JOB #1 - LINE ILLUMINATOR
"Death is a dignitary who when he comes
announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by
those most familiar with him. In the code of military etiquette silence and
fixity are forms of deference" (chapter 1).
I
chose this passage because it seems like one of the more deep and mysterious
ideas from the book that is worth further investigation. Some of the vocabulary
was challenging for me in this quote, so I thought it would be beneficial to dissect
this excerpt to better understand the author’s intention of describing death in
this way.
In this passage, the author's tone changes from
the physical descriptions of the bridge scene to the psychological side of it
by discussing the topic of death. At this time in the book, soldiers and other powerful
military leaders are standing on the bridge with the man who will be hanged. This
quote is significant because the author compares death to a high-ranking person
(a dignitary) that is well respected. Death is something of which everyone
knows, and in this quote the author explains that in the military, “silence” and
willpower “are forms of” obedience.
I believe the author is trying to explain something
to the reader about death as it relates to the soldiers. They are so used to
death in their daily living that it is not something too astonishing to them. To
me, that is the significance of this passage. This is a complicated quote, so I
hope that I at least gave you all some useful information! Please comment and
help me on this if you can because I feel like I have only a piece of the puzzle
to answering this question thoroughly. There may be some other huge theme or
idea that I am missing here. I hope to hear from you all soon!
You're definitely on to something, Elsah! Since the story takes place with Union troops stationed in northern Alabama, the story is most likely set later in the war, and the Union troops are almost certainly part of one of Union General William Tecumseh Sherman's three armies-most likely from the 13,000-strong Army of the Ohio, commanded by General John Schofield. (They could also be from the 60,000-strong Army of the Cumberland, commanded by General George Thomas.)
ReplyDeleteWhat does all of this have to do with the story? Hang on, I'm getting there. General Sherman and his armies became famous for their March to the Sea, which desolated large swaths of Georgia and South Carolina. In response, the opposing Confederate General, John Bell Hood, moved his army through Northern Alabama towards the Union supply depot at Nashville. Prior to his eventual defeat at Nashville, he faced off with Union forces in the Battles of Athens (where the Union force was the 9th Illinois Infantry Regiment (Mounted)) and Decatur (both in Northern Alabama). (I said that the Army of the Ohio is more likely because the Union forces at the Battle of Decatur were from that army. (I am having trouble accounting for which Army the 9th Illinois was attached to.))
What's that? Why do I keep rambling on about these armies that may or may not be connected to the story? I was just getting to that part! During the March To The Sea, Sherman's forces absolutely DEVASTATED the Southern lands they marched across. Death was an everyday occurrence for them, even more so than in the rest of the Union Army. General Sherman himself said, "War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." The probable identification of army to which the Union forces in the area were attached, combined with that army's nonplussed attitude towards death, confirms what Elsah said above: "They are so used to death in their daily living that it is not something too astonishing to them."
Sorry if everyone's brains are bleeding right now. I know that's a lot to digest!
DeleteSherman also said, "Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster."
DeleteI agree the soldiers are not astonished. They were" spectators - a single company of infantry in line, at parade rest". They were not like Henry from the
DeleteRed Badge of Courage" who ran away from death (except Jim Conklin's death) .
Mercy - I love your comparison the a character in The Red Badge of Courage!
Deletelol my brain is definitely bleeding right now. But that is very interesting, Braden. I think it’s cool that you can try to trace these soldiers to a specific army and regiment in the real civil war even though this story was not said to be based on a real occurrence...Although I’m sure things like this happened all the time. And going back to what Elsah was saying, these soldiers/executioners were probably very used to putting people to death because that was their job. I don’t know if I could ever get used to killing people like that! What do you guys think? Maybe if it was your job to punish people/ kill them, you would just get used to it and it would become an everyday, normal occurrence. Do you think that maybe these men had long term mental damage from doing this?! Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteFrom these soldiers' perspective, the South, by rebelling against the Union, had asked for the destruction and death they were now receiving. Cruel, but it ended the war quickly. I'm not sure if these men had mental damage from this, because at some point, killing just became something that they did because it was their job.
DeleteYes, Braden, I'm afraid I have to agree with you that it successfully ended the war quickly, but I find General Sherman's philosophy eerily reminiscent of that quote from Joseph Stalin: "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs."
DeleteNice work, Elsah. The quote you chose is definitely important not only to this section but also the whole theme of the story. It is interesting that the soldiers went to the trouble of setting up the gallows to hang Farquhar when it would have been simpler to just shoot him on the spot, which seems, in a way, more humane. The I agree that the soldiers became so used to death in their lives that it was a "dignitary". The fact that it is referred to as such indicates that some soldiers might even view death as something that is desirable to them.
ReplyDeleteAs I said on your blog Joshua, the only reason that I can think of for the commander of the Union garrison to vow to punish any would-be saboteurs by the time-consuming process of hanging (rather than a quick execution by firing squad) would be because they intended to stay there for a while. However, since Sherman's armies were constantly on the move at this point in the war, why did these soldiers see fit to stay in one place for so long? Because the book says that they were gearing up for another offensive.
DeleteI see that it is strange that the soldiers would go through all the trouble to hang someone when shooting would be quicker/easier. Maybe hanging is a more horrifying punishment and I wonder if they used it as a warning to others. I certainly wouldn’t want to be hanged!
ReplyDeleteYeah Claire... Hanging someone seems like a lot of extra work to go through instead of a shot in the heart. I think you're right in saying that it would have been a "better" punishment. But also maybe they were trying to save their ammunition for war only. They would not want to waste bullets on killing civilians.
DeleteVERY true, Elsah!!!
DeleteI love the conversation that these questions make! I agree with Claire that hanging is a more horrible punishment than being shot, but why doesn't Peyton Farquhar think so? At the end of the first paragraph in Chapter III, the story reads the following:
ReplyDelete"To be hanged and drowned," he thought? "that is not so bad; but I do not wish to be shot. No; I will not be shot; that is not fair."
Oh that's a good point Joshua! It seems like to him being shot was worse than drowning or getting hanged. I wonder why?
DeleteI'm just speculating here, but perhaps Peyton Farquhar wanted to be hung as an example to others, not as a warning as the Union soldiers had hoped, but as proof to other Southerners that he had given his life to the Confederacy and maybe even as a sort of inspiration to other Confederates to be willing to the same (a little like Nathan Hale, wishing he could give more lives for the sake of his cause). Farquhar may have thought that simply being shot wouldn't leave as much of a legacy. Again, all speculation.
DeleteThat's a great thought Joshua! I love looking at a scene from different angles like that. Good job.
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