The book the killer angels - Essay Example

The story is characterized in a way that it is told from the perspectives of various protagonists. Thus, this battle, fought for both freedom as well as the way of life, proved to be a very tough one as is shown by history. Michael Shaara (1928-88) was an eminent American author, was known for his fiction works based on the fields of science, sports fiction as well as history. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, to an Italian family who had immigrated to America. He completed his graduation in the year 1915 from the Rutgers University.

An important part of his life was his rendering of service to the 82nd Airborne division as a very determined and courageous sergeant. Shaara always harboured the desire to transform his feelings and emotions into words, and this influenced him to author a story of historical significance, which portrayed exactly what the people felt about the war. Therefore, the story is an insight into what the emotions and feelings people had under the situation of war and also what was the cause for the war.

Summary: ‘The Killer Angels’ is an apt example of how language and writing can change the perspectives of people regarding a particular thing. This fictional story about the Civil War and especially the Gettysburg battle of 1863, brings to fore the perceptions of active members in the war, such as the generals and union generals namely: James Longstreet and Robert E. Lee as well as John Buford and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. The story Shaara tells seems to be more informative about the Gettysburg battle than any other non-fiction work on the same. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, one of the characters in the story, is seen to be a very highly inspiring figure, with “his Twentieth Maine Infantry Regiment” kept the left flank of the union safe and secure during the second day of the battle (Latham II).

It is only with the help of this unit that the people were able to get an upper hand against the rebels at Little Round Top. This novel finds place in the hearts of civil war readers under the category of non-fictional works. This is so due to the fact that the way Shaara has portrayed the characters, there exists a high level of accuracy behind it as compared to the real events. Another reason is that the author has successfully made an account of important turning points that changed the fate of the Battle of Gettysburg.

It comes as no surprise that a curious reader will definitely be left with the desire to know more about the battles as well as Civil War described in the novel. There are a lot of people who think that reading history is a process that involves nothing but getting bored, this book is more than enough to prove those notions wrong. The book also opposes another belief that historical writing holds, which is that readers interested in war novels are more inclined to know things from the perspective of the common soldier and not the generals, who are blessed to stay in the dignified atmosphere of rear headquarters, moving armies around like chess pieces.

For anyone who thinks the fighting at Gettysburg was simply a large battle in a big field, Shaara has painted a moving picture of the three-day battle that reveals not only the elaborateness of the Civil War, but the personal lives and thoughts of the men who fought in it. By taking first-hand accounts written in journals and letters, Shaara has intertwined a piece of historical fiction. The