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TallulahLefkowitz
OConnor
HonorsEnglish
19February2016
TheRedPony
byJohnSteinbeckPassages
Passage1:
Jody,stilleating,wentoutanddidhischores.Hesawthequailcomedowntoeatwith
thechickenswhenhethrewoutthegrain.Forsomereasonhisfatherwasproudtohavethem
come.Heneverallowedanyshootingnearthehouseforfearthequailmightgoaway.Whenthe
woodboxwasfull,Jodytookhistwentytworifleuptothecoldspringatthebrushline.He
drankthegunandaimedatallmannerofthings,atrocks,atbirdsonthewing,atthebigblack
pigkettleunderthecypresstree,buthedidntshootforhehadnocartridges...(Steinbeck7).
Comment:
Thispassageillustratessomeofthesimilaritiesbetweenthisnoveland
ToKilla
Mockingbird
byHarperLee.Bothstoriesaretoldfromthepointofviewofayoungchild
growingupduringtheGreatDepression.BothScoutandJodydisplayasimplenaivety,anda
strongpaternalrespect.

Inthispassage,Jodythinksabouthisfather'sinstructionstellinghimnot
toshootnearthehouseinfearofscaringthequail.Hisfatherisproudofthequail,andthereader
caninferthattheymeansomethingspecialtohim.ThisissimilartowhatAtticusandMs.
MaudietellScoutin
ToKillaMockingbird:
oneshouldnevershootamockingbird,asallthey
doismakemusicforpeopletoenjoy.Insuchastrugglingtime,thesebirdscouldhavebeena
symbolofhopesomethingconstant,unchanging,andbeautiful.

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Passage2:
Jodyrushedfortheharnessroom.Forsometimehehadbeenridingthesaddleona
sawhorse.Hechangedthestirruplengthoverandover,andcouldnevergetitjustright.
Sometimes,mountedonthesawhorseintheharnessroomwithcollarsandhamesandtugshung
allabouthim,Jodyrodeoutbeyondtheroom.Hecarriedarifleacrossthepommel.Hesawthe
fieldsgoflyingby,andheheardthebeatofthegallopinghoofs(Steinbeck18).
Comment:
ThispassageperfectlyillustratesthewanderingandfreemindofJody.Likemost
children,hisimaginationishisgreatesttoy,takinghimfar,wide,andintothefuture.Jodyis
excitedabouthisnewpony,andfeelsreadytotakeontheresponsibilitiesthatcomewithhim.
HeisgrowingupduringtheGreatDepression,andisbynowquiteusedtoitseffects.His
thoughtstakehimoutofhisblandandsadworld,toabetter,morefunreality,wherehecan
travelandadventureathisleisure.
Passage3:
Jodygropedblindlywithhisfreehand.Hisfingersfoundtheneckofthestrugglingbird.
Theredeyeslookedintohisface,calmandfearlessandfiercethenakedheadturnedfromside
toside.Thenthebeakopenedandvomitedastreamofputrifiedfluid.Jodybroughtuphisknee
andfellonthegreatbird.Heheldthenecktothegroundwithonehandwhilehisotherfounda
pieceofsharpwhiteQuartz.Thefirstblowbrokethebeaksidewaysandblackbloodspurted
fromthetwisted,leatherymouthcorners.Hestruckagainandmissed.Theredfearlesseyesstill
lookedathim,impersonalandunafraidanddetached.Hestruckagainandagain,untilthe
buzzardlaydead,untilitsheadwasredpulp(Steinbeck35).

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Comment:
OnceJodyseeshisbelovedponydead,withablackcloudofbuzzardsencirclinghim,he
isenraged.Beingatsuchayoungage,hissuddengriefandguiltareconvertedintoanger.He
can'tseemtowraphisheadaroundthefactthathisgreathorseislost.Heisgivensomethingso
special,thatisthensnatchedfromhim.Jodysexperienceswithhishorsewerequitetellingof
thetimeinwhichhelived.TheGreatDepressionwasatimeofdisappointmentformany,and
thelossofGalibanrepresentsthat.Whenhefirstarrived,Galibanwasagreat,stronghorse,
shiningwithpotential.Sicknessturnedhimsoquicklyintotheembodimentofstruggling
weakness.

Passage4:
Jodyfeltmeanthen,sohethrewarockatMutt.Thenhetookhisslingshotandwalked
uptowardsthebrushlinetotrytokillabird.Itwasagoodslingshot,withstoreboughtrubbers,
butwhileJodyhadoftenshotatbirds,hehadneverhitone.Hewalkedupthroughthevegetable
patch,kickinghisbaretoesintothedust.Andonthewayhetheperfectslingshotstone,round
andslightlyflattenedandheavyenoughtocarrythroughtheair.Hefitteditintotheleather
pouchofhisweaponandproceededtothebrushline(Steinbeck37).
Comment
Eventhoughthispassagetakesplaceduringthesummeraftertheponydies,Jodyseems
tostillbegriefridden.Beforetheincident,Jodywasneverachildinclinedtoviolence.Hewould
shootatbirdswithhisslingshot,butneverhitthem.Nowheseemstobehurtinganimalsforthe
sakeofseeingthemsuffer.Heknowsitiswrong,andfeelsitdeepinside.Steinbeckdoesagood

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jobofconveyingdarkinternalguilt,afeelingeveryonehasexperiencedatonepoint.IfJody
keepssuppressingtheurgetodotherightthing,hewillturnmeanandeventuallystarttobuild
upwalls.
Passage5:
Gitanowasmysteriouslikethemountains.Therewererangesbackasfarasyoucould
see,butbehindthelastrangepiledupagainsttheskytherewasagreatunknowncountry.And
Gitanowasanoldman,untilyougottothedulldarkeyes.Andinbehindthemwassome
unknownthing.Hedidnteversayenoughtoletyouguesswhatwasinside,undertheeyes.Jody
felthimselfirresistiblydrawntowardsthebunkhouse(Steinbeck49).
Comment
Steinbeckusesimagerytodescribeacharacterscharacteristics,averyuniquemethodof
description.Doingthistellsonenotonlyabouttheindividual,butthesetting,mood,andand
charactersaroundthem.Thereaderinferswhatthecharacterislikebasedonthesimilesand
metaphorsthatareoftenprovided.Inthispassage,SteinbecktalksabouthowJodyseesGitano.
Justlikein
OfMiceandMen
,hepersonifiestheenvironment,inthiscasethemountains,and
usesittosetthemood.Jodybeingsocurious,isdrawnthemysteryheseesinGitano.