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In The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara fictionally illustrates the historical facts of the battle at Gettysburg. Shaara gives action and words to characters of another time, and then places these players on the stage of this great battle. Through the use of powerful biblical and non-biblical imagery and themes the epic nature of the battle at Gettysburg and its characters are enhanced. Such imagery and themes, combined with Shaara’s fictionalization, help to contribute to why this single battle holds such monumental significance and influence upon the lives of Americans over a century removed from its occurrence.

In the Foreword, before the battle begins, Shaara starts with a list of the principle players in the upcoming tragic drama of the battle at Gettysburg. Like in a program to a stage play, the armies and the characters are listed before they take the stage. As the curtain opens, the first actor who appears on this stage is the Confederate spy, Harrison, who is actually an actor by profession. Through this solitary and seemingly insignificant man, the reader is taken backstage to witness the drama unfold in person.

Upon meeting General Robert E. Lee, "the spy worshipped" (Shaara 14) Lee as he spoke to the General. Although this behavior of the spy may seem rather excessive, it is consistent with the Confederate troops' attitude towards Lee. To the Confederates, the Civil War was a type of "Holy War" (Shaara 67) and Lee was like God the Father leading them in "the Cause". (Shaara 361) Indeed, even to General Longstreet, Lee’s second-in-command, Lee had taken the place of God. (Shaara 134)

Through the use of biblical imagery and themes, the epic proportions of the battle at Gettysburg are enhanced. It helps to lift the significance of this battle from the singular perspective of an human experience into that of a divine appointment. This helps to give the entire event a timeless characteristic. The Confederates tend to fill the aspects of biblical imagery and themes in more numerous ways than that of the Union side. This is due, in part, to the fact that the Confederate Army had a more unified religious belief system as well as a "solid", devotional-like "faith" in Lee as their leader. (Shaara ix)

Lee is the pinnacle of the Confederate hierarchy. He is like "an angel of the Lord" (Shaara 67) in the presence of his men. On the first day of battle he is prompted from within himself to ride out to merely be seen by his soldiers in the midst of battle in order to boost morale. (Shaara 112) Not only is Lee aware of the importance he holds in the eyes of his men and the strength that he gives them, but also in his weakness and weariness. He does not attribute to himself qualities that superseded God. Shaara emphatically states that Lee believed "absolutely in God". (Shaara x) Lee’s "divinity" is attributed to him by his men. For instance, Longstreet conveyed to Arthur Fremantle a conversation concerning Darwin's theory of evolution. He stated that even though those discussing the issue agreed that Darwin's theory was probably true, one person spoke out that Lee "didn't come from no ape". (Shaara 138) This implies that in the eyes of his men, Lee was viewed as being apart from mere mortals. Although Lee alone significantly holds the imagery of God the Father throughout The Killer Angels, the other biblical imagery that is found on the Confederate side is dispersed in varying degrees over the other main characters.

"Old Pete" Longstreet holds many aspects of the Apostle Peter from the Gospel narrative in more ways than just in his nickname. Lee entrusts him with the charge of the army (Shaara 83) much in the way that Jesus Christ gave the Apostle Peter special distinction when He entrusted the church to be built "on this rock", which referred to Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Son of God. (Bible 1351) Interestingly, Lee refers to Longstreet as the "rock of the army". (Shaara 85) Similar to the Apostle Peter’s denouncement of Christ’s plan to Christ Himself, (Bible 1352) Longstreet verbally denounces Lee's plans of attack to Lee himself. (Shaara 309) Longstreet also stood opposed to Lee’s plan of attack to a stranger (Shaara 267) similar to the Apostle Peter denying his alignment with Jesus to strangers after Jesus’ trial. (Bible 1373)

J.E.B. Stuart unintentionally fulfills the Judas Iscariot betrayal theme. (Bible 1370-1371) Although he is loyal to Lee, Stuart did not communicate the movement of the Union Army to Lee. This left the Confederates blind to the position of the Union Army. Thus, because of Stuart’s actions, the Confederates were basically betrayed and handed over to a deadly confrontation with the enemy. (Shaara 263)

General George Pickett's charge on the third day contains many elements of the account of Christ's procession to the cross and His crucifixion. (Bible 1509-1510) Lee held nothing back in the charge to be carried out by the ones he loved. (Shaara 203-204) Also, Pickett willingly led the troops on the charge once Longstreet had finally ordered it to commence. (Shaara 333) These biblical images and themes of Pickett’s Charge compare respectively well with the biblical account of God the Father sending His only Son, whom He loved, to die on the cross, which the Son went to willingly knowing what was before Him. (Bible 1479-1480) Within this imagery, Lewis Armistead seems to hold the focal role of a symbol of Christ for the charge.

Armistead is spoken of by Longstreet as being "cut from the same pattern as Lee" (Shaara 67) which alludes to an intimate connection such as that of God the Son to God the Father. Also, the night before Pickett's Charge occurred, Armistead confides in Longstreet and attempts to see if it is possible for him to sit out from the next days fight although Armistead knows that it wouldn't be "right". (Shaara 275) This is much like Jesus’ nighttime plea in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion to see if the task before Him could be taken away. (Bible 1371) Then, just before the inevitable march to slaughter is to begin, Armistead speaks the exact words that Jesus spoke on the cross (Bible 1471) when he says; "Father, into your hands...". (Shaara 340)

Although the Union side contains powerful imagery too, it seems to hold to more of the natural or philosophical elements of the religious themes than the overtly orthodox spiritual elements given by the Confederate side. This, in part, has to do with the "vastly dissimilar" and "strange religions" that make up the Union Army. (Shaara x)

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain seems to grasp the importance of the battle at Gettysburg long before he is even near the battlefield. (Shaara 33) Also, his faith in the "dignity of man" and America was stronger than that of "his faith in God". (Shaara 29) This duality of faith is reflected in his "preaching" to the 2nd Maine mutineers. (Shaara 33) His "preaching" is presented more in natural and philosophic terms than in those of overt spiritual overtones, but is nonetheless inspiring to the men. (Shaara 34)

John Buford sees a type of prophetic vision on how the battle will play out before the battle begins. (Shaara 42-43) However, he takes proactive action to turn events around so that it is Longstreet who seems to inherit Buford's prophecy. This illustrates the Union’s tendency to take practical action to change the course of events rather than leave the outcome simply in "God's Hands". (Shaara 111)

Themes of individual freedom, in thought and in action are common on the Union side. Buford is seen as being an individual who revels in the freedom from superior command. (Shaara 40) And Chamberlain, on his ride toward Gettysburg, basks in the liberty of the American individual. When he speaks of being at "home everywhere" and that everywhere "belongs to me. My world" (Shaara 127) he echoes the sentiments of the New England transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau, when he wrote "Wherever I sat, there I might live, and the landscape radiated from me accordingly". (Walden 2107)

The broad imagery and themes such as those on the Union side stand in contrast with the more focused imagery and themes of the Confederate side. Shaara uses these contrasting elements of the battle at Gettysburg to help create a well-rounded palette from which readers of diverse backgrounds can draw from in order to get a more complete picture of this historic event. However, Shaara also presents themes and imagery that are contained by both the Union and the Confederate sides. This widens the spectrum of significance of the battle of Gettysburg to an even more diverse group of readers despite the fact that the battle took place over a century ago. Many readers are able to see how the issues that were dealt with by both the Union and Confederates are issues that are still around and commonly confronted in the modern day.

For instance, problems with authority and endless issues compounded by senseless bureaucracy occur on both sides of the battle lines. Longstreet has problems with the firm resolution of Lee concerning the position and maneuvering of the Confederate Army. While on the Union side, Buford witnesses the senseless arguments over who is in command when he reports to Headquarters to receive further orders. (Shaara 154) Also, Chamberlain is confronted with the confusing issue regarding what to do with the mutineers of the Union’s Second Maine Regiment who had signed three-year papers instead of two-year papers when they enlisted. (Shaara 19)

A theme that also can be related to in modern times by readers is that of the underdog and the uphill battle to survive insurmountable odds. This theme is also shared by both the Union and Confederates. Lee's army is outnumbered and outsupplied although they have consistently beat the Union Army in previous battles. (Shaara 165) Chamberlain holds the extreme left flank of the Union Army with barely 200 men remaining (Shaara 240) near the end of the battle of Little Round Top, but despite this, he puts a significantly larger enemy force on the run.

Also seen is the theme of the common man rising through the ranks to a position of leadership. Longstreet rises through the military ranks by dedication and service (Shaara 309) to the position of second-in-command of the Confederate Army. While Chamberlain, a civilian, rises through the ranks and is selected to lead a Union Regiment and proves to be a strong leader. (Shaara 126) Even Kilrain, being rather uneducated and even demoted from his previous military rank, holds a position of influence (Shaara 27) in the Union Army. Elements such as these appeal to many readers who still hold dear to the "American Dream".

It is significant that the battle at Gettysburg is played out on the stage of the American landscape. For it is not only an American battle in regards to geography, but in its ideology too. The Killer Angels encompasses the entirety of American culture and its perpetual "dream of independence". (Shaara 117) The cultures and values that were esteemed by those on the battlefield of Gettysburg are threads which are still woven into modern American society. Shaara succeeds in giving the fictionalization of this historic event relevance for today.

Shaara not only gives humanity to history through his fictionalization of this battle and its characters, but he gives it spirit as well. Through the suffering and loss and the overcoming victory, a spirit of the American individual can be embraced by the reader. Not only the Union victory can be embraced, but even the Confederates hold out the promise of victory, albeit deferred and eventually unfulfilled. For even in the massive loss by the Confederates at Gettysburg, Lee still stated in confidence that "We will do better another time." (Shaara 360) It is as if all the blood that was shed during the three days of battling at Gettysburg gave way to a resurrected hope for the future.

No bold letters declaring "The End" are given at the end of The Killer Angels. This great tragic drama simply concludes with a rolling of the credits. In the Afterword, the main players are listed with accomplishments and noteworthy items of significance that occurred to them after the battle of Gettysburg. But the after-effects of Gettysburg have never ended. While Gettysburg is over a century in the past, it continues to remind Americans what we have gone through to get where we are now. Shaara makes it certain that the truths and ideals struggled over and fought out on the field of battle in Gettysburg will never be able to be released by Americans to flutter into the past as if irrelevant for today. They will be like the white angel of Cemetery Ridge that Buford saw before the first day of battle. (Shaara 38) We may loose sight of them (Shaara 158) as they become overshadowed by many other symbols and markers, but they are as solid as stone and will never pass away. These truths and ideals watch over the procession of time as it passes, and events as they come and go, to constantly remind us of the fact that what has been will always be a part of what remains. It is doubtful that the curtain will ever close on Gettysburg.

"John." Serendipity Bible for Groups: New International Version. 3rd ed. Ed. Lyman Coleman. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998. 1416-1474.

"Luke." Serendipity Bible for Groups: New International Version. 3rd ed. Ed. Lyman Coleman. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998. 1416-1474.

"Matthew." Serendipity Bible for Groups: New International Version. 3rd ed. Ed. Lyman Coleman. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998. 1326-1377.

Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels. New York: Ballantine Books, 1996.

Thoreau, Henry David. "Walden." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. 2107-2141.