Description of the characterization of John March in the novel, March.

March is a fairly complex character in Brooks' novel.  On
one hand, he authentically believes in convictions.  He believes that slavery is wrong
and is worthy of condemnation.  He does this in several instances, whether it is
critiquing slavery, teaching reading and writing to a slave, or speaking out for the
plight of the voiceless at the hands of the powerful, March believes in what he speaks
and is an idealist.  At the same time, March is unable to fully reconcile the passion of
his professional stance with his domestic life.  He keeps a distance from his wife,
refusing to detail to her the condition of war and some of the horrific reality he
witnesses.  He is afraid of what her thoughts will be at learning about the relationship
between he and Grace, and coneals this from her.  It seems that one of March's
fundamental disconnects is how he is able to demonstrate a sense of passion and
intensity in his professional realm.  Yet, there is a noticeable restraint and distance
in his personal realm.  In this, Brooks might be pointing out the fundamental difficulty
in embracing idealism, for it is all encompassing and demonstrative in both public and
private realms.  This is where March struggles to find some level of convergence between
both realms as a character.  To a certain extent, his love in Brown reflects this.  He
believes in Brown's cause and his zeal, but it is undermined by his losing of March's
money.  This helps to create a sense of disconnect about Brown, the embodiment in
idealism in March, a character who struggles with idealism.