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Jeff Shaara’s novel, The Glorious Cause, takes the reader through the American Revolution, starting with the signing of “The Declaration of Independence” and going to Charles Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown. It also goes beyond telling a record of a historical event by putting the reader into the minds and situations of many historical figures at the time including: George Washington, Charles Cornwallis, William Howe, Nathan Hale, Nathaniel Green, Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin, and several others. By doing this, Shaara can show perspectives from both sides of the war, and this allows the reader to fully understand the motives and decision behind the battles. This switch between characters and perspective makes The Glorious Cause …show more content…
very interesting and captivating for the reader, and eliminates most of the possible bias that presents itself in a historical fiction novel. Shaara wrote the novel with an unbiased view, historical accuracy, and multiple first person perspective in order to allow the reader to construct their own opinions on the people and events of the time. Shaara does not intend to persuade the reader to feel one way or another about particular people or events, but instead he informs the reader about the emotions, tactics, and deeper meaning behind the American Revolution on both sides of the war, as well as across the Atlantic. While doing so, he also provides the reader with the entertainment of a great novel. In order for Shaara to create an informative book, he had to be accurate in his facts and accounts of the events that took place.
The evidence he uses in his novel directly relates to the reader’s ability to enjoy and learn from the novel. Shaara does an excellent job in providing the right amount of factual evidence with fictional content to create a novel that flows smoothly. Unlike other historical books, Shaara does not drown The Glorious Cause in plain facts that mean nothing to the reader. Shaara knows that by just stating facts and numbers he will not create an enjoyable book for someone to read. So instead, Shaara adds a storyline that includes the information that captivates the reader from the beginning. This storyline pushes the novel to read itself, as the book flows from one event to another so effortlessly. Facts and evidence throughout the novel then cause the story to be historically accurate and educate the reader. A good example of facts that present themselves in the storyline occurs when General Knyphausen talks to Charles Cornwallis and tells him, “’For every man in my command that was killed, King George must pay the archduke three times the normal price per soldier. George Washington and his rebel marksmen have done a fine job in bringing gold to my country’s treasury’” (267). This quote not only presents the direct fact it states and flows into the dialogue, but it has more information for the reader to analyze. For example, the …show more content…
joke added into the dialogue at the end makes General Knyphausen appear to think of his soldiers as pawns instead of men. This causes the reader to think about how the other generals view their soldiers, and if they only see money signs and victories as well. Facts present themselves in dialogue throughout the novel, and most of the time they can mean more than a simple fact. Historical accuracy is important to the novel, and by hiding facts and evidence within the storyline itself, Shaara avoids creating another historical textbook that deters readers. By allowing the story to flow with historical accuracy, it does not deter the reader, but instead draws him into the story even farther. Many authors that write about historical events include their bias on the subject, and usually only tell have of the story. Shaara does not do this, but instead he tells the full story from both sides, while doing his best to remain as neutral as possible on the subject. This allows the reader to create his own opinion on each person and historical event, after having all of the facts present. However, Shaara does not remain completely unbiased throughout the whole novel. The reader can tell by his hopeful tone and positive adjectives during the parts of the novel that use a continental army perspective, that Shaara slightly favors the colonies during the war. The reader can also find that Shaara has a bias towards General George Washington and his importance to the war. His bias towards George Washington shows at the very end of the novel, when Shaara says, “He is indeed, the Father of His Country” (638). Shaara highly respects Washington’s decisions throughout the war, and Shaara cannot help but to place Washington in high praise in his novel. However, other than the several incidents where Shaara shows some bias, the rest of the novel remains very neutral which allows the book to present facts from an educational standpoint. As the novel goes between both armies, and occasionally to Benjamin Franklin in France, the full story presents itself to the reader, and allows him to make his own opinions based on how he feels about the situations that occurred. For this reason, The Glorious Cause has great historical accuracy and allows the reader to do what he wants with the information Shaara presents him. As much as Shaara wants to inform his readers about the tactics and thoughts behind the Revolutionary War, he also wants to provide an entertaining way to account the happenings of a great historical event. To do so, Shaara intrigues his readers with an interesting writing style that puts the reader into the minds of multiple people that partake in the same event. By giving multiple first person views, he shows all sides of a situation, and the contrast between the same events differs from most novels about historical events. As quoted by Seattle Time/Post Intelligencer on the back cover of the book, Shaara creates “a highly readable tale, history disguised as entertainment” (n. pag.) The novel does not read as a historic textbook, but rather as a intriguing tale of two forces trying to outwit one another. The Glorious Cause allows its readers to enjoy the skill and tactics utilized by the generals in the war, rather than try to bombard the reader with useless information on small aspects of the war. By using dialogue to explain the reasoning behind certain tactics and formations that the generals use in several battles, it becomes easier for the reader to see inside the mind of Washington, Cornwallis, and others. Shaara uses this style for explaining the battles rather than labeling the tactics used by the generals as good or bad. The writing style of Shaara entertains he reader and draws him into his novel, where he can then educate him on the Revolutionary War through the use of creative dialogue and presentation of facts. Jeff Shaara’s, The glorious Cause, accounts the Revolutionary War in a way that most other historical novels fail.
By presenting the Revolutionary War as a tale of a novel instead of just stating boring facts and military terms, Shaara captivates his reader. Once the book captivates the reader, the information flows through the novel allowing a large understanding behind the Revolutionary War that consist of more than just who won what battle. Then by telling the story through multiple viewpoints, the reader can make his own opinions of each person, rather than relying on an author’s opinion. Shaara does all of this while still maintaining great historical accuracy, which makes the novel superior to any other historical fiction novel about the American Revolution. As a highly entertaining and educational read, Jeff Shaara does an excellent job in insuring that inquisitive readers will enjoy reading, The Glorious Cause, for many years to
come.
...s, an artisan and whose practical skill at achieving things done most resembles other American heroes. Fisher explained the courageous journey Paul Revere went through along with representing all that was best in the American character and Lieutenant-General Thomas Gage. Although viewing himself as a liberal and reasonable man who had originally liked Americans and was ended up married to one, Gage had come to hate the Bostonians among whomever else he found himself with during his role as military commander. The action of the book was presented in fifteen chapters (as well as an introduction, aftermath, and epilogue) with the famous alarm itself as midpoint. Paul Revere’s Ride did a great job sketching itself in every detail to explain both Gages, and Revere’s journeys.
Howard goes on to share that the story needs to be told from the standpoint of people from the war that’s not told in schoolbooks, “But to tell the story of the American Revolution, not from the standpoint of the schoolbooks, but from the standpoint of war as a complex
“He was the greatest diplomat America has ever had”(198), Wood bluntly wrote when describing Franklin’s achievements in France. Another theme in the text is Franklin changing his mind on things that he once felt very strongly about. Before the American revolution, Franklin was a hardcore loyalist. He praised the English Crown and thought that the King could do no wrong. When he was given the opportunity to become a lobbyist for Pennsylvania, Franklin replied that he was “too old to think of changing countries.” However, after being snubbed by various English officials, Franklin returned to America and became one of the strongest supporters of American independence. Gordon Wood has written countless novels about the American revolution. In 1993, he won the Pulitzer prize for his book The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Wood’s purpose for writing this biography of Franklin was to inform the reader about Franklin’s life and role in the American
As a result of Cry Liberty and the daring rebellion from so many brave slaves this book paints a visual art in the minds of those who pick this book up. Not only does Hoffer bring us back to the year 1739, he brought me back in time and I felt as if I was one of the slaves marching down Pon Pon street in hopes to make it to Spanish Florida to be set free. I enjoyed the historical adventure and the significant events that lead to what we know now as The Great Stono River Slave Rebellion.
As he immerses his audience into combat with the soldiers, Shaara demonstrates the more emotional aspects of war by highlighting the personal lives of the men fighting. For example, when Shaara reveals the pasts of James Longstreet and Lewis Armistead’s, I started to picture them as the men that they were and not as soldiers out for blood. After suffering a devastating loss of three of his children to fever, Longstreet is tossed into battle. In Armistead’s case, he not only suffered the loss of his wife, but also of a friend fighting on the Union side, General Winfield Scott Hancock. Shaara saves his readers a front row seat to the inner turmoil of General Chamberlain regarding his hindering duty as a soldier clashes with his duty to family as he strived to serve the Union as well as protec...
...e gun, it seemed, the greater the owner‘s pride in it.” (McCullough 33) The Continental army certainly did not look like an army yet these people were brought together in this fight for freedom and prevailed even winning the support of Americans who had no hope the British would be defeated.” Merchant Erving had sided with the Loyalists primarily because he thought the rebellion would fail. But the success of Washington‘s army at Boston had changed his mind as it had for many” (McCullough 108). The reader must comprehend the power of this accomplishment for the rag-tag army. “Especially for those who had been with Washington and who knew what a close call it was at the beginning-how often circumstance, storms, contrary winds, the oddities or strengths of individual character had made the difference- the outcome seemed little short of a miracle.” (McCullough 294).
When one explains his or her ingenious yet, enterprising interpretation, one views the nature of history from a single standpoint: motivation. In The American Revolution: A History, Gordon Wood, the author, explains the complexities and motivations of the people who partook in the American Revolution, and he shows the significance of numerous themes, that emerge during the American Revolution, such as democracy, discontent, tyranny, and independence. Wood’s interpretation, throughout his literary work, shows that the true nature of the American Revolution leads to the development of United State’s current government: a federal republic. Wood, the author, views the treatment of the American Revolution in the early twentieth century as scholastic yet, innovative and views the American Revolution’s true nature as
The Revolutionary war, sparked by the colonist’s anger towards taxation without representation, was a conflict between the United States and its mother country Great Britain. This event had been considered the most significant event in the American history. It separated the thirteen colonies from the tyrannical ruling of King George. The revolutionary war was not a big war, “The military conflict was, by the standards of later wars, a relatively modest one. Battle deaths on the American side totaled fewer than 5,000”1. However, the war proved that the thirteen colonies were capable of defeating the powerful Great Britain. Over the years there were many Hollywood films made based on the revolutionary war, 1776, Revolution, Johnny Tremain, and The Patriot. But, no movie has stirred up as much controversy as the Mel Gibbson movie The Patriot. The patriot is very entertaining but it is historically inaccurate. Too much Hollywood “spices” was added to the movie for viewing pleasures.
...ct most of his military blunders came in the year 1776. But he always learned from his mistakes. McCullough also examines the mistakes the British made, that may have cost them the victory in the war. 1776 is truly eye opening. It takes a more human look at men like Washington and his generals, and is full of letters and stories written by actual soldiers from both the British and American armies. One of the things that I enjoyed about this book was the way McCullough manages to also show the way the British felt towards the Americans and their opinions and thoughts about the rebels. The book ended on a high note, with Washington's historic crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night. It was the turning point of the war for the future president and his army, and it provided the first great victory for the young American county. The rest, as they say, is history.
...in which all of the tales and happenings are true. Having visited Mount Vernon for instance, Borneman’s portrayal and detailed information about George Washington brings so much more to the man and the character. Walter Borneman consistently connected the dots in describing what individuals did and what important things they had yet to do. With no real complaints and only a thirst for more, the author has scored big with this book and exampled narrative history at its finest! In the end, what is most important is the knowledge one can gain from such a vivid and living portrayal of the Seven Years War.
Throughout the book, Gary B. Nash narrates the war in chronological order to recount the war as it happened and emphasize the events that allowed for people of different class, gender, and/or race to stand up and call for American Independence or to turn on their country and join the British forces. In short, Nash emphasizes that the revolution was a “people’s revolution” [Page XV] and as such divided each chapter with
John Keegan, the author of “The Face of Battle” is allowing the reader to view different perspective of history, from the eyes of the soldier. Although by his own account, Keegan acknowledges, “I have never been in a battle. And I grow increasingly convinced that I have very little idea of what a battle can be like.” Keegan scorns historians for pointing the finger of failure after an evolution occurs and not examining the soldier’s point of view while the battle is transpiring.
... Bobrick, Benson. Fight for Freedom: The American Revolutionary War. New York: Atheneum, 2004. Print.
Most people think of war as something great which brings freedom, but most people haven’t actually experienced war. They have not seen the brutal killings. They have not seen the destruction and killings of lives and families. In My Brother Sam is Dead, by brothers Collier and Collier, these horrors are clearly shown throughout the story. It tells the other side of the Revolutionary War that is not usually told. The novel teaches how war causes conflicts and division of families, the unnecessary brutal killings, and questions principles versus the reality of war. In My Brother Sam is Dead, although both sides of the war are shown, Collier and Collier ultimately argue that war is futile.
The 1960’s was a time of war and fear for the United States and many people were turning their accusations towards the government. “Masters of War” was written by Bob Dylan in late 1962 and early 1963. The focus of this song is a protest against the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis that was happening during the early 1960’s. The song is protesting on the American government having its citizens live in fear of a constant attack and hiding behind their shroud, unaffected by anything that would happen to the people. It shook the nation with its fierce and angry tone against the “military industrial complex.” Dylan’s lyrics stated that it was not contained by declaring a pointless war and not taking responsibility for the problems it was causing. “Masters of War” is a powerful song against the government and the military. The protest song “Masters of War” by Bob Dylan highlights how the looming aspect of the Cold War affected the people of the United States and demonstrates Dylan’s view on the governments involved.