Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels

The Killer Angels

The Review

The Killer Angels is a historical fiction focusing on the conflict between the the Union and the Confederacy - specifically the battle of Gettysburg. The narrative that Michael Shaara weaves is one that attempts to tell the story of Gettysburg through the perspectives of the soldiers, generals, colonels, and lieutenants fighting in it. The story represents each side of the war fairly, and even goes into depth on why each side was fighting. Throughout the battle, the author writes from multiple different character’s perspectives. Shaara does not write any character as good or bad, only different in their beliefs. In fact, General Lee, the leader of the confederate army, was written to show how he was a wise and

well-respected figure. Shaara has obviously researched the war well; even the fictional part of the book serves to help explore the facts about the war. The themes of the book match up well with the material the class has discussed throughout the course, as it follows how the war was no longer about about keeping America united, but about enforcing the American ideals of freedom and liberty. There were also themes we did not touch on during class, such as the North’s desire to eliminate aristocracy in the South. Overall, the book is an opportune way to learn more about arguably America’s most defining war: The Civil War.
Through the memoirs of each of the characters, Shaara manages to paint a vivid picture of the role of slavery in the war. For example, he shows that while most of the Confederate officers believed they weren’t fighting specifically for slavery, they knew the war was certainly about it: “That was another thing he did not think about. Armistead said disgustedly, ‘They think we're fighting to keep the slaves. He says that's what most of Europe thinks the war is all about. Now, what we supposed to do about that?’ Longstreet said nothing. The war was about slavery, all right. That was not why Longstreet fought but that was what the war was about, and there was no point in talking about it, never had been” (Shaara 198). While talking with General Armistead, Longstreet, the second-in-command of the Confederate army, admits to himself that the war was never about state rights, but instead about the role African-Americans have in America, and whether or not they should be free. Shaara contrasts this with the Union officers thoughts on slavery’s role in the war: “Tom said, ‘When you ask them prisoners, they never talk about slavery. But, Lawrence, how do you explain that? What else is the war about?’ Chamberlain shook his head. ‘If it weren't for the slaves, there'd never have been no war, now would there?’ ‘No,’ Chamberlain said” (257). After the battle of Gettysburg had concluded, Colonel Chamberlain and his younger brother discussed where the Confederacy’s will to fight may have come from. After a few moments of consideration, Tom realizes what the real catalyst for the war was slavery; the Colonel confirms this. Tom finishes by stating that there was no other real reason for the war to have taken place, and that any other reason would simply be a political smokescreen.
Shaara also shows the importance of the difference between racism and slavery.

Many men were unknowingly racist at the time, but simply had either never realized it, or never come upon the opportunity to show it. Colonel Chamberlain believes himself to be a staunch abolitionist, but even he succumbs to a racist reaction when he stumbles upon an escaping slave: “The man was really very black. Chamberlain felt an oddness, a crawly hesitation, not wanting to touch him. He shook his head, amazed at himself. He saw: palm of the hand almost white; blood dries normally, skin seems dusty. But he could not tell whether it was truly dust or only a natural sheen of light on hair above black skin. But he felt it again: a flutter of unmistakable revulsion. Fat lips, brute jaw, red-veined eyeballs. Chamberlain stood up. He had not expected this feeling. He had not even known this feeling was there” (129). While he does recover from this moment of weakness, this interaction shows how deep rooted racism was in society in the mid 1800s. Shaara is trying to show the reader that while slavery could be abolished, racism would not be so easily removed, and that even the most well-meaning of men would have a hard time adjusting to free

African-Americans.
Finally, Shaara mentions the importance of aristocracy in the spread of the war.

One of the lesser-mentioned reasons for the war was the rampant aristocracy in the South. Many Northerners were uncomfortable with this, and wanted to prevent it from spreading to the north. In fact, early in the book, Colonel Chamberlain believed that this reason was even more important than slavery in starting the war: “The fact of slavery upon this incredibly beautiful new clean earth was appalling, but more even than that was the horror of old Europe, the curse of nobility, which the South was transplanting to new soil. They were forming a new aristocracy, a new breed of glittering men, and Chamberlain had come to crush it” (27). Colonel Chamberlain is saying that the aristocracy of Europe - which America was founded to escape from - has followed America, and taken the form of the South. Chamberlain believes that while slavery is a bad thing, he must prioritize his duty to prevent aristocracy it from taking root in their country. Many other Northerners fight for the prevention of aristocracy. For example, Private Kilrain, Colonel Chamberlain’s friend, states that he is not fight for equality, but rather for the right to prove himself:" ‘Equality? Christ in Heaven. What I'm fighting for is the right to prove I'm a better man than many. Where have you seen this divine spark in operation, Colonel? Where have you noted this magnificent equality? The Great White Joker in the Sky dooms us all to

stupidity or poverty from birth. No two things on earth are equal or have an equal chance, not a leaf nor a tree. There's many a man worse than me, and some better, but I don't think race or country matters a damn. What matters is justice. 'Tis why I'm here. I'll be treated as I deserve, not as my father deserved’ " (136). Kilrain being from Ireland himself, shows that many other immigrants might have had this point of view. That even though they were from a different country, they wished to prove themselves superior or equal to others. Even men from other countries point out aristocracies role in the war: “Of course slavery is a bit embarrassing, but that, of course, will go. But the point is they do it all exactly as we do in Europe. And the North does not. That's what the war is really about. The North has those huge bloody cities and a thousand religions, and the only aristocracy is the aristocracy of wealth. The Northerner doesn't give a damn for tradition, or breeding, or the Old Country. He hates the Old Country. Odd. You very rarely hear a Southerner refer to ‘the Old Country.; In that painted way a German does. Or an Italian. Well, of course, the South is the Old Country. They haven't left Europe. They've merely transplanted it. And that's what the war is about” (125). Feltman - as an Englishman - gives his unbiased opinion on what the war is about. He bl