Gordon Keith

"Gordon Keith" by Thomas Nelson Page is a story about a young man coming to terms with a changing world. Gordon, a general's son, finds his life altered when his family's plantation is lost after the Civil War. The story looks back on Gordon's past, revealing his father’s traditional values and the huge differences between their old life of wealth and their current difficulties. Readers get a clear image of Gordon's life at Elphinstone before and during the war, looking at his relationships with his parents and memories from his childhood. Themes of loss and strength are explored, showing the father's determination and the son's desire for adventure and honor. The beginning of the story shows Gordon's move from a happy childhood to facing the tough realities of life after the war. This sets the scene for his search for purpose and who he is in the remains of a once-great past.