All the Pretty Horses Pd. 3 Connector Paula Ferrara
So, I think we can all agree that this part of the book is extremely negative after the previous chapter. With that said, I would like to connect this section of the story to a previous book that we all read, Night by Elie Wiesel. Night is a memoir of the Holocaust and follows the author’s struggle for survival with his father in the various labor camps they were held captive in. Jews were seen as lowlifes to the Nazis; they were held captive in the worst conditions and many were shot just for the heck of being shot. Many turned on each other and fought over as little as a crumb of bread. But with promises to stay alive for each other, the author and his father survived some of the harshest conditions of the war. Sadly at the closing of their captivity, his father died.
John Grady and Rawlins seem to have the same relationship during their imprisonment as Elie Wiesel and his father had during theirs. Like the Wiesels they are imprisoned for being considered lowlifes, in this case horse thieves. They are held in disgusting conditions, Blevins is shot without a fair trial, and their own fellow prisoners fight constantly; they themselves ar ewounded a lot during these fights. However they always promise each other that they will stick together no matter what. Just like Elie Wiesel and his father.
At the end of their captivity their promise to stay together is forgotten as Rawlins decides that he wants to go back home and John Grady decides he wants to find Alejandra. This is similar to how Elie Wiesels father dies and he is left to survive; they go their seperate ways. Would you have stuck to your friend if you were in the same predicament as John Grady and Rawlins or would you have gone for the whole ‘every man for himself’ kind of approach? Also, after everything they’ve been through, do you think it’s a good idea that the friends split up now? And did their split take you by surprise? Because it did for me.
Category: Per 3 WotW Con 3 comments »
April 12th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Well paula I would have to say that even though they are going there seperate ways they both know they will see eachother againm when John Grady returns to Texas. Rawlins understands what John Grady must do and he respects him for that but Rawlins is finished with Mexico and wants to go home.
I myself would probably have done the same thing if I were in the same predicament. If there was someone that I loved that was waiting for me I too would go find them.
-Kody
April 13th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Both Grady and Rawlins had good reasons to go their separate ways. Rawlins did not intend to be imprisoned and go through the tortures that they did when he decided to go to Mexico, so leaving was probably the best choice for him. John Grady, on the other hand, was prepared to do anything in Mexico for the life he wanted to live. Now that he has Allejandra to find, he has an even better reason to remain in Mexico; love. John Grady also seems like a loner to me, so it makes sense that he would stay even if Rawlins would not.
-Ditz
April 13th, 2009 at 11:08 am
I think that this is a pretty good connection. Good Job Paula.
These two boys have been through a lot. I think that it is good for them to choose where they want to go, and what they want to do. They are obviously really attached to each other, I mean I don’t even know if I would have made it this far if it were me. I think that this shows how much respect is going on in this book. They respect each other and what they want to do, without interfearing. (wow, sp?)Love is what brings us together dude!
-Abbey