Bull Run shows that Basic Human Desires Are Universal. The novel includes an equal number of characters from both the Union and the Confederacy. Instead of creating a contrast between the characters from opposing sides, the novel focuses on showing how similar they are. The author’s choice to alternate between Southern and Northern narrators in every chapter heightens the similarities between both sides. The constant switching means little emphasis is placed on whether the character is from the North or the South, and it can be easy to forget or get confused as to which side the character aligns with. The focus is on the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences, rather than on their allegiance. This keeps the novel centered on the similarities in what the characters want and feel, regardless of which side they are on. 

There are several examples in the novel of characters on opposing sides wanting the same thing. Lily Malloy from the North and Flora Wheelworth from the South are both females who have been left behind. Lily’s brother and Flora’s sons-in-law have enlisted and left to fight, leaving the women home to fret over their well-being. Both women want the men to come home safely.