Major THEME

FremantleÂ’s Theory

Fremantle theorizes that the South is Europe transplanted and thatÂ’s what caused the war.

"the great experiment. In democracy. The equality of rabble. In not much more than a generation they have come back to class. As the French have done. What a tragic thing, that Revolution. Bloody George was a bloody fool. But no matter. The experiment doesnÂ’t work. Give them fifty years, and all that equality rot is gone. Here they have the same love of the land and of tradition, of the right form, of breeding, in their horses, their women." (p.165)

"Southerners! They were Englishmen, by George." (p.157)

"Perhaps they [the Southerners] will rejoin the Queen and it will be as it was, as it always should have been." (p.159)

Fremantle knew with the certainty of youth and faith that he [Longstreet] could not possibly lose this day, not with these troops, not with Englishmen", the gentlemen against the rabble."

"Major Longstreet is an English name, I should imagine."

"No...Dutch I think."

FremantleÂ’s theory [that the South is merely England transplanted] had taken a jolt. Well. But Longstreet was an exception. He was not a Virginian.

Minor Themes

War Truths (War is exciting):

"There was an air of regret at the table...The war would soon be over, and...we would all go back to the duller pursuits of peace." (p.156)

Intuition:

"He [Fremantle] had never had a premonition, but he had heard of them happening, particularly on the battlefield. Men often knew when their time had come." (p.160)

Europe:

"This land was huge, England had a sense of compactness, like a garden, a lovely garden, but this country was without borders. There was this refreshing sense of space..." (p.164)

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