Jim Mundy by Robert H. Fowler

Jim Mundy by Robert H. Fowler 1977 A Jove Book

[image error]Anyone who wants to write a memoir, should read different variations of that type of story. This is one example of a first person memoir of a fictional character that is written as if it is based on a real person.

The story begins in 1917 when Jimmy writes his grandpa asking him about the Civil War. In the next 480 pages, Jim Mundy retells his experience as a Confederate infantry soldier in the fictional 10th North Carolina volunteers.

He is the son of a Methodist preacher/farmer who went to school unlike the other illiterate soldiers. His education makes him a sergeant and he will rise to captain.

The story is told through the eyes of the common foot soldier, and Mundy is charming and naive. Some may find the story offensive in its language and Southern viewpoint, but Fowler captures the feelings of Mundy in words and deeds that ring true for someone only 18 and from North Carolina. His viewpoints change as he grows older in years and experiences.

Mundy is no saint, and I doubt any one “real” soldier had as much adventure as this one man. Battles are limited to those he participates in and others are summarized when he hears about them after they’ve happened. He makes friends easily and enemies quicker because of his honesty and integrity.

The book focuses on the relationship between Mundy and Captain William Ferro, the brother of Jane. His love for Jane keeps him focused on the future or in despair when he thinks he has lost her. He doesn’t care for other officers, especially Tom Shelton, who is also writing to Jane. Fair warning: This is not a traditional romance and very little time is spent on Jane and Mundy together.

Mundy’s outspoken nature lands him in trouble often. The story becomes more personal after he loses his eye at Gettysburg and is a prisoner on Johnson Island. For every triumph, Murphy has a set back or challenge to face, but he keeps putting one foot in front of the other as he becomes involved with free blacks, spies, and blockade runners.

For those who want to write about a family member, this book shows how to focus on a series of events that help to influence the hero in the story. Don’t try to cover the entire life of a person. Find the defining moment for that person and focus on it.

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