Summary Of Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain

Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is the story of Inman and Ada, two lovers who are dealing with their separation due to the American Civil War. Ada is trapped in her home at Black Cove where she goes on a mental and emotional journey to maturity. Inman goes on a physical journey which leads him back to Ada. Frazier uses references to Greek mythology to strengthen the novel and provide deep connections to the classic hero’s journey as well as other elements of mythology. Inman’s journey directly mirrors that of Odysseus, and of course the typical model for the hero’s journey. They both overcome many obstacles while someone they love waits at home. Inman starts his journey after speaking with a blind man who tells him that the most painful thing is to lose something that you have already had a taste of (Frazier 9). This blind man can be seen the Oracle who is featured throughout so much of Greek mythology. Inman encounters many women who remind him of Ada. The dark-haired Gypsy woman and Sara both somewhat resemble Ada and stir Inman’s longing for her (Frazier 129, 219). There are also some women doing laundry in a river who Inman …show more content…
Inman has already achieved this feat once by surviving his neck wound. He goes through this experience twice more during the course of his walk home. First, Inman crosses a river with a young woman. As they cross, he is shot at (Frazier 85). This crossing could mimic crossing the river Styx, and therefore Inman’s journey into the afterlife. After this point, he is constantly hunted until his eventual death. After this crossing, he again meets death when he is shot by the Home Guard. He must dig himself out and away from the bodies around him, including that of Veasy, to get back on the road (Frazier 228). Here, he nearly does die and passes through death in a way that is similar to that of the many great heroes who supposedly came back after entering