The Killer Angels
The Killer Angels is a tale of one of the bloodiest battles, in the bloodiest war that America ever waged-the Civil War. The book is a work of fiction in that it unabashedly reconstructs personal narratives of different historical protagonists, and attempts to give a moment-by-moment historical account of the various participants involved in the war that goes beyond what historians know from documents and records of the period. The book's ultimate aim is similar to that of nonfiction-it wishes to give a balanced rather than a biased perspective of the Battle of Gettysburg. To weave a compelling tale, Shaara has the benefit of drawing from historical diaries and memoirs, even though he strives to fill in what he does not know in fact, with the workings of his imagination. For example, he does not deviate from historical details when describing the feelings of General Lee when he argues with General Longstreet about the correct tactics to take against the Union, although he does flesh out what is known of their argument with passion and emotion in back-and-forth dialogue. Most Americans are aware of President Lincoln's famous speech at the battlefield of Gettysburg, in memory of the lives that were lost. However, despite the
And one critical aspect of the Civil War is lacking, namely the perspective of the slaves. Still, one cannot help siding with the Rebel underdog at times. But it is also worth asking if it is possible to humanize the southern cause too much, to the point of forgetting why the rebels were fighting the battle of Gettysburg at all-to keep that escaped slave in bondage? As tragic as the deaths were, they were also needless, and not simply because of Lee's miscalculations in his tactics, but because the idea of southern gentility was founded upon slavery, and thus founded upon a lie. fact that Lincoln's eulogy was commemorative many people today likely have forgotten the circumstances surrounding the battle. The reader functions as kind of an omniscient observer, almost like a spy, and fittingly the book opens with Harrison, a spy, who is on a mission for the Confederate Army. Even if the reader knows how the story will end, that Lee will order a full-on attack that will spell the death knell of the Southern cause, Lee's love for an older way of life and the memories of a more genteel form of warfare make it difficult to dislike Lee entirely. Shaara thus asks the reader to understand although not sympathize with the South, although some of the scenes of the book seem to border on sympathy, perhaps because the heroes are rendered in such a human fashion. But perhaps even more tragic than Lee is the character of General Longstreet, who disagreed with the actions that he was forced to take, and had a better strategy (to take a less heroic, safer, and more defensive posture towards the stronger Union army) but still was loyal to his commander until the end. This strife shows how Confederate forces were in a state of disrepair and dissolution, given the difficulties they had faced already over the course of the conflict. Shaara makes Lee persuasive, even sympathetic-almost frighteningly so. More than a worm's eye view, the book more of a case study of what makes a compelling leader, and what types of leaders and codes of honor can motivates men to die-sadly, in the case of this battle, in record numbers. At one point, Chamberlain's regiment discovers an escaped slave, but the reader, because of the construct of the book, is only privy to the thoughts of the leaders, not the slave himself. The reader emerges from the text with greater knowledge and appreciation of why so many people, particularly southerners, refuse to forget the Rebel cause. The decision to shift perspectives might be jarring to a modern viewer, as the author is essentially looking through the eyes, in the case of Armistead, Lee, and Longstreet, of the men who were fighting to sever from the Union and to uphold a way of life dependant upon slavery. The technique of following the war through the lens of different points of view also makes the reader sympathize with that individual's perspective and alliance in the moment of battle-Lee's perspective almost 'feels' right even though the reader knows it is wrong.
Common topics in this essay:
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Lee Longstreet,
Joshua Chamberlain,
Battle Gettysburg,
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Longstreet's Lee,
Confederate Army,
Armistead Rebel,
Killer Angels,
Southern Shaara,
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civil war,
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Acceptance Essays
