Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War, by Tony Horwitz. Specifically, it will answer several questions regarding the book. “Confederates in the Attic” is not just a history book, it is an intriguing look into the hearts and minds of modern Southerners, and their continuing absorption in the Civil War and reenacting its battles in great detail. Horwitz attempts to discover just why the Civil War is so compelling to so many people, and in the process, learns more about the sociology and culture of the South. His book therefore, is more than a history text, or even a modern look back with sentimentality and nostalgia, it is a look into the hearts and minds of people who live vicariously through the history of their ancestors, and what that really says about all of us in America today.

Confederates in the Attic

Tony Horwitz clearly had several reasons for writing his compelling book, “Confederates in the Attic,” but the most important reason seems to be his own fascination and interest in the Civil War. Specifically, he is searching for the reason why reenacting the Civil War, particularly in the southern United States, has become such a common and undeniable lure for so many people. However, there is more to his book than just searching for reasons. His book is sometimes funny, sometimes depressing, and sometimes almost unbelievable. The people he meets on his journey through the South are people just like you and me, and yet, they have some glaring differences, and these differences are what Horwitz uses to create a lasting impression of people who simply cannot let go of their legacy and get along with their lives. It is easy for those who do not live there to say, “the war is over,” but for many in the South, the war will never be over, and this permeates the book with a deep feeling of sadness and wasted lives.

Ultimately, his thesis may not be only the importance history plays in the lives of the southerners he met, but the real absence of true history in their playacting and reenactments. His thesis involves the true absence of historical accuracy in much of their thinking, including the denial of racial tensions as part of the reason the war was fought in the first place. In a disturbing encounter, he sat in on a Civil War lesson in a Selma, Alabama classroom filled with black students who could not acknowledge race played a part in the Civil War. He writes, “In essence, the students were saying that the Civil War had nothing to do with race or slavery — much the same argument made by neo-Confederates who saw the War through the prism of states’ rights” (Horwitz 368). Clearly, there is more to Horwitz’s book than a group of people who are simply nostalgic for a time gone by. Underlying the history there is still hatred, racism, and an inability to look underneath the trappings of the Civil War to the underlying causes and emotions that triggered it in the in first place.

Horwitz does not need to call his topic an unfinished war; by the time the reader reaches the end of the book that is abundantly clear. From the very beginning of the book, the War seems very real both to Horwitz and the reenactors who he suddenly finds fighting the Battle of Fredericksburg on his front lawn one weekend morning. “We do this sort of thing most weekends anyway,’ said a lean rebel with gunpowder smudges on his face and the felicitous name of Troy Cool” (Horwitz 7). Thus, the reader is immediately introduced to this subculture that is sometimes strange, sometimes amazing, and sometimes disturbing. It is clear the Civil War lives on in the minds of these people who reenact the lifestyles and the battles, but it is also clear they want it that way. They want to continue living in the past and fighting a war that ended over 140 years ago. This war lives on not only in their memories, but also in their everyday lives, and while the attention they give to details is astounding, the fact that they cannot allow the war to die a final death is both disturbing and a bit weird.

Horwitz cites numerous examples throughout the book that suggest the Civil War lives on in the culture and memory of Americans, and especially Southerners, on an everyday basis. Early on, he mentions many students do not know what “D-Day” signifies (Horwitz 6), but most can identify the Civil War and most of its’ major battles. One reviewer of the book noted Horwitz said the reenactors are “tailoring or customizing history to suit their own needs in the present, making use of what they can scoop up from the Internet and other sources outside the ‘mainstream,’ rather than what comes down on high from the priestly class of professionals” (Rider), in an interview about the book. Throughout the book, one of the enduring symbols of the war is the Confederate Flag, which some see as a symbol of everything the South lost during the war, and others see as a blatantly racist symbol. In the South, the flag is revered as a piece of history consistently maligned by “Yankees,” (which they still call Northerners), and it was the contribution to the death of Michael Westerman, a man who insisted on flying the flag from his pickup truck, especially in black neighborhoods.

There are many other equally important symbols of what the South “lost” in the war that carry on today. For example, Horwitz writes, “Since my arrival in the Carolinas, hardly a day had passed without some snippet of the Civil War appearing in the newspaper: a school debated on whether to play ‘Dixie’ at ballgames; an upcoming Civil War reenactment; a readers’ forum on the rebel flag” (Horwitz 71). Thus, the Civil War is not only an unfinished war in the eyes of most Southerners; it has great impact on what they do almost every day of their lives. This may seem foreign to those of us who have little connection to the Civil War, but in the South, the residents still remember the men they lost, and how almost no family was untouched by the fighting, and they hang on to their losses with the resolve of a mother bear guarding her cubs.

In is not difficult to see that history shapes people’s lives. What would our lives be like if the German’s had won World War II, or we the South had won the Civil War. However, Horwitz’s writing clearly illustrates just how much history pervades the lives of so many Southerners today. He writes, “Chris chomped into the jerky, adding, ‘I think there’s a lot of people like me who want to get back to a simpler time. Sandlot baseball, cowboys and Indians, the Civil War'” (Horwitz 16). This may be true, but this compulsion with the war clearly shapes people in every facet of their lives, from the reenactors who spend at least a quarter of their income on their “hobby” to the people who love them. In this case, history is doing more than shaping people’s lives; it is clearly taking over their lives. While some people may believe this is simply a way to “get back to a simpler time,” ultimately, this dependence on a history that is long gone seems somehow much more sinister after reading this book. This dependence on history certainly is shaping lives in the South, but it is not shaping them into more decent or meaningful lives. Instead, this dependence on history is only perpetuating the hatred, racial tension, and misunderstandings that have permeated the area since long before the Civil War began. The Southerners still hate the Yankees and the blacks, and they hang on to the men they lost like drowning men hang on to a life preserver. This is not healthy for anyone involved. To perpetuate hatred is to perpetuate ignorance and fear, and this is all this dependence on history and living in the past seems to promote. Ignorance and fear are no ways to look back at history, and they are no way to live our lives in what are supposed to be far more “enlightened” times than those of our ancestors.

In conclusion, Horwitz’s book is an enlightening and disturbing look into a subculture of America that at first seems harmless, and to many of the lesser practitioners, it is simply a harmless fascination with the past. However, for those who become obsessed, this never-ending War Between the States becomes simply another excuse for hatred and bigotry, and this shaping of people’s lives is a bit too extreme for many reader’s tastes, including mine.

Works Cited

Horwitz, Tony. Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War. New York: Pantheon, 1998.

Rider, Shawn. “Coping Through History: Tony Horwitz’s ‘Confederates in the Attic,’ History, and Reconciliation.” Personal Web Page. 1999. 21 Nov. 2003.

< http://www.wdog.com/rider/writings/horwitz.htm >

Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply

Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?

Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.

Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?

• Plagiarism free papers
• Timely delivery
• Any deadline
• Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
• Subject-relevant academic writer
• Adherence to paper instructions
• Ability to tackle bulk assignments
• Reasonable prices
• 24/7 Customer Support
• Get superb grades consistently

Online Academic Help With Different Subjects

Literature

Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.

Finance

Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.

Computer science

Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!

Psychology

While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.

Engineering

Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.

Nursing

In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.

Sociology

Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.

Business

We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!

Statistics

We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.

Law

Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.

What discipline/subjects do you deal in?

We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.

Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?

Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.

What if I don’t like the paper?

There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.

Reasons being:

• When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
• We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.

In the event that you don’t like your paper:

• The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
• We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
• Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.

Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?

Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.

What if the paper is plagiarized?

We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.

When will I get my paper?

You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.

Will anyone find out that I used your services?

We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.

How our Assignment  Help Service Works

1.      Place an order

You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.

2.      Pay for the order

Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.

3.      Track the progress

You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.

4.      Download the paper

The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.

PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!