How does the structure of Cold Mountain create parallels between Inman’s character arc and Ada’s? What is the wider significance of these parallels?

The novel explores the experience of loneliness. How do different characters wrestle with loneliness and isolation in an emotional, social, and/or political sense?

Examine the role of the Home Guard (See: Background) in the novel. How are the members and behavior of the Home Guard depicted? How do these men contribute to some of the text’s key themes and ideas?