1. “The buzzards overlooked nothing. Jody hated them.”
This line, of course, foreshadows the end of the chapter when Gabilan is pecked away at by the buzzards. But also, as we know, Jody is a ranch boy; he kills things all the time: the birds, the mice, the reptiles and amphibians in his lunch box, etc. But when Jody takes care of something—Gabilan for example—to see it die, to see how it dies, is awful.
2. “The hills were dry at this season, and the wild grass was golden, but where the spring-pipe filled the tub and the tub spilled over, there lay a stretch of fine green grass, deep and sweet and moist.”
This paragraph just makes me thirsty. Steinbeck’s word choice is perfect. He doesn’t say, “…of thick green grass, deep and wet and sloppy.” No, he uses the words like sweet, moist that make you feel heavenly. The contrast between the dry, golden hills and the stretch of moist green grass makes the grass sound even more lush. When you have one special thing it is more special than having multiple of them because you cherish that one.
3. “Carl Tiflin and Billy Buck, the ranch-hand, stood against the lower pasture fence. Each man rested one foot on the lowest bar and both elbows on the top bar…. Jody sidled uneasily near. He dragged one foot to give an impression of great innocence and nonchalance. When he arrived beside the men he put one foot on the lowest fence rail, rested his elbows on the second bar and looked out at the pasture too.”
You can totally picture it, right? The scene above is one the best and yet most simple ways to show the continuous theme in The Red Pony: Jody hovering above childhood and adulthood, not resting in either one. Everyone has choice of what kind on adult they want to be. Jody hast these two men in front of him, in the end we discover which one he will be like: Billy Buck. Billy is compassionate, loving and he honors his elders, and Jody. Whenever that theme pops up, I write a big KA (kid and adult) in the margins of my book. If you flipped through my book, you would see a KA on nearly every page.
4. “Jody ran into the kitchen where his mother was wiping the last of the breakfast dishes. ‘Can I have a lemon to make a lemonade for grandfather?’
His mother mimicked— ‘And another lemon to make a lemonade for you?’
‘No, ma’am. I don’t want one.’
‘Jody! You’re sick!’ then she stopped suddenly. ‘Take a lemon out of the cooler,’ she said softly. ’Here, I’ll reach the squeezer down to you.’”
I think this is the most satisfying end to a book. All of Jody’s life he has wanted it all for himself, but when his mother “stops suddenly”, she realizes that he is honoring Grandfather. Jody’s mother becomes soft when she sees Jody’s love for something other than himself (example: when Gabilan is sick Mrs. Tiflin is soft and loving; and when Nellie is pregnant). I think Steinbeck chose to finish this way because it shows that Jody is turning out to be a Billy Buck kind of adult.
Eleanore
Eleanore, great use of the word foreshadowing. So much foreshadowing -- or "ding ding ding" -- in this book. Buzzards seem so powerful, so destructive to Jody in the very beginning. He, as a child, hates death and yet, as you say, there's so much death all around him from the beginning and he doesn't even know the HALF of it. Good choice talking about the buzzards. The "unfairness" of death. You also took the thought further to include WHY and WHEN Jody hates death most: not when he's burning out mice, but when he's watching a beloved die. Good. And, ahhhh, that stain of green, that stretching green that is almost an accident, only it's connected to the spring, which is the symbol for life throughout the book. That life kind of conquers death, in a crazy way. Life overpowers the dead grasses all over. Great idea to bring that sentence into one of your favorites. And yes, scarcity is always attractive. And yes, I'm thirsty, too. Steinbeck's writing is so simple and so GOOD! Remember, sometimes that which looks easy (piano, violin, skiing) often took the MOST amount of work to make look easy! Steinbeck's a master, for sure. Jody "hovering above childhood and adulthood." Ahh, yes. He is and from that bird's-eye-view, he's choosing, sort of. Which man will he "choose?" I like the way you wrote "continuous theme:" very writerly. I was so (happily) surprised when you chirped up at the end of our reading saying this was the most satisfying end to a book. There was no bang, no crescendo and then drop, nothing to signify an end but subtlety. So Steinbeck. And yet you saw it: just like with every section he ended, Steinbeck asks us to read deeper to find the meaning. And you're right (I think) this small slice of life as it continues to go on, this getting of lemonade, is so significant. Great choices. Me
ReplyDeleteGreat job LZ those are really good lines/paragraphs/sentences and how you explained why you liked them was spot on great job!!!!!
ReplyDeleteElmo
Eleanore, I can totally picture it. right. Good job describing the scene so daintily. I like the sections that you picked. I thought it was going to be easy to pick my sections but found the opposite. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYacob
nice comment carolyn :)
I am glad you totally pictured it! Right? :) :) :)
ReplyDeleteLZ
I think everybody pictured the scenes it was awesome! That one sentence made me thirsty! I love how you can find the greatest sentences and make them even better, I just choose ones that make me laugh. Great post!
ReplyDeleteLOGY
dear elsie.
ReplyDeleteyour words were so significant to me as an "outsider" of this group and a reader of the red pony so long ago.
the KA was exciting as it was a commitment of you to read for significant thoughts while totally enjoying the story.
love your club. glad fjoy could enjoy it as well.
your groms.