Historical Fiction Review #1

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paulsen, Gary. 1998. SOLDIER’S HEART: BEING THE STORY OF THE ENLISTMENT AND DUE SERVICE OF THE BOY CHARLEY GODDARD IN THE FIRST MINNESOTA VOLUNTEERS: A NOVEL OF THE CIVIL WAR. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385324987

2. PLOT SUMMARY
SOLDIER’S HEART is the story of Charley Goddard and his experiences while fighting in the Civil War. “Battle by battle, Gary Paulsen shows one boy’s war through one boy’s eyes and one boy’s heart, and gives a voice to all the anonymous young men who fought in the Civil War” (Excerpt taken from inside flap of book).

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
SOLDIER’S HEART is a fictionalized account of an actual person, during actual events in history. The book begins in June 1861, when Charley Goddard enlists in the First Minnesota volunteers, highlights four major battles, and ends in June 1865, after Charley came home from the war. This is an authentic historical novel, told through the eyes of a 15-year-old boy. The first chapter sets up the story, where the reader learns that Charley’s father was kicked to death by a horse and Charley wants to be man and go earn money for the family by fighting in the war.

Gary Paulsen includes many aids to help the reader get the most out of the book. First, he includes a picture of Charley Goddard from the Minnesota Historical Society Collections, both on the cover of the book and on the page facing the title page. This way the reader can visualize Charlie while reading about his experiences during the war. Then, there is a double-paged map entitled “Charley Goddard’s Civil War,” with the paths he traveled and stars marking where the battles were fought, including Bull Run and Gettysburg. Next, there is a Content page listing the chapter numbers, titles, and page numbers. At the beginning, there is also a Foreword, in which the reader learns the origins of the book’s title. Paulsen discusses the mental damage sustained by people who fight in wars. Post-traumatic stress disorder was not always a recognized as a syndrome and it had did names at different times. For example, it was known as battle fatigue in WWII and shell shock in WWI. During the time of the Civil War, the syndrome was not recognized at all. “These men were somehow different from other men. They were said to have soldier’s heart.”

At the end of the book is an Author’s Note, where Paulsen states that the book is partly a work of fiction, but that Charley Goddard really existed. The reader learns what is fact and what is fiction. First, Paulsen states that every event is factual. On the other hand, he took minor liberties with timing. For example, Charley did not really fight in Bull Run. However, Charley did fight at Gettysburg and was severely wounded. Those wounds, as well as mental anguish, lead to Charley’s early death in December 1868, when he was just 23 (pg. 104). Finally, there is also a Selected Sources section in which Paulsen lists some of the resources he used for this book.

The reoccurring themes of the book include war and death: “The dead all looked alike. Broken. Like broken toys or dolls” (pg. 37). The reader learns of Charley’s thoughts and feelings as he fights in battles and witnesses horrible acts of humanity. “If it was left up to the men who did the killing and dying there would be no war” (pg. 64). History is definitely not sugarcoated is this book. Battle scenes are vividly described, almost to the point of overwhelming the reader. For example, Charley’s character describes the bodies falling and the sound of bullets: “like a blade cutting grain…like horizontal hail” (p. 26).

Each chapter, each battle, ends with a single dramatic sentence: “First battle.” “Second battle.” “Third battle.” etc. The writing style also includes some dialogue between Charley and other soldiers. There is one scene is the book when Charley trades with a Reb, who calls him “blue belly,” and the Reb says, “This is right stupid ain’t it?” when talking about fighting.

The author includes some historical information into the story line, such as the reputation of the Minnesota regiment: “cool under fire” and “well disciplined” (pg. 44). We also learn about the food they ate (salt pork and beans) and about the costs of food: “Pies for the outrageous sum of twenty-five cents each.” In addition, the reader learns about the men “farming”-stealing food as they marched through towns. Finally, we learn that Confederate revolvers were wanted as souvenirs.

The turning point in the Civil War was the Battle of Gettysburg. The reader gets a sense of what it would have been like through Charley’s thoughts. He said that what was different about this battle is that they were above the Rebs, in a sheltered position, “with all the guns in the world behind him” (pg. 91). We see the conflicting emotions and thoughts of the people expressed when Charley said that he “nearly felt sorry for them. They were so brave, he thought-or foolish” (pg. 93). The last chapter in the book takes place after the war, when Charley in twenty-one. Charley says that he is old. “Old from too much life, old from seeing too much, old from knowing too much” (pg. 98). The ending leaves the reader hanging, wondering if Charley ends up committing suicide. However, we learn of his fate in the Author’s Notes.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Paulsen's storytelling is so psychologically true that readers will feel they have lived through Charley's experiences.”

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“The brevity, power, and deceptive simplicity of this novella again demonstrate why young adult readers greet Paulsen titles with unabashed enthusiasm.”

The New York Times
“A stark, utterly persuasive novel of combat life in the Civil War that may well challenge generations of middle-school readers.”

Booklist (Starred List, Starred Review)
“The novel's spare, simple language and vivid visual images of brutality and death on the battlefield make it accessible and memorable to young people.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* Kid’s Reviews
Interest, but only interesting..., June 5, 2006
“This is a book of action and survival and not a bad read.”
Great! June 5, 2006
“A person should read this book because this book is full action and the action is non-stop.”

*Activities with this book:
-Plan a visit to an American History Museum that has a section on the Civil War era
-Watch documentaries on the Civil War, such as SMITHSONIAN'S GREAT BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR, VOL. 1: 1861-1862 (1992)

*Read Other Books about the Civil War:
-BULL RUN by Paul Fleischman
-THE BOYS' WAR: CONFEDERATE AND UNION SOLDIERS TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR by Jim Murphy
-THE LAND by Mildred D. Taylor

Happy Reading!
Lonnie