Bright Captivity - War is Hell
Bright Captivity - War is Hell
As General William T. Sherman once said, “War is hell” (Brainyquote.com). The aftermaths of war are always costly, and the War of 1812 is no exception. War is destructive in various ways: From the separation of family to the heartache of widows. There are many effects that war brings on American society.
In 1807, during the Chesapeake Incident, the British navy tried to steal cargo from American ships. This event caused three Americans to die, and the people demanded for war to be declared. Thomas Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807, which “forbade all international trade to and from American ports” (The Columbia Encyclopedia 1). Jefferson hoped that by stopping trade with foreign countries, America would avoid war. However, his hopes failed, and in June 1, 1812, the war began. (The American Nation 211).
The people of the United States knew there would eventually be a war. However, most of the nation was not prepared for war in any way. For more than two years, the war was fought at sea and on land. Unfortunately the entire war could have been avoided if Britain had better communication with the United States.
Bright Captivity is the first book of the Georgia Trilogy. The beginning of Bright Captivity takes place during the end of the War of 1812. Throughout the book, Price refers to the war as the cause of failed relationships. Anne is the daughter of a well-known farmer. Anne was very naïve, and had a protected life on St. Simon’s Island in Georgia. One day Anne meets John Fraser, a British Lieutenant. The two fall in love, marry, and travel to London together. Anne and John must deal with the hardships of separation. The novel takes an unexpected turn when Anne’s lover holds her captive at the extravagant estate of Dungeness.
The reality of the characters is unclear. It is very possible for Anne and John to be real people in history, but nothing verifies this assumption. However Anne and John may be a general representation for men and women in their position. There have been accounts of women falling in love with soldiers, generals, and other officers. Therefore the reader must believe the relationship to be false.
Bright Captivity is purely...