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Theme Analysis (Essay)

            Inman began his quest with the intentions of finding Ada and marrying her. Throughout his long journey, he stayed devoted and loyal, risked people’s lives, and even cheated death multiple times.

            First of all, since the very beginning, Inman stayed devoted and loyal to Ada even though he had multiple opportunities to cheat on her and be unfaithful. For example, in chapter 5, Exile and Brute Wandering, when Inman and Veasey spent the night over the prostitute’s Inn, Inman could’ve had the opportunity to sleep with one of the “whores”, but instead he decided to spend the night in a room with a roommate, Odell. Another example that demonstrates Inman’s loyalty and devotion towards Ada is revealed in chapter 13, Bride Bed Full of Blood. In that chapter, when Inman is offered to stay over Sara’s house and spend the night in her bed sleeping with her, Inman felt pity towards her, and seeing in the depressing situation she was, he agreed, in order to please her and make her feel for one last time the comfort and happiness of a happy couple, he laid beside her, but absolutely nothing happened between the both of them. Even though Inman was tempted several times, he disregarded and avoided all the opportunities and chances because no one could completely fill Inman’s heart but Ada.

            Secondly, throughout his journey back to Cold Mountain, Inman risked Sara’s life when he stayed over her house. When the home guards passed by Sara’s house, and Inman had to hide from them in order not to get caught, he risked her life and her baby’s, because the guards could have suspected that Inman was around there, and with the purpose of obtaining information from him (Inman), the home guards could have threatened, tortured, or even killed Sara and/or her baby. The fact that he, unintentionally risked these people’s life, reveals one of the many things Inman was willing to do in order to stay alive and be able to reunite with his beloved Ada once again.

            Lastly, Inman cheated death multiple times while he was traveling back to Cold Mountain. For instance, in chapter 9, To Live Like a Gamecock, when the guards captured Inman and Veasey, and then aligned all the men, along with them, in order to shoot them, Inman managed to escape even though he got a superficial wound in his head due to the gunshot. Another example of how Inman cheated death is revealed in chapter 15, A Vow To Bear, when Inman had to confront the bear and her cub. Inman was able to make it out alive without even having to kill the bear. The only thing that kept Inman with that zest for life was Ada, and the fact that he wanted to see her again.

            To sum it up, throughout Inman’s quest, he not only cheated death, risked Sara and her baby’s life, but he also stayed faithful to Ada all the time. Even though he was killed at the very end, probably in the most pathetic, ironic and ignorant way, Inman’s purpose and goal was attained, he even left Ada a part of him, their daughter. 

Map Of Inman's Journey

For more information and details of the map go to the following link: http://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/cold_mountain_/sWnPNrUR3r

Chapter 20: Spirits Of Crows, Dancing

1a. The tittle of the chapter, Spirits of crows, dancing, refers to what Inman saw in his last minutes alive. The spirits of crows dancing foreshadow Inman’s death.
     The next morning they wake up. They start talking about the war and Inman tells her he doesn’t want to go back. Ada tells him that she doesn’t want him to hide because it’s dangerous. They finally reach an agreement and decide that he should walk north and surrender to the federal army. They both promise to each other to stay faithful to the future. Stobrod is fine and healed. Ada and Ruby leave for Black Cove. Inman and Stobrod follow them later. When they pass Pangle’s grave, Stobrod remembers his friend and gets sad. As they continue their journey they hear noises behind them. It’s Teague, a boy, and some other men. Inman hits Ada’s horse with Stobrod on top to get him out of danger. Inman shoots two of the men, and the boy escapes into the woods. Teague then threatens Inman with a knife then Inman shoots him. Inman then find the boy behind a tree. The boy, named Birch ,tells Inman that if they both live he will come for him. Birch falls on the ground and Inman tells him to put his gun down, but Birch shoots Inman. Ada hears the gunshots and rushes back to Inman. She finds him on the ground and holds him in her lap, as he dies, Inman has visions of crows and all the seasons blended together.

1b. Author's Style: In this chapter, the author uses simile, and imagery.
      Simile: "When Ada disappeared into the trees, it was like a part of the richness of the world had gone with her." The author uses this simile to show the reader how much Ada meant to Iinman. Frazier compares Ada's with part of the richness of the world.
      Simile: "The boy looked at him and his blue eyes were empty as a round of ice frozen on a bucket top" The author uses this simile to show how cold the boy's stare was by comparing it to ice frozen on a bucket top.

      Imagery: "They passed by Pangle's grave, and it lay in the shade on the north slope, and the snow still covered it almost up to the lashed joint of Ada's locust cross. " This imagery enables the reader to visualize Pangle's grave.

1c. Historical Context: “Short-handed as they were, he would be received with open arms and then immediately be put back in the muddy trenches of Petersburg, where he would try to keep his head down and hope for an early end.” This statement matches the time period of the book, 1864, because during this time the siege of Petersburg was still taking place in Virginia. According to my source The Siege of Petersburg was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War.

2a. Inman in this chapter feels liberated from his past as he starts thinking about a future with Ada. The crows he sees at the very end seem to represent Inmans sadness and independence of his soul.

2b. Birch seems to be numbed by all the violence he has seen throughout his life. It is ironic and pathetic that even though Inman is a strong man, who has defeated more than one federal, is killed in the hands of a traumatized boy such as Birch.

3b.

Chapter 19: The Far Side Of The Trouble

1a. The tittle of the chapter, The far side of trouble, refers to how Inman felt when he finally reached Ada; he had at last came out on the far side of trouble, and had no wish to revisit it.
      They all sit together in a cabin. The men go to sleep and the women stay up cleaning. They cook the turkey and Ruby tells Ada she doesn’t need Inman, and Ada tells Ruby she doesn’t want to become an old bitter woman. Inman wakes up and gives Stobrod some water from the stream. He then eats some turkey as Ruby leaves. Inman and Ada are alone, and in order to break the silence Inman reads Ada a story from his book which is about sex. Inman the leaves to wash the dishes, but he then starts thinking about her and goes back to the house. Ada tells Inman about the letter she wrote to him. They then start talking about their future. Ruby comes back and Inman leaves. Ada then tells Ruby that her father can recover at Black Cove farm. The following day, Inman and Ada go hunting for fun, but they don’t catch anything. Ada then tells Inman she wants to keep Ruby near her. Then they return to the camp and the men go to bed. That night Ruby stays besides Stobrod , and Ada and Inman sleep together. During the night they talk about the past. Inman doesn’t talk about the war, but he tells her about his journey back home. They then talk about their marriage plans and how happy they will live together.

1b. Author's Style: In this chapter the author includes similes and imagery
      Simile: "The snow no longer spilled hard out of the sky in fat flakes; it came down soft and fine like ground cornmeal falling from between millstones." the author compares the snow to cornmeal falling between millstones using the word like.

      Imagery: "Ruby took up a stick and drew out a map in the dirt, Black Cove. She put in the road and the house and the barn, scratched up areas to show current fields, woodlots, the orchard." This imagery enables the reader to visualize how Ruby drew the map and everything she included in it.

1c. Historical Context: “—Did you write me letters while I was in the hospital? He said.

     —Several, she said. Two during the summer and a brief note in the fall. But I did not know you were there until you were gone. So the first two letters went to Virginia

                      —They didn't find me there, he said. Tell me what they were about.

       Ada gave summaries, though not precisely of the letters as they had been.”

The fact that she mailed letter to Virginia could be considered a historical context because during the time that she sent Inman the letter, the setting, or place where Inman was, was at the battle of Fredericksburg during the year 1862 in Virginia.

2a. Inman feels full of life and is excited about all the plans him and Ada have together. Though he recognizes he has changed he is still happy because he is next to her.

2b. Ada is a person that doesnt let other's opinions influence her decisions. She also recognizes she has changed but as long as shes next to Inman she will be fine. She is the kind of person that llikes to make plans.

3b.

Chapter 18: Footsteps In The Snow

1a. The title of the chapter, Footsteps in the snow, refers to the foot prints the woman that killed Pangle left behind. I think this tittle means those footsteps will lead Inman to something else.
      Inman finds the camp where Pangle was killed. He sees the woman’s footprints but decides not to follow them because it’s getting dark. Inman is hungry but promises not to eat anything until he meets Ada. In front of the fire he rests, and hopes that Ada will take him back when they meet again. The next day, at dawn, Inman goes out to follow the footsteps, but realizes they have faded away with the snow. He then shelters himself in a grove feeling sad.  Ruby awakens and realizes her father has fever, so she makes him a poultice. Ada goes out to hunt turkeys and kills two with a shot. As soon as Inman hears the gunshots, he leaves the grove. He then sees Ada and approaches her but Ada doesn’t recognize him until the moment he speaks. They both then return to camp as Ada picks up the turkeys from the floor. Ada then starts talking about anything that goes through her head.

1b. Author's Style: In this chapter the author uses simile and imagery.
      Simile: "No matter how fast he ran, the footprints disappeared before him until they were faint, like scars from old wounds" This simile enables the reader visualize how tthe footsteps were disappearing. The author compares them with scars from old wounds to facilitate the reader's visualization.

       Imagery: "He had a line of fresh blood running from his mouth corner to his collar" This imagery is used by Frazier so the reader could see the really bad state in which Ruby's father was.
      Simile: "This time it was real snow in flakes like thistledown, falling slantwise so thick it made Inman dizzy with its movement" This simile enables the reader to visualize the way snow was falling, and he did this by comparing it to the flower thistle, and the thistledown.

1c. Historical Context: “Speculate in the most common way on the weather or recite lines from The Ancient Mariner, it was all the same.” This poem, and its message matches what Inman had gone through. According to my source The Rime of the Ancient Mariner relates the experiences of a sailor who has returned from a long sea voyage. The mariner's tale begins with his ship departing on its journey. Despite initial good fortune, the ship is driven south by a storm and eventually reacher Antarctic Waters.

2a. The changes in Inman's physical appearance reflects his internal change. Inman is so in love with Ada that he says a life with her is his true destination, not even whith his familly. This shows that Inman wouldeven be willing to give his life for her.

2b. The fact that Ada didnt recognize Inman at the beginning made him seem like everything was lost for him. Inman felt devastated so he just turns to leave and try to survive somewhere else without her. When she recognized him he felt so much happiness, but the fact that he didnt see her dressed as he expected to and awkwardness of the greeting made everything uncomfortable.

3b.

Chapter 15: A Vow To Bear

1a. The tittle of title of this chapter, A vow to bear, actually refers to a promise Inman made of not killing another bear ever in his life even though he had already eaten many in his youth and enjoyed the flavour of the meat. I believe this title means that he has to breeak the vow, and the bear the feeling of guilt for breaking his promise.
      Inman meets a woman and learns her daughter had recently passed away. He helps the woman burry her daughter and then as a way of thanking him the woman cooks him a meal. He looks at a picture the woman has. The picture is composed by a huge family, and then Inman learns the woman is the only survivor. Inman continues his journey and spends the night at an abandoned chicken house. When he wakes up he reads his book and the continues his journey. He then find three skeletons hanging from the branch of a tree. Imnan walks along a ridge of a mountain. He set up a camp to spend the night, but he is awakened by a bear and her cub. He doesnt want to shoot the bear so he puts the gun aside and tries to calm the mother. But its in vain soInman hides, then the bear jumps below on some rocks. Inman seems obligated to shoot the cub and eat it because he is hungry. He regrets killing the bear because he made a promise of never killing bears. As a result Inman creates an eighth sin, "Regret".

1b. Author's Style: In this chapter the author uses symbolism, imagery, and metaphor.
      Symbolism: "The sun was not up good yet and she was about to have to bury her child wound up in an old quilt, for she had no idea of how to make a box. Inman found himself viewing a trio of hanging skeletons swaying in the breeze and tapping into each other.  He picked up the LeMat's and shot the cub in the head and watched it pause as its grip on the tree failed and it fell to ground." These three statements from the reading symbolize that death spreads through Inman's world.

      Metaphor: "A single cub not much bigger than a man's head climbed a little way up the trunk of a young Fraser fir behind her." In this metaphor the author compares the little bear to a man's head, so the reader would have an idea of how big the cub was.

      Imagery: "The wind sweeping up the mountain carried away the smell of the bear boiling and left only the odor of wet stone" This imagery enables the reader to visualize how the smell of the boiled meat of the bear was being draged away by the wind and left a scent of humid rock.

1c. Historical Context: “A picture of the land Bartram detailed leapt dimensional into Inman's mind.” This statement matches the drawings and description Bartram used to make of his landscapes, it also matches the reason why he was well known. According to my source from his mid-teens, Bartram was noted for the quality of his botanic and ornithological drawings.

2a. Inman experiences a difficult but moral situation when he murders the baby bear. Something inside of him dies when the bear dies. This shows that even though he is about to reach what he has longed for four years, he will never be able to forget what he has done.

2b. The woman's whose daughter passed away has an impact on Inman. She pretty much leaves on Inman that same feeling Sara left. A feeling of pity, depression, and tragedy. The fact that out of her entire family, the woman is the only survivor, makes Inman feel identified, because out of all his friend from war, he was the only one left alive.

3b.