Review Of Pat Carr's Book 'Death Of A Confederate Colonel'

In Pat Carr’s book The Death of a Confederate Colonel, she tells the story of the Birdsong family. Geneva is married to Ian Birdsong, a confederate colonel in the Civil War; Saranell is their only daughter. As Ian is away serving, Geneva, Saranell, and their carriage driver slave, Renny, are on their way out of their plantation, fearing that the Yankees will come and invade. But as they make their way through the country, Carr tells of the many occasions where Geneva clearly shows she is unwilling to accept the reality of the life she is living. Ian Birdsong, Geneva’s husband, along with nearly every able man around enlists to fight in the war. “‘But I personally won't set foot in town until this war nonsense is over. You can't imagine how tiresome it is without a single presentable man in sight.’ She laughed”(Carr 84). Geneva’s only priority is men and impressing them. She has not been given the attention she believes she deserves and she blames the “nonsense” of the war for the absence of handsome men. …show more content…
“Well, well, Ian Birdsong, so your ninety-day enlistment is up. It's about time you quit parading around in those prairie campsites and marching through towns to impress young ladies with your splendid uniform. It's about time you came
Freeman 2 back to the plantation”(Carr 91). Geneva could care less about the war and how serious it was. She tells it as if it's an excuse for Ian and his troops to flaunt around the towns and impress. Geneva rejects Saranelle on multiple occasions. “Geneva didn't acknowledge the bouquet, however, and she ate the third of the