Cold+Mountain+by+Charles+Frazier

Cold Mountain  //a novel by // Charles Frazier



 About the Author: Charles Frazier
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Charles Frazier was born in 1950 in Asheville, North Carolina, and spent his adolescence in the mountains. His first novel, __Cold Mountain __, earned the National Book Award in 1997. In 2006, Frazier wrote his second novel, __Thirteen Moons__. Frazier currently raises horses on a farm near Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife Catherine and daughter Annie. ||   Frazier’s Inspiration: The main character in Frazier’s __Cold Mountain__ is based in part on his great-great uncle, William P. Inman. Inman was born and raised in Haywood, North Carolina, which is also home to the actual Cold Mountain. He was a soldier in the Civil War for the Confederate Army, and served in the 25th North Carolina Infantry Regiment. On July 1, 1862 at the Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia, Inman was wounded. He deserted the army on September 5, 1862, but soon returned. Inman received a gunshot wound to the neck in Petersburg, Virginia at the Battle of Crater on August 21, 1864, and soon deserted once again. After deserting, Inman began his walk home back to the mountains of North Carolina.  Shortly before writing __Cold Mountain__, Frazier took a trip to the Smokey Mountains. He found the grave of two civilians killed in the last days of the Civil War by Federals. Continuing on his walk, Frazier also discovered the grave containing the remains of a fiddler and mentally retarded boy killed by Teague’s Confederate Home Guard. From these findings and the story of his great-great uncle, Frazier gained the inspiration for his novel. He believed these graves symbolized people caught in the crossfire of two incompatible economies. Frazier wanted to develop and write about the type of life involving a deep spirituality with the earth.

 Images of Cold Mountain, located in Haywood, North Carolina:  


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Plot Summary: The setting of __ Cold __ __ Mountain __ is during the Civil War. The novel opens with Inman, the protagonist, recovering in a hospital in Virginia from a gunshot wound to the neck. Inman has been physically and emotionally scarred from fighting in the Confederate Army. He decides to desert the army, and return to his home in the mountains of North Carolina and to the love of his life, Ada.

Ada Monroe is the sheltered daughter of the recently deceased Preacher Monroe. Ada is left alone on Black Cove Farm which is situated at the base of Cold Mountain, and has no idea how to manage the expansive property or how to make a living. Ada is on the verge of total collapse when her friend and neighbor Sally Swagner sends a local young woman, Ruby, to help Ada with the farm. Ruby is a strong-willed woman with the capacity to fend and make a living for herself. Ada and Ruby quickly develop a strong friendship. Ruby informs Ada of her tough upbringing under her father, Stobrod. Stobrod is an alcoholic who frequently left Ruby as a child in the wilderness to fend for her own survival.

Meanwhile, Inman continues on his walk home in danger. Along the way, Inman encounters several people, including a disgraced preacher named Veasey. Inman prevents Veasey from killing his (the preacher’s) pregnant lover. In their travels, Inman and Veasey come across a man named Junior and are invited to his home. Inman is drugged and forced to marry Junior’s wife, Lila. Junior hands over Inman and Veasey to the Home Guard, a troop of violent men on the search for deserters (specifically Inman) from the Confederate Army. Veasey is killed, and Inman narrowly escapes with bullet scrapes against the side of his head. Inman continues on his journey.

Stobrod appears at Black Cove after deserting the army himself, along with another runaway, a boy named Pangle. To Ruby’s dismay, Ada offers to help the pair. While traveling along Cold Mountain, Stobrod and Pangle are confronted by the Home Guard. Teague and his men shoot the two men, and another deserter who observes to scene runs to Black Cove to inform Ada and Ruby of what has happened. The women make the trek up the mountain, and find Pangle dead but Stobrod still grasping to life. Meanwhile, Inman arrives at Black Cove and after being informed of the women’s departure, follows their footsteps to reunite with his lover.

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #00b2ff; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Major Characters: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> **Inman** Inman is the protagonist in __Cold__ __Mountain__ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">. Throughout the story, Inman is conflicted between his morals and the atrocities of war. The fighting leaves him physically and emotionally scarred. At night, Inman is haunted by grotesque dreams of dead soldiers. The only hope that drives him to continue on is reuniting with Ada and spending the rest of his life with her. For Inman, Ada symbolizes the life that he wants: A life filled with peace and love. In addition to fighting physical battles, Inman struggles with moral battles as well. He must justify his violence and aggressiveness in order to survive. Inman has to believe in a better world, because his years of fighting and the journey home reveal to him the true good and evil in the world.

The following quote exemplifies Inman's inner struggle: "He though Ada might save him from his troubles and redeem him from the past four years and there would be time ahead for her to do it in...but to believe such an event might actually happen required deep faith in right order. How would you go about getting it when it was in such short supply? A dark voice came in Inman's mind and said no matter how much you might yearn for it and pray for it, you would never get it...There was fact in what the dark voice said. You could become so lost in bitterness and anger that you could not find your way back." pg. 397

Ada’s journey throughout __Cold Mountain__ lies within herself. She goes through a maturation that is necessary to her survival. Ada has been sheltered by her father her entire life and her place in high Charleston society only adds to her helplessness. Ada has previously rejected suitors and the idea of love. However, Ada eventually learns how to participate in manual labor and embrace herself within nature; she even trades a dress for a pair of trousers. Through her cooperation with the natural world, Ada finds security and peace with it.
 * Ada **

Through her tough upbringing in which she had to raise herself, Ruby develops into a strong-willed, independent, self-sufficient young woman. She interacts in a symbiotic relationship with nature. Ruby teaches Ada practicality, and in return learns how to express her emotions and pacify her resentment toward her father. Ruby transforms from a savior into a savior and friend
 * Ruby **

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #00b2ff; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Important Quotes: //"It might have been worse had I ever been given a glimpse of the world then lost it...It's having a thing and the loss I'm talking about."// pg. 9

This quote appears in the beginning of the novel while Inman is still recuperating in the Virginia hospital from his gunshot wound. Inman notices that every day a blind man walks his cart of boiled peanuts down the road and offers them to travelers. One day, Inman decides to speak with the blind man. The blind man’s statement concerning his disability relates to one of the themes of the novel. Inman and Ada declare their affection for one another only a few days before Inman leaves for the war. The couple plants their seed of love, but its blossoming is inhibited by Inman’s going away. Therefore, Inman has to fight and struggle by any means necessary in order to return to the love of his life. Meanwhile, Ada is adjusting to a life on her own and the blooming passion in her heart she has never felt before. The hope of another’s love is what fuels Inman and Ada’s fight for survival. If they had not met one another before leaving, death could have been a promising relief.

//“But what the wisdom of the ages says is that we do well not to grieve on and on. And those old ones knew a thing or two and had some truth to tell…for you can grieve your heart out and in the end you are still where you are. All your grief hasn’t changed a thing. What you have lost will not be returned to you…You’re left with only your scars to mark the void. All you can choose to do is go on or not. But if you go on, it’s knowing you carry your scars with you.”// Pg. 42

Inman is reflecting on the war’s profound influence on him. The war has changed and affected Inman in ways that he cannot describe. In a sense, he has lost his youth and the years of his life in which he becomes situated as a man. Inman realizes the time he has spent fighting could have been used in his courtship and hopeful marriage with Ada. However, Inman understands he must move on with his life. Although he hopes to start a new life with Ada, Inman will forever be reminded of the war, from his physical to emotional scars. <span style="display: block; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;">

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Georgia','serif';"> A Visual Representation:



<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #00b2ff; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> The image of a road not taken represents __Cold Mountain__. Throughout the novel, Inman faces internal conflicts. Inman is confronted by the possibility of following two distinct paths. He could have been forever plagued and altered by the murders he had to committ day by day. His very soul and morals could have been corrupted by the evils protruding into his life. However, Inman follows the path into sunlight and hope. He is encouraged by a future of peace and happiness with Ada. Inman chooses to stand by his morals and fight for a better life.

Musical Selections: <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif';"> Two specific songs performed in the film version of __Cold Mountain__ capture two of the prominent aspects of the novel and the emotions they encompass. The selection “Am I Born to Die?” concerns Inman’s fate and internal struggles. In addition, “You Will Be My Ain True Love” captures Ada and Inman’s enduring love. Both songs are performed using classical instruments that were used during the Civil War era and today: the fiddle and cello. The lyrics of these songs generate powerful emotions that are likely to bring tears to one’s eyes.

To lay this body down And must my trembling spirit fly Into a world unknown
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[|"Am I Born to Die?"] || <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[|"You Will Be My Ain True Love"] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">And am I born to die

A land of deepest shade Unpierced by human thought The dreary region's of the dead Where all things are forgot

Soon as Earth from I go What will become of me Eternal happiness or woe Must then by portion be || <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">You'll walk unscathed through musket fire No plowman's blade will cut thee down No cutler's horn will mark thy face and you will be my ain true love and you will be my ain true love

And as you walk through death's dark veil the cannon's thunder can't prevail And those who hunt thee down will fail and you will be my ain true love and you will be my ain true love

Asleep inside the cannon's mouth the captain cries "Here comes the rout" They'll seek to find me north & south I've gone to find my ain true love

The field is cut and bleeds to red the cannonballs fly round my head The infirmaryman may count me dead when I've gone to find my ain true love I've gone to find my ain true love... || <span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Georgia','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Georgia','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Georgia','serif';"> References: [] []