The Killer Angels

Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

Group A--Personal Reflection

1. Choose a character from The Killer Angels that you particularly identify with or admire. Using specific citations from the text to support your ideas.

1) Explain why you identify with or admire that character.

2) Describe how that character represents your personal beliefs.

Group B--Battle Specifics

1. In any battle, the landscape on which it is fought plays a major role. How does the landscape around Gettysburg affect the battle? What were the advantages and challenges to that landscape and how does each side make the most of the advantages or try to overcome the challenges?

2. As noted in The Killer Angels, each side of the war had a different opinion of the reason for that war.

1) What reason does each side give for the reason for the Civil War?

2) How can each side morally justify the war, given their reason for it?

3) Given the differing opinions on the reason for the war, do you think the war could have somehow been avoided altogether?

Make sure you support your ideas with citations from the text.

Group C--Character Study

3. The Killer Angels is told from various characters' perspectives. This use of multiple perspectives helps give the reader a more well-rounded understanding of the people and events. Choose a character and "revove" it from the novel.

1) How would your understanding of the people or events change with the loss of that character?

2) If that character had not been involved in the battle, how might the battle have changed?

Support your ideas with citations from the text.