So far in our class, our readings and discussions have frequently encountered the issue of loyalty - broadly construed. For instance, you might consider "loyalty" in the terms of McPherson's For Cause and Comrades - to wit, what made men fight, and what kept them fighting for a cause. Thinking about the many reasons offered in McPherson's work, you might compare it with the fictional story of Jake Roedell and Jack Bull Chiles, their relationship, experiences, the people that they meet, the paths that they take. You could do the same with regard to the "causes" for which these fictional characters fought by considering Escott's Jefferson Davis and the Failure of Confederate Nationalism.
Your objective for the essay is less to demonstrate strong opinions about the movie than it is to place its characters in the context of the scholarship that we have encountered in class thus far. Pick out an intellectual thread (devotion to cause, honor vs. duty, sense of national identity, etc.) that you find in both the readings and the film and develop an essay that explores this theme fully by tracing it in the film and giving evidential basis from the texts.
You might write an essay, for instance, along the lines of "Exploring Conceptions of Honor in Civil War America through an Analysis of Ang Lee's Ride With the Devil." In short, you are making a historical analysis of a film that is (arguably) worthy of such attention.
Being thoughtful, perceptive, and sound in your scholarly basis are the key.
Writing style: I expect your best prose and I will edit for style. Avoid the dreaded passive voice construction. Have a clear thesis. Incorporate the best practices of historical writing. I expect Chicago / Turabian style footnote citations for your texts. I do not need a works cited page if you properly footnote. You do not need to footnote direct quotes from the film.
Length: This essay need not be lengthy. Try to limit your essay to 1200 words - or about 4 pages. Use your space wisely. Be concise.
The original due date for the essay was March 1. I am extending this date to March 3 so that you might have more time to ask me questions before turning in your finished product.
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