All the Pretty Horses Pd. 3 Shaun Ditzler
The third chapter of this book is a very gloomy one and a bad time for John Grady and Rawlins. They are thrown into jail and undergo many hardships while imprisoned there, and when they are freed Rawlins decides to leave Grady and go back home. But despite all the troubles these two went through in this section, i would like to focus on the one who did not make it: Jimmy Blevins. Blevins was captured earlier in the book while attempting to steal back his pistol. The three met up again when they were being taken to jail. Unfortunately, Blevins was executed along the way.
“John Grady watched the small ragged figure vanish limping among the trees with his keepers. There seemed insufficient substance to him for him to be the object of men’s wrath. There seemed nothing about him sufficient to fuel any enterprise at all.”
These are John Grady’s thoughts as his friend Blevins is being taken into the woods to be killed. I chose this section because it shows that Grady is not feeling remorse or sadness or even any guilt at Blevins death, just amazement in the cruelty of other men. I am not saying that he is a bad person for this; in fact, John Grady is a very righteous person at heart. Why do you think that Grady is not feeling any sympathy towards Blevins after his adventures with him?
“They caint just walk him out there and shoot him, he [Rawlins] said. Hell fire. Just walk him out there and shoot him.
John Grady looked at him. As he did so the pistol shot come from beyond the ebony trees. Not loud. Just a flat sort of pop. Then another.”
This is the description of Blevins death. There is very little suspense leading up to it, and his execution is extremely anticlimactic. Why do you think McCarthy doesn’t add a little excitement to this scene? Is Blevins life not important to the story? I believe that the death of this boy shows how fragile and meaningless lives can be. The only friend that Grady and Rawlins had was just executed, and they, mostly Rawlins, are only concerned about getting on their way. The lack of build up and suspense in this part just shows me that the author is intending to show how meaningless and short life can be for people like John Grady and Lacey Rawlins. What would have done if you were forced to sit idly by as your friend was killed? Would you try to be a hero and save him, even if the odds were not in your favor? Or would you be more concerned about keeping yourself alive? Be honest.
-Ditz
Category: Illuminator, Per 3 WotW Illum 4 comments »
April 12th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
These are very in depth questions Shaun, nice job!
I don’t think John Grady is feeling any pity because he didn’t like Blevins all that much. He liked him more than Rawlins, but even so, after all of the trouble Blevins had caused them, I think John Grady thought he was more trouble than they needed.
i think McCarthy didn’t add any excitement because that is not his writing style. The entire book is very…to the point. Every word that’s said is plain and simple, there are no sharp plot twists, even the part when John Grady and Rawlins are arrested isn’t very exciting. Blevins life was important, yes and I was surprised at how he was just killed off. But I think his death is supposed to show John Grady and Rawlins that they were in real danger.
This is one of those ‘I have to be in that predicament to really know’ questions. You have to take into account the fear and panic of a person, whether they are righteous or not, and whether they would be willing to die for another person. As much as I would like to keep my own self safe, I would probably overrule that instinct and try to save my friend.
-Paula
April 12th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I have to disagree with Paula and say that yeah I think John Grady was feeling pity for Blevins. Yeah he didn’t like himbut that doesn’t mean he didn’t care if he was just killed. Even when he killed the boy in the jail he felt remorse even though the other boy was trying to kill him.
Paula has a point in saying that it is not very exciting because McCarthy doesn’t write with much enthusiasim. When he writes he follows KISS( Keep It Simple Stupid) and it works for him.
I don’t know what I would do. Yeah I would probably try to save him if he were my friend but i don’t know how.
-Kody
April 13th, 2009 at 11:01 am
I am impressed once again Shaun!
I am going to have to go with Paula on this one. I feel that John Grady was in so much shock that he didn’t have any room to feel pity. Then, as soon as it started, it was over. By the end I think that John Grady was scared *poopless* because now he knows how serious these men are and how dangerous it actually is.
I agree how it is McCarthy’s style of writing, but I don’t think that it is just that. I think McCarthy was trying to show us that Blevins was just a bump in the road. That sounds horrible, but what else could it be. Maybe we thought Blevins was more important than he actually was.
Wow. This is tough. I would try to sneak away. I mean they are obviously busy killing off someone, I might as well scoot my way out of the situation. Then, I would come back and try to save them. Wait, it depends on who it is, if they are annoying, then poo poo on them.
-Abbey
April 13th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Thanks Abbey….. I’m guessing I would be gone
-Kody