The Unvanquished is a fast-action war story, which centers on the experiences of two teenage boys as they grow up in the midst of the Civil War battleground in Mississippi. This novel’s first six chapters were initially published in The Saturday Evening Post as six short stories. The novel exposes the glamour and heroism of war as romantic thinking; the traditional picturesque view of the South is replaced by the harsh realities of a defeated nation. The novel relates the coming of age of a boy who discovers that he can establish his own values and live by them by making choices not supported by his family. The novel shows clearly the genesis of Southern attitudes that degenerated into racial stereotypes and segregation, as well as Southern attitudes based on the “Lost Cause” myth.

Activities focus on the novel but also include a biography of Faulkner, introductory lesson on a short story, Faulkner’s style, and his subject matter. Students write diary entries, personal essays, letters from another’s viewpoint, and a short research paper. They analyze point of view as naïve or mature, debate after collecting evidence and developing their own positions. In addition, students make a presentation on the historical background of the novel. Assessment of students’ understanding is measured in a final, culminating lesson with several project options.