In the novel The Unvanquished, the narrator, Bayard Sartoris, unleashes some serious admiration for his Confederate officer father, John. With the passage of time, however, that admiration starts to dwindle, and instead of gushing with pride he's rather leaking disappointment based on the way things turned out.
Even though the way he felt about his father doesn't last, Bayard recognizes that the trappings of war, like the shiny uniforms and weapons, not to mention the gigantic horse, all inspired boyhood admiration for his daddy-o. By looking back from a more mature place, however, he starts to see the tarnish along with the shine.
Questions About Admiration
- It's pretty clear that child-Bayard admires his father; do you think he still has any droplets of admiration left for him as an adult? Why or why not?
- Where does admiration figure into the relationship between Bayard and Ringo? How do they show their admiration, or lack thereof, for each other?
- Besides the military uniforms, what other symbols do the characters use to inspire awe and admiration from their fellows?
- How does Dru's rejection of Bayard in the final chapter reflect the characteristics she admires and those she despises?
Chew on This
Bayard's his dad's biggest fan as a child, but doesn't respect the old man at all once he's grown.
Even though Bayard's admiration for his father diminishes as he gets older, he still harbors a lot of respect for his dear old dad as an adult.