Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew Up… in Virginia, a state for which he developed more loyalty than any other political affiliation. His formative youth in Virginia is the basis of his personality and character – a fact he is not about to forget any time soon.
Living… through the American Civil War, eventually becoming the commander of the entire Confederate Army. With the lives of tens of thousands of Americans under his care and strategy, Lee does not take his position lightly and devotes all of himself to the war at hand. As he says, “It’s well that war is so terrible… or we should grow too fond of it.” While Lee understands that war is hell, he’s a professional soldier who feels he must answer his duty.
Profession… commander, Army of Northern Virginia. Thought by some to be a timid general, he proves his merits through his intricate understanding of warfare and leadership. Lee essentially believes that “we must show the enemy that they cannot win.” There is no one else who can lead the Confederate Army with his depth of strategy and vision.
Interests… he takes particular interest in his close friend Stonewall Jackson, a fellow general whose knack for strategy almost competes with Lee’s. Fondly, he calls Jackson his “right arm.”
Relationship Status… married. For Lee, part of the pain of war includes leaving his wife at home; being separated from his family leaves a large mark on his soul. Lee, however, knows that he must soldier on, and can only hope to be reunited with his family once the war ends.
Challenge… defeating the North. Initially Lee was uncertain about joining the Confederacy, but made his decision once his beloved Virginia seceded. Once committed, he quickly became a devoted commander, who would die before giving up the fight.
Personality… quiet and contemplative. Lee spends most of his time strategizing, imagining the war on a large-scale map in his head – that is how he is able to command such a huge army of troops. As an older general, he is able to intricately understand the unique challenges of the young men who are fighting and dying for their ideology. He is essentially in a position of wisdom, and benefits from years of military cunning.
Get to Know him in...
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The film centers mostly around the personal and professional life of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, a brilliant if eccentric Confederate general, from the outbreak of the American Civil War until its halfway point when Jackson is killed accidentally by his own soldiers in May 1863 during his greatest victory.
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Bring back the pleasure of reading, read Jeff Shaara in Large Print.
All Random House Large Print Editions are published in a 16-point typeface.
The story of Gods and Generals begins with Michael Shaara, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic The Killer Angels. A native of New Jersey, Michael Shaara grew to be an adventurous young man: over the years, he found work as a sailor, a paratrooper, a policeman, and an English professor at Florida State University. In 1952, his son Jeff was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Michael's interest in Gettysburg was prompted by some letters written by his great-grandfather, who had been wounded at the great battle while serving with the 4th Georgia Infantry. In 1966, he took his family on a vacation to the battlefield and found himself moved.
In 1970, Michael Shaara returned to Gettysburg with his son Jeff. The pair crisscrossed the historic site, gathering detailed information for the father's novel-in-progress. In 1974, the novel was published with the title The Killer Angels. This gripping fictional account of the three bloody days at Gettysburg won Michael Shaara a Pulitzer Prize and a vast, appreciative audience. To date it has sold two million copies.
When Michael Shaara died in 1988, his son Jeff began to manage his literary estate. It was a legacy he knew well, having helped his father create it. When director Ron Maxwell filmed the movie Gettysburg, based on The Killer Angels, he asked Jeff to serve as a consultant. Maxwell encouraged Shaara to continue the story his father began; inspired, Jeff planned an ambitious trilogy, with The Killer Angels as the centerpiece, following the war from its origins to its end.
With Gods and Generals, Jeff Shaara gives fans of The Killer Angels everything they could have asked--an epic, brilliantly written saga that brings the nation's greatest conflict to life.
