represent the best parts of Roberts life before the war. The animals are a very important concept of the novel “The Wars” and without them the character of Robert would not be as strong and empowering as his is.

Rabbits, along with Rowena, symbolize innocence and purity. Horses appear throughout the novel as well. Horses bring Robert to Eugene Taffler: Robert was corralling mustangs when he came across Taffler, who had returned and reenlisted in the war.

The Wars is a 1977 novel by Timothy Findley that follows Robert Ross, a nineteen-year-old Canadian who enlists in World War I after the death of his beloved older sister in an attempt to escape both his grief and the social norms of oppressive Edwardian society.

His romanticized image of Taffler is shattered, however, when he sees him having sex with a man (the Swede) at a brothel. Here, he finds that Taffler has lost both of his arms in battle.

Ross fruitlessly pursues retribution for her personal traumas as well as for the war itself—she has Rowena’s pet rabbits killed to avenge her daughter’s death and cries out at God over the injustice of sending young men like Robert off to die in battle. Mrs.

In the spring of 1915, at eighteen years old, Robert enlists in the army to escape the guilt and pain of his sister’s death.

Dog Symbolism and Meaning The dog symbolism in art is related to safeguarding, devotion, fidelity, and strong faith. A Faithful companion and reliable protector, the dog, is also a symbol of loyalty and truthfulness to yourself. The renaissance pet portraits depict dogs as companions of humans.