Gore Vidal’s Lincoln :: Gore Vidal Lincoln

Gore Vidals capital of Nebraska Gore Vidals capital of Nebraska was an excellent narrative of the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Through Vidals portrayal of the personality of Lincoln and the people surrounding him it was easy to get an idea of the leadership constituent that Lincoln played during presidency. After reading many accounts of Lincoln during my research for my paper, I found that Vidals account was extremely spotless. Most interesting was the commanding barely passive relationship that Lincoln had with the members of his cabinet and his generals. Vidal also gave a portrayal of the capitol during the 1860s that is seldom mentioned in any of the Literature that I have read. These accounts authentically help to get a feel for the environment in which Lincoln made his decisions. Lincolns family life was also revealed in some period in the novel which helps us to see the personal dilemmas and tragedies that Lincoln had to overcome while he was president. Overall Vi dals portrait of Lincoln was interesting and accurate to my knowledge. It gives an extraordinary view of the leadership of President Abraham Lincoln. In the book Vidal shows us a picture of the capitol at the time. It seemed as it the entire town was unfinished. The capitol building was without the noodle and the streets had just been paved. From the accounts of Mary Lincoln in the book, it seemed if the White House was hardly a luxurious mansion and was barley fit for a president. Also in the atmosphere in Washington D.C. at the time was the Attitude of the place itself. Since Washington was a neutral state much of the population was against Lincoln and sided with the confederacy. Lincoln cabinet was strategically chosen by Lincoln, he chose those in his party who ran against him in the election or were close to the Republican Party. Vidals Lincoln reveals Lincolns thinking about these people and how he places them in. I have read in other readings including, The Unfini shed Nation, byAlan Brinkley, that Lincoln picked these people to have a diversety of ideas in his cabinet. He wanted to keep these people close to him so that they would be working for him and not against him.The fictional character Lincoln in Vidals book in regards to to Salmon P.