The Wanton Troopers

The Wanton Troopers is the story of Kevin O’Brien, a boy growing up in a Nova Scotia mill town as World War II approaches. His life is spent navigating between his troubled home—fuelled by alcoholism and poverty—and his troubled town – fuelled by bullying and hopelessness.

 

Kevin lives with his mother, Mary, his father, Judd, and his Grandmother O’Brien. The novel begins with such a gentle scene—Kevin being bathed and readied for bed by his mother –that you almost want to stop reading there, before the veneer of gentleness, warmth and safety is ripped away, to be replaced by the reality of violence, frustration and rage. Unfortunately, the veneer is ripped away quickly when Kevin’s father awakes and chides the boy for being a baby; Kevin shrinks “with shame and self-contempt.” Unlike those with his mother, caring moments with his father are few, and the boy realizes that if his “relationship with his mother reached its apotheosis when she bathed him and readied him for bed, his relationship with his father attained its epitome through the strap.”

 

The poetic quality of the writing is not surprising. Nowlan was one of Canada’s finest poets, who won the Governor General’s Award for his collection Bread, Wine and Salt (1967).

 

There is a see-saw quality of good and evil throughout the book, such as when a bullying episode is followed by Kevin’s listening to a Bible reading. He remains hopeful, though, if sometimes wistfully unrealistic; he decides to become king of Nicaragua (because he doesn’t think he could install himself on the throne in larger countries like France or Germany). His grandmother often brings him back to reality: “It ain’t fittin’ fer people like us tuh put on airs …. we’re poor as dirt and allus will be,” she warns.

 

This novel was first published, posthumously, in 1988. The 2009 edition includes the last page of the original manuscript. Never before published, it adds to the poignancy of the novel. The Wanton Troopers, although hard to read is worth the effort. Kevin O’Brien’s passion to find beauty in life is impossible to forget. —Sharon Hunt