Bayard Sartoris

The Unvanquished is essentially the story of the "coming of age" of Bayard Sartoris. Born into a wealthy planter family in Mississippi, Bayard's life is idyllic, save for the absence of a mother who died during his birth. His grandmother, however, assumes the motherly role well, and, along with Ringo, son of a slave couple on the property, Bayard has a comfortable and nurturing childhood. The Civil War interrupts his early years, however, when his father, John, forms a Confederate regiment and is absent from home for most of the conflict. As the War continues, Bayard's home is destroyed, he becomes embroiled in scams and schemes of survival, and he must mature quickly in order to survive. He clearly idolizes his father, as well as cousin Drusilla, who rebels against traditional society by joining his father's regiment. The death of his grandmother, at the hands of criminals...