Robert prevents his identity from being corrupted when he refuses to kill the rabbits. Expanding Sentence Here. The rabbits are a representation of the destruction of innocence in war. Robert recalls a conversation with Rowena in which she asks, “‘Can the rabbits stay forever, too?’ ‘Yes, Rowena,’ [Robert replied]. This was forever. Now the rabbits had to be killed,” (Findley, 20). When Robert says that “this [is] forever,” he is saying that Rowena’s forever has ended, because she has died. Forever has ended and therefore the rabbits can no longer stay and they must die as well. The rabbits have done nothing wrong, however. The rabbits are simply innocent bystanders in the situation. By having the rabbits “killed” their innocence is also “killed”.
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The rabbits themselves symbolize how war destroys the innocent. Transition. When Robert is told to kill the rabbits he is being told to fall prey to the corruption of war. As Robert argues with his mother he says, “‘I’ll take care of them. Please!!!’ ‘Robert – control yourself.’ Silence. ‘Who’s going to kill them, then?’ ‘You are,’” (Findley, 20). War corrupts individuals morally by forcing such individuals to disregard what they think is right. The rabbits represent the destruction of innocence in war and when Mrs. Ross says “you are”, telling Robert to kill the rabbits, she is telling him to corrupt his morals and indorse that destruction of innocence. Robert does not want the rabbits to die. In fact he implores his mother to let the rabbits live, begging “please”, and yet she disregards his wants. Instead she tells Robert to go against what he wants and what he thinks is the right thing to do.
The rabbits themselves symbolize how war destroys the innocent. Transition. When Robert is told to kill the rabbits he is being told to fall prey to the corruption of war. As Robert argues with his mother he says, “‘I’ll take care of them. Please!!!’ ‘Robert – control yourself.’ Silence. ‘Who’s going to kill them, then?’ ‘You are,’” (Findley, 20). War corrupts individuals morally by forcing such individuals to disregard what they think is right. The rabbits represent the destruction of innocence in war and when Mrs. Ross says “you are”, telling Robert to kill the rabbits, she is telling him to corrupt his morals and indorse that destruction of innocence. Robert does not want the rabbits to die. In fact he implores his mother to let the rabbits live, begging “please”, and yet she disregards his wants. Instead she tells Robert to go against what he wants and what he thinks is the right thing to do.