Cold Mountain Essay Example

framework of the war, although it serves as a mere backdrop for major occurrences. While the characters come from various racial backgrounds, the book predominantly highlights white society. Frazier includes the harsh treatment endured by slaves under Southern plantation owners within broader topics such as human suffering and optimism for a brighter tomorrow.

Although Frazier may not delve deeply into the politics of the era, his focus on Inman and Ada’s relationship and their connection to the landscape forces readers to contemplate if historical events are being neglected. The novel excels in capturing the essence of two individuals on a quest for self-discovery and romantic contentment. It also effectively illustrates the way nineteenth-century Americans related to their surroundings. Inman’s unwavering determination to head west is a manifestation of his liberated spirit, and when he is compelled by the military to retrace his path eastward, he experiences a sense of losing grip on life.

Henry David Thoreau, in his 1862 essay "Walking," expressed the idea that the future lies in the west, stating, "Eastward I go by force; but westward I go free." Frazier's novel takes place during this transitional period, and Inman appears to embody the free-spiritedness and strong determination of those who will eventually settle the West.

In Frazier's novel Cold Mountain, the exploration of themes such as migration westward and the trauma caused by Civil War experiences is evident. However, the novel deliberately avoids making any definitive political statements. Instead, it centers on portraying the evolution of human relationships in connection with the changing seasons and the natural world. Despite being set during the Civil War, Frazier primarily focuses on capturing the universal quest for

self-realization. The story begins with Inman, the protagonist, recuperating from war injuries in a hospital in Virginia.

After witnessing violence during his time in the Confederate army, Inman is deeply affected and yearns to be reunited with Ada, the woman he loves. While talking with a blind man, Inman realizes that the anguish of losing something you already possess is much worse than not achieving what you desire. On a specific day in town, Inman seizes the chance to send a letter informing Ada of his choice to return home. Under the cloak of darkness, he escapes from the hospital through a window and begins his journey back to North Carolina. As the story progresses, Inman's experiences become intertwined with Ada's tale. Following her father's death, Ada finds herself alone in managing Black Cove Farm.

Feeling lost and unsure about her place in the world and what to do for a living, she seeks solace at her neighbors' house, the Swangers. Ada discovers a well and when she looks inside it, Ada witnesses a man walking in the woods, embarking on a journey. However, she is unable to decipher the meaning of this vision. The following day, Sally Swanger arranges for a local girl named Ruby to assist them on their farm. Ruby and Ada quickly become friends and establish a pleasant and familiar domestic routine.

Meanwhile, Inman’s journey towards the west is filled with peril and brutality. He is chased across the Cape Fear River, narrowly escaping with his life thanks to a skilled young girl who paddles a dugout canoe. Inman intervenes when he discovers a morally corrupt preacher named Solomon Veasey trying to kill his

pregnant lover. As a result, the preacher is banished from his community, and Inman is compelled to continue part of his journey alongside Veasey. Inman must intervene once more when Veasey causes trouble at a store and an inn. While Veasey spends the night with a prostitute named Big Tildy, a peddler named Odell shares a sorrowful tale about the cruelty of landowners towards slaves.

The following day, Inman and Veasey assist a man in removing a deceased bull from a nearby stream. This man, identified as Junior, extends an invitation to them to spend the night at his residence. During their stay, peculiar events unfold. Inman is unknowingly drugged and coerced into marrying Junior's wife, who is hinted by the author to have cannibalistic tendencies. Subsequently, Junior surrenders Inman and Veasey to the Home Guard, the military unit dedicated to apprehending Inman. Inman is compelled to retrace his earlier path and walk towards the east as instructed by the guards. Ultimately, these guards make the decision to shoot both men and inter them in a shallow grave.

Inman manages to escape with only a minor injury to his head, while Veasey unfortunately loses his life. The narrative shifts back to Ada and her experiences. The book chronicles her process of adapting to a life of physical work that aligns with the natural world. Ada's relationship with Ruby flourishes as she starts relating more to the environment around her. The main female character becomes deeply connected to the farm and reminisces about Inman and her father. At times, she finds herself emotionally affected by the events occurring during the war.

The text describes how a group of

pilgrims who were forced to leave their homes find refuge on a farm. Among them, Ada remembers a soldier named Blount whom she had met at a party in Charleston and who later died in battle. Eventually, Ada and Ruby go to Cold Mountain and there they hear a tale recounted by a prisoner imprisoned for desertion. The captive tells of the abusive Teague and his Home Guard group. While walking back home, Ada and Ruby spot some herons, and Ruby reveals that she believes she was fathered by a heron. Ada then proceeds to share the complex story of her parents' relationship and the tragic demise of her mother during childbirth.

Ruby’s father, Stobrod, arrives later after being caught in a trap set by the women to catch a corn thief. He reveals that he is now living in a mountain cave with a group of outcasts who are against the war. Stobrod demonstrates his transformation by playing his fiddle, though Ruby remains doubtful. Meanwhile, Inman's journey continues. After being rescued from a shallow grave by wild hogs, he encounters a benevolent slave who provides him with food and clothing and sketches a map of what lies ahead.

He goes back to Junior's house and murders him, after which Inman carries on with his journey, consumed by hopelessness as he becomes a "traveling shade." Along his way, Inman encounters an elderly woman who extends him refuge at her camp in the mountains. While staying there, he recuperates and gains strength as the woman tends to his injuries and shares stories from her own life.

Inman discovers that the woman fled from a joyless union and cares

for goats to have both companionship and sustenance. Inman sympathizes with the woman, but determines that he could not endure such a solitary existence. Inman persists in his travels and encounters an individual named "Potts," who steers him to a cabin owned by Sara, a compassionate young lady whose spouse perished in combat. Sara provides nourishment for Inman, repairs his garments, and shares her tale with him.

Despite her bravery, the protagonist is on the brink of despair. The next day, Inman, the main character, kills three Federal soldiers, also known as "Federals" in the book. These men had threatened Sara and her baby and had stolen the family's only source of food - a hog. Meanwhile, Ada and Ruby start collecting apples as autumn approaches. Stobrod comes back with Pangle, a banjo player who is not very intelligent. Ruby's father seeks refuge and supplies at the farm, explaining that they plan to leave their hiding place because it has become too dangerous. Although it annoys Ruby, Ada agrees to help Stobrod.

The men, accompanied by a boy from Georgia, venture into the mountains to locate a suitable campsite. Suddenly, Teague's Home Guard arrives in search of the mountain cave and fires shots at Stobrod and Pangle. While Stobrod and Pangle are hit, the Georgia boy manages to escape unharmed by concealing himself in a dense thicket. He rushes back to the farm and informs the women about the tragic events. Disturbed by the news, Ada and Ruby set off to bury the deceased and spend the night in the mountains. The following day, they lay Pangle to rest but unexpectedly discover that Stobrod is still breathing.

With great determination, Ruby extracts the bullet from her father's body and transports him to an abandoned Cherokee village for aid.

Meanwhile, Inman arrives at Black Cove Farm and sees Cold Mountain in the distance. A Georgian boy informs him that the women have departed to bury Ruby’s father. Inman ascends the mountain and locates Pangle’s burial site, but loses track of Ada’s footprints in the snow. The following day, he hears a gunshot and discovers Ada hunting turkeys. The couple spends four days in the Cherokee village, conversing about their emotions, past occurrences, and future aspirations.

In agreement, it is decided that Inman will head north and surrender to the Federals, as the war is expected to end soon. After five days, Stobrod recovers enough to join them. Ada and Ruby depart for the farm first, with the men following later. However, during their return to Black Cove, Inman and Stobrod are unexpectedly ambushed by the Home Guard.

Inman eliminates all of the men, with the exception of Birch, who is Teague's second-in-command. Birch appears powerless and frightened, but he manages to shoot Inman before Inman can harm him. Ada hears the gunfire, discovers Stobrod, and hurries back to find Inman. As he takes his last breath, she cradles him in her lap. The story then fast-forwards ten years later for a brief epilogue, where Ada, her nine year-old daughter (presumably fathered by Inman), and Ruby's family come together in the evening.

Ruby and Reid, from Georgia, are now married and have three sons together. The family gathers around for a meal and once finished, Stobrod plays his fiddle while Ada reads to their children.