Col Ben Cameron example essay topic

Forgotten Treasures Set in the middle and end of the American Civil War and the reconstruction after, Griffith chooses to place his characters in a small South Carolina town of Piedmont. This setting leaves a very distinct southern outlook on the plot. The story begins with a visit of two brothers, Phil and Ted Stoneman going to visit their friends, Ben and Wade Cameron on their southern plantation. Phil brings a picture of his sister Elsie to show Ben, who falls in love with her at first glance of the picture. Meanwhile, Ted and Wade are fooling around in the Cameron garden. Inside, Phil is taken with Margaret Cameron.

After a short visit, which Phil and Margaret's relationship blossomed, the Stoneman's return to their homes just in time for the first call for 75,000 volunteers, by Lincoln, to join the army and fight to abolish slavery. Both families fight on different sides; the Stoneman's for the North Union and the Cameron's for the Confederate South. The war continues for another two and a half years when an irregular force of guerillas (black troops) raid Piedmont where the Cameron's live. On the battlefield, the two younger brothers, Ted and Wade meet.

Wade gets shot and dies and Ted dies beside his friend. Elsie Stoneman sees all that is happening and becomes a nurse in a military hospital because she wants to help. As all this is happening, the south is slowly retreating, while the north advances. The south is loosing hope.

A food train is misled and Confederate food goes to the Union. General Lee orders an attempt to rescue the food train. Col. Ben Cameron receives his orders to charge at an appointed moment. Ben leads the final desperate assault against the Union, commanded by Capt. Phil Stoneman. Phil sees his old friend fighting alone, his troop dead and decides to stop shooting and save his friend.

Ben is sent to a hospital in Washington where he is near death. Coincidently, Elsie Stoneman is a nurse at that hospital. Ben tells Elsie that he has her picture and that he loves her. Ben's mother, Mother Cameron, comes to see her only remaining son.

An army surgeon tells her of a plan to condemn Ben and hang him as a guerilla. Mother Cameron goes to President Lincoln for an appeal. Lincoln gives it to her. Mother Cameron returns to Ben, tells him the good news and returns home to take care of her ailing husband. April 9, 1865, the end of the Civil War and Ben's release to go home. The Cameron's dress up for Ben's homecoming.

He can't believe what has happened to his house and neighborhood. Meanwhile, Phil's father, Austin Stoneman is demanding President Lincoln to change his policy of clemency for the South. Lincoln attempts to help the South rebuild itself. April 14, 1865, Lincoln's assassination.

The news is received badly by the South. They feel like they " ve lost a friend. Austin Stoneman's prot " eg'e, Silas Lynch, a mulatto, is the leader of the blacks. Stoneman, who becomes ill, sends Lynch South to help carpetbaggers in organizing and wielding the power of the Negro vote. Lynch makes Piedmont his headquarters. The Union is supplying black people with 40 acres and a mule.

Ben and the rest of the white population of Piedmont are upset at the news. The Stoneman family moved to Piedmont at the advice of his physician. Lynch meets Elsie while she is with Ben and has a desire to be with her. When Phil tries to renew his love for Margaret, she refused him because she can't forget what the Union did to her family. Meanwhile, Ben proposes to Elsie and she accepts.

On election day, all the blacks are holding ballots while the white people were turned away. Because of this, Negroes and carpetbaggers sweep the state and Lynch is elected List. Governor. Ben is outraged with the news. The Cameron's black servants are whipped by Union troops for not voting with the Union.

Gus, a renegade, follows Elsie and Flora Cameron, the younger sister. Ben sees it and tells Gus to stay away from them. Ben goes for a walk and sees some children hiding underneath a white sheet and scaring a few black children. Ben gets inspired. The Ku Klux Klan was born. On their first visit to terrorize a Negro, they threatened them and scared the Negroes with their sheets.

Lynch's supporters shot and killed the members who threatened the blacks. Somehow, Austin Stoneman found out Ben was a member and told Elsie. She, in a fit of rage, breaks off the engagement but promises to keep Ben's secret about his being a clansman. Flora, against Ben's warning, goes to get water from the spring where Gus follows her.

Gus catches up to her and tells her he wants to marry her. Back at the Cameron house, Ben discovers what Flora did and goes after her. Flora tries to run away from Gus but he follows her. Ben tries desperately to find Flora. She runs up a rock face and threatens to jump if Gus didn't leave.

In a state of desperation, she jumps. Gus runs away. Ben finds her lying on the ground. She died in his arms. Ben carries Flora's body back to the Cameron house, then goes to find Gus. When he's found, the executes him and leaves him on Lynch's doorstep.

In anger, Lynch fills the streets with Negro militia. Austin Stoneman leaves Piedmont to avoid getting caught in crossfire. Lynch sends spies to find any white people with a costume. The Cameron's are caught with one and Father Cameron is arrested. Margaret asks Elsie to help. Father Cameron's servants distract the guards long enough to get Father into a cart.

Phil Stoneman shoots a guard to prove his love to Margaret. Union troops chase after them. The Cameron's and Phil hide in a Union leader's cabin. Meanwhile, Elsie goes to Lynch for help. He helps her but then wants to marry her. She refuses and Lynch wrestles with her and knocks her out.

Lynch orders preparations for a forced marriage. Austin Stoneman returns to Piedmont and goes to visit Lynch. Lynch hides Elsie in a back room. He tells Stoneman he wants to marry Elsie.

Stoneman refuses to allow it and then hears Elsie scream for help. Lynch stops Stoneman from scaring her. Lynch's servants gag and tie up Elsie. Ben organizes all the surrounding clans and goes to save Elsie from Lynch. Back at the Union cabin, the troops have found the Cameron's but the Union leaders won't let Father Cameron give himself up. The Cameron's try to fight off the Union troops.

In all the confusion, Margaret takes Phil back. The clansmen come to the rescue and save the Cameron's. The Klan goes back to Piedmont and run the army out and disarm the blacks. The town has a parade in the Klan's honour. In the end, Phil and Margaret get married as dies Ben and Elsie. Both couples go on a double honeymoon.

Although there is no dialogue, the characterization in this film was interesting. The character Ben showed many admirable character traits such as kindness and love, both obvious in interactions with Elsie, a sense of protectiveness when he warned Flora to stay home. But he also displayed hatred towards others because of their race which is inexcusable. Although he appeared good natured, tall, dark and handsome, his true feelings were revealed in the end.

Music is a big part of any movie, especially a silent film. The music coincided with the actions on screen perfectly. The most memorable and effective use of music was at Ben's homecoming when a tune about home sweet home was played. This film brings up many different themes, but there is one more potent than the rest. It is one which says a society cannot take everything away from one person and leave them with nothing and give to someone with nothing so that they have everything. Balance is the key.

The Birth of a Nation was an expressive film for its time, but many of the racial implications are very disturbing. This film should not be viewed by anyone who has a strong sense of racial equality. In fact, this film should never be viewed do to it's suggestive nature.