et&jt

pg. 525-526

Lee wrote a letter, ``Letter to His Son," describing his thoughts on the Civil War. The major subject of his letter was the state of the United States right before the Civil War and his feelings about it. On the brink of the war Lee felt that the United States was in a state of anarchy. Lee says "As far as I can judge... we are between a state of anarchy and Civil War." Even though Lee was from the South he was strongly against the war. He was proud to be an American and proud of its accomplishments. Lee believed that if the war occured the Americans would be unsufficiently christianized for many years following.

The major themes from "Letter to His Son" are patriotism and loyalty. Lee demonstrates patriotism because he doesn't want to see his country go to war with itself, even though Lee was 100% Southern. Since Lee was 100% Southern he felt he had to fight against his beliefs to support his people in the South. This is where Lee's loyalty came into his life. Lee told the Union he would fight for them only if Virginia became part of the Union. The efforts of Virginia becoming a Union state soon faltered when the outbreak at Fort Sumter took place. The decision of the Virginia to join the South was the final event that prevented Lee from fighting for the Union.

The letter from Lee provides many examples from the Realism and Naturalism eras. "Letters To His Son" demonstrates realsim becasue Lee looks at the overall point of view. Unlike most people at that time period Lee realized that if the South left it would cause more bad then good. It is also an example of realsim because the letter is read with sort of a depressed tone. Lee's letter is also an example of naturalism. Lee's letter shows naturalism becase Lee is a real person writing about a real event occuring at the time.

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