What are the motifs in Jacob's Ladder: A Story of Virginia During the War by Donald McCaig?

The coming of age motif is seen in several of the characters, with Maggie, Duncan and Sallie being among the most prominent. Sallie finds it unbelievable that Alexander would choose to insist that he be treated as a prisoner of war after being imprisoned for abolitionism. Then she listens as Alexander admits that some of the things he'd told Sallie are outright lies. She can't immediately break her desire that Alexander continue to be the wonderful, educated man she'd thought him to be, but does come to that point.