In chapter 22 you learn a lot about what the judge has going through his head, either hes saying what he has to say to throw kid off mentally or he really believes what he's spitting out at the kid. And a lot of time goes by this chapter, it's rare that McCarthy gives a specific date.
The kid never says much but when he does in this chapter it's deep, "for even if you should have stood your ground, he said, yet what ground was it?"It's really odd when Judge throws in the line "don't you know that I'd have you like a son?" judge has gone so far to turn whatever relationship they had to nothing, and then he throws that line in?
Friday, May 14, 2010
AAAAH Forgot my book!
Yeah, I kinda forgot my book at school last night so I read it during 1st this morning.... stupid AP tests knocked me of schedule.... luckily I had read most of this chapter before the tests AND its a short one so I didn't have to read too fast.
So I'll work from the back forward. First of all, McCarthy skips like 12 years into the future and sort of implies that he's been sailing and traveling aimlessly. I found his new priestly atire rather interesting, especially since he can't read the book he's carrying around. The end was rather disturbing...and puzzling. The old lady, it said, had been dead for "years." How does a body not rot after years? I could see this if it were a mummy or if it were frozen or something like that, but it seemed like it was in open air, though dry desert air, there would still be some moisture to degrade the body. I don't know....interesting.
Back in the town again, he gets arrested, most likely by some act of the judge. His early morning conversation with judge reveals a lot of what happened during the unmentioned times. I wonder if Tobin was really crazy, and, if so, whether he was also crazy in the desert with the kid. If he was, this could prove to be complementary to the judge. Either way, judge uses it to redeem himself with the kid. The judge says "his wits had stood him as far west as the Aquarius Mountains." The Aquarius Mountains are in Arizona, shown here. Page 307, judge carries on his traitor thing: "Buy you were a witness against yourself. You sat in judgemen on your own deeds. You put your own allowances before the dugements of history and broke with the body of which you were pledged a part and poisoned it in all its enterprise." What I got from this is that he thinks the kid is dooming himself by having the hope of a better life which is in contradiction with history.
The rest of the chapter, all I got from it was big word which I will now define for you.
antic
fistula
die-an engraved stamp for impressing a design upon some softer material, as in coining money.
gravers and burins picture
contriving
dosshouse
wallsconce
So I'll work from the back forward. First of all, McCarthy skips like 12 years into the future and sort of implies that he's been sailing and traveling aimlessly. I found his new priestly atire rather interesting, especially since he can't read the book he's carrying around. The end was rather disturbing...and puzzling. The old lady, it said, had been dead for "years." How does a body not rot after years? I could see this if it were a mummy or if it were frozen or something like that, but it seemed like it was in open air, though dry desert air, there would still be some moisture to degrade the body. I don't know....interesting.
Back in the town again, he gets arrested, most likely by some act of the judge. His early morning conversation with judge reveals a lot of what happened during the unmentioned times. I wonder if Tobin was really crazy, and, if so, whether he was also crazy in the desert with the kid. If he was, this could prove to be complementary to the judge. Either way, judge uses it to redeem himself with the kid. The judge says "his wits had stood him as far west as the Aquarius Mountains." The Aquarius Mountains are in Arizona, shown here. Page 307, judge carries on his traitor thing: "Buy you were a witness against yourself. You sat in judgemen on your own deeds. You put your own allowances before the dugements of history and broke with the body of which you were pledged a part and poisoned it in all its enterprise." What I got from this is that he thinks the kid is dooming himself by having the hope of a better life which is in contradiction with history.
The rest of the chapter, all I got from it was big word which I will now define for you.
antic
fistula
die-an engraved stamp for impressing a design upon some softer material, as in coining money.
gravers and burins picture
contriving
dosshouse
wallsconce
¡Extra Early!
So, I kind of forgot how to do this blog stuff. It's been a while, but I'll remember asbestos I can. The chapter was very different in that it showed a huge passage of time (the kid is what? Twenty-eight at one point?). There's very little judge, maybe two pages, and we see the death of Toadvine and Brown. And Tobin is just... gone.
When the judge is talking to the kid in his jail cell, he says "What joins men together is not the sharing of bread but the sharing of enemies (307)." Nothing brings folk together like a common enemy. It's no big deal when people share prosperity together, but when two people have a mutual hate for someone, they team up and become best pals, all because they hate someone. Judge also says "I'd have loved you like a son." I don't know how the judge would treat his son, but I from the text, we can presume he would rape him, several times. Having the judge "love me like a son" is the last thing I want, or anyone would want.
When the kid is finally let out of jail, it's said he "was turned out into the streets." It makes him sound like a disease, not a person. Instead of just walking around, he is set loose, free to start trouble and kill and do whatever pleases himself. Whatever tickles his fancy.
The two hanged bodies (which turn out to be those of Toadvine and Brown) are said to be "effigies for to frighten birds." I read this aloud and turned it upside down and made sure I wasn't shuffling the words, but that's what it says. While it is a Neat-o simile, the syntax isn't making any sense (to me). "Effigies to frighten birds" would have been just fine. I don't understand the extra "for."
And lastly, the Chinese folk are described as having "speech like cats." It's funny. Because now that I think about it they do sound like cats. I don't have anything more to say on that. It's just funny. Here are some words:
cretin (I heard this word on Monsters Inc. but I wasn't exactly sure what it meant)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Blood Meridian Chapter 22
First of all, you've probably noticed that I'm not at school. Therefore, I grant Jim Dandy (a.k.a Doctor Sleuth) and the rest of the AP English crowd (even Pedanticus if he wishes) the option to say anything about my blog and make fun of me as much as they want (just as long as you do it randomly and with a burning passion). You were probably going to do this anyway, but now at least I'll know.
Now to the blog. This chapter was very depressing and confusing. Maybe it was the lapse in time that confused me, but I'm not sure. Also, everyone dies! No one else is alive except for the Judge and the Kid.
Brown and Toadvine died in the worst way possible. They were executed and "(hung) at their rope-ends (looking) like effigies for to frighten birds (McCarthy 311)." Talk about anti-climactic! The execution literally spanned one sentence. I was expecting some huge fight to the death involving some sort of law (like the soldiers or the police). But instead, they are just hung. For the simile, I think McCarthy is likening the bodies to scarecrows which is a pretty cool comparison. Probably the whole scary view of scarecrows, like Friday the 13th or one of those scary movies.
Also, we see a change in heart of the Judge. He no longer wants to kill the kid, but he admires and adores him (weird). On page 307, the Judge says, "Come here. Let me touch you." He says this when he is trying to convince the Kid to listen to him and believe him but the Kid just stays against the wall. I have to say this and the surgery scene don't help the Judge's pedophile image. When the Judge takes his jacket off, he shows a Derringer pistol. Here is a picture (I used to use this little gun when I was a prostitute!) . Another great quote is on the same page, "What joins men together is not the sharing of bread but the sharing of enemies." This reminds me of the whole "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" quote. Actually, there's a pretty funny Muppet clip that shows this. Click here. Ha! Yup that really shows what I'm trying to say.
Now the Kid finally goes off by himself. He has the wisdom and knowledge of the murderous group of scalp-hunters to back him along the way so he should be fine. The part about the strange cult was very disturbing. The whole cross carrying and trail of blood would be very strange. A good simile is on page 314, "(the cult) disappeared in the coming darkness like heralds of some unspeakable calamity leaving only bloody footprints on the stone." Heralds are usually considered monarchs or messengers (dictionary.com) so is the cult some sort of messenger of death and destruction? There still may be some foreshadowing in this chapter, even though it's the second to last one. The dead woman was the best part. She is a symbol that shows how sin and chaos can reduce people to mere shells and how the murderous and inhospitable regions of the west are dangerous enough to harbor mummies. Also, the fact that the Kid spills his entire life's story out to a dead and decaying corpse is pretty interesting. Maybe McCarthy is trying to show that the only people that can sympathize with the Kid are the dead. Here is a cool website about Native American mummies.
Now for some words...
Kimono (pg 312)- a loose, wide-sleeved robe, fastened at the waist with a wide sash (dictionary.com) I think this is like one of the Geisha robes.
hackamore (pg 314)- a simple looped bridle, by means of which controlling pressure is exerted on the nose of a horse, used chiefly in breaking colts (dictionary.com)
Now to the blog. This chapter was very depressing and confusing. Maybe it was the lapse in time that confused me, but I'm not sure. Also, everyone dies! No one else is alive except for the Judge and the Kid.
Brown and Toadvine died in the worst way possible. They were executed and "(hung) at their rope-ends (looking) like effigies for to frighten birds (McCarthy 311)." Talk about anti-climactic! The execution literally spanned one sentence. I was expecting some huge fight to the death involving some sort of law (like the soldiers or the police). But instead, they are just hung. For the simile, I think McCarthy is likening the bodies to scarecrows which is a pretty cool comparison. Probably the whole scary view of scarecrows, like Friday the 13th or one of those scary movies.
Also, we see a change in heart of the Judge. He no longer wants to kill the kid, but he admires and adores him (weird). On page 307, the Judge says, "Come here. Let me touch you." He says this when he is trying to convince the Kid to listen to him and believe him but the Kid just stays against the wall. I have to say this and the surgery scene don't help the Judge's pedophile image. When the Judge takes his jacket off, he shows a Derringer pistol. Here is a picture (I used to use this little gun when I was a prostitute!) . Another great quote is on the same page, "What joins men together is not the sharing of bread but the sharing of enemies." This reminds me of the whole "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" quote. Actually, there's a pretty funny Muppet clip that shows this. Click here. Ha! Yup that really shows what I'm trying to say.
Now the Kid finally goes off by himself. He has the wisdom and knowledge of the murderous group of scalp-hunters to back him along the way so he should be fine. The part about the strange cult was very disturbing. The whole cross carrying and trail of blood would be very strange. A good simile is on page 314, "(the cult) disappeared in the coming darkness like heralds of some unspeakable calamity leaving only bloody footprints on the stone." Heralds are usually considered monarchs or messengers (dictionary.com) so is the cult some sort of messenger of death and destruction? There still may be some foreshadowing in this chapter, even though it's the second to last one. The dead woman was the best part. She is a symbol that shows how sin and chaos can reduce people to mere shells and how the murderous and inhospitable regions of the west are dangerous enough to harbor mummies. Also, the fact that the Kid spills his entire life's story out to a dead and decaying corpse is pretty interesting. Maybe McCarthy is trying to show that the only people that can sympathize with the Kid are the dead. Here is a cool website about Native American mummies.
Now for some words...
Kimono (pg 312)- a loose, wide-sleeved robe, fastened at the waist with a wide sash (dictionary.com) I think this is like one of the Geisha robes.
hackamore (pg 314)- a simple looped bridle, by means of which controlling pressure is exerted on the nose of a horse, used chiefly in breaking colts (dictionary.com)
Chapter 22
Good chapter overall. Major time skip mid chapter, and no little scene break bar to show it either.
It was interesting that the judge got the kid arrested at the beginning of the chapter and said he was going to get hanged, but I think this was just to scare him, since he was later released. I liked the way he sold the kid out, but was completely correct in his reasoning. Once again, the judge's insanity is beaten only by his reasoning. I did think it was pretty strange that the judge broke out into a lecture when he was talking to the kid though. page 306, "Dont you know that I'd have love you like a son?" I thought this was surprising, and I don't know if judge meant it, or if it was just a part of his overall scheme. Also on 307, the judge says, "Let me touch you." I don't think I even need to say just how creepy this is. When I read the whole section on the judge and kid talk, I got from it that the judge was disappointed in the kid, that maybe he did think of the kid as a son in his own way. Page 307, "If war is not holy man is nothing but antic clay." I thought this quote is awesome, definitely the top 5 for judge.
The surgeon scene was pretty cool. It's about time he got the arrow shaft removed. I thought it'd have been infected by now though. Especially since he really didn't have the time to clean the wound, or scab at this point. I looked fistula, but i still don't understand it in the sentence "A soft fisula had formed around it", page 308.
The dream / hallucination the kid had while recovering from ether confused me a little. From what I got out of it, judge was there and so was a strange man that made coinage. Also in this little section, it's noted that the kid is now 16 , so he's one year older now? Page 310, "his leg was like an evil visitant in the bed with him such was the pain."
The fate of Toadvine and Brown is found out in this chapter. They were hung. Page 311, "the hanged men at their rope-ends looked like effigies for to frighten birds." I got from this that they looked like scarecrows. It was pretty depressing that they died, but I saw it coming. The hanging is anticlimatical I think.
On the last paragraph of 311, I got from it that the kid might have got robbed because it said that someone took his shoes. Unless this was figurative, the kid has become soft.
I thought it was weird that the book skipped time to when the kid is now 28. Pretty cool that he just spent 12 years riding around. Thought it pretty messed up that the pilgrims he was supposed to lead and the strange funeral procession was all massacred, and he didn't even find the people who did it. Also, what was up with the old lady dead for years? I know that it wasn't literal because a woman can't be dead standing up for years like that in the desert. I wonder what this signifies.
It was interesting that the judge got the kid arrested at the beginning of the chapter and said he was going to get hanged, but I think this was just to scare him, since he was later released. I liked the way he sold the kid out, but was completely correct in his reasoning. Once again, the judge's insanity is beaten only by his reasoning. I did think it was pretty strange that the judge broke out into a lecture when he was talking to the kid though. page 306, "Dont you know that I'd have love you like a son?" I thought this was surprising, and I don't know if judge meant it, or if it was just a part of his overall scheme. Also on 307, the judge says, "Let me touch you." I don't think I even need to say just how creepy this is. When I read the whole section on the judge and kid talk, I got from it that the judge was disappointed in the kid, that maybe he did think of the kid as a son in his own way. Page 307, "If war is not holy man is nothing but antic clay." I thought this quote is awesome, definitely the top 5 for judge.
The surgeon scene was pretty cool. It's about time he got the arrow shaft removed. I thought it'd have been infected by now though. Especially since he really didn't have the time to clean the wound, or scab at this point. I looked fistula, but i still don't understand it in the sentence "A soft fisula had formed around it", page 308.
The dream / hallucination the kid had while recovering from ether confused me a little. From what I got out of it, judge was there and so was a strange man that made coinage. Also in this little section, it's noted that the kid is now 16 , so he's one year older now? Page 310, "his leg was like an evil visitant in the bed with him such was the pain."
The fate of Toadvine and Brown is found out in this chapter. They were hung. Page 311, "the hanged men at their rope-ends looked like effigies for to frighten birds." I got from this that they looked like scarecrows. It was pretty depressing that they died, but I saw it coming. The hanging is anticlimatical I think.
On the last paragraph of 311, I got from it that the kid might have got robbed because it said that someone took his shoes. Unless this was figurative, the kid has become soft.
I thought it was weird that the book skipped time to when the kid is now 28. Pretty cool that he just spent 12 years riding around. Thought it pretty messed up that the pilgrims he was supposed to lead and the strange funeral procession was all massacred, and he didn't even find the people who did it. Also, what was up with the old lady dead for years? I know that it wasn't literal because a woman can't be dead standing up for years like that in the desert. I wonder what this signifies.
Friday, May 7, 2010
May 7, 2010 Blog Chapter 21
Short chapter, I didn't find too much to talk about but here goes
Page 298, McCarthy uses the phrase "strips of tug." in reference to hides over ribs in description of Judge's parasol. First of all, that sounds sick looking parasol but a good contraption none the less. Second, I'm not sure what strips of tug are, but I get the impression that its like sinew? Judge is, like we've said before, like McGyver, with his fancy bone and rotten hide parasol and his rawhide collar, perhaps just a little more sadistic though.... McCarthy describes his appearance further as "He seemed some degenerate entrepreneur fleeing from a medicine show and the outrage of citizens who'd sacked it." A medicine show, I found, is a traveling sales man who sells remedies and what not. The image McCarthy makes here is one that shows how dilapidated judge looked, as if he had been attacked by a mob of angry customers. It's like Mr. Pirelli from Sweeney Todd.
Page 299, judge says, "There's a flawed place in the fabric of your heart. Do you think I could not know? You alone were mutinous. You alone reserved in your soul some corner of clemency for the heathen." What is he talking about mutiny? Does he mean mutinous towards judge or to the group? The heathen, does this refer to the indians or to Tobin? Clemency means showing compassion for something. Then he says that Toadvine and Brown are still alive, "in possession of the fruits of their election..." does this mean that they are in heaven? He told the kid to ask Tobin if it were true, "The priest doesn't lie." Which is contradictory to what he was implying before when he was trying to get him to come out.
Page 300, McCarthy repeats the word "They" several times seven times in sentences. It was done as a description, so it wouldn't make sense to say that he was accusing them of anything. What do you think was the purpose?
Warner Ranch
Cravat
Replivined
Pampooties
Page 298, McCarthy uses the phrase "strips of tug." in reference to hides over ribs in description of Judge's parasol. First of all, that sounds sick looking parasol but a good contraption none the less. Second, I'm not sure what strips of tug are, but I get the impression that its like sinew? Judge is, like we've said before, like McGyver, with his fancy bone and rotten hide parasol and his rawhide collar, perhaps just a little more sadistic though.... McCarthy describes his appearance further as "He seemed some degenerate entrepreneur fleeing from a medicine show and the outrage of citizens who'd sacked it." A medicine show, I found, is a traveling sales man who sells remedies and what not. The image McCarthy makes here is one that shows how dilapidated judge looked, as if he had been attacked by a mob of angry customers. It's like Mr. Pirelli from Sweeney Todd.
Page 299, judge says, "There's a flawed place in the fabric of your heart. Do you think I could not know? You alone were mutinous. You alone reserved in your soul some corner of clemency for the heathen." What is he talking about mutiny? Does he mean mutinous towards judge or to the group? The heathen, does this refer to the indians or to Tobin? Clemency means showing compassion for something. Then he says that Toadvine and Brown are still alive, "in possession of the fruits of their election..." does this mean that they are in heaven? He told the kid to ask Tobin if it were true, "The priest doesn't lie." Which is contradictory to what he was implying before when he was trying to get him to come out.
Page 300, McCarthy repeats the word "They" several times seven times in sentences. It was done as a description, so it wouldn't make sense to say that he was accusing them of anything. What do you think was the purpose?
Warner Ranch
Cravat
Replivined
Pampooties
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Chapter 21
This chapter was good. Seemed like a transition chapter to me though.
Once again, the party, Tobin and the kid, moves on which is pretty much most of what they do in this chapter, just trying to find a safe location away from the judge. A quote on page 295 that I didn't understand, "The earth fell away on every side equally in arcature and by these limits were they circumscribed and of them were they locus." These are the various meanings of locus, but I still have no clue what McCarthy is getting at here. This probably isn't an important line, but I just took note of it.
Also as I read this chapter I had in the back of my mind the thought that maybe Tobin was actually evil and the judge was good or whatever. When Tobin kept telling the kid to leave him and go on, I initially thought that he was trying to be selfless, but then I thought maybe he's just trying to seem selfless, in an ever increasing deception towards the kid.
I noticed a pretty bad simile on page 296. "As if the wells were ringed about by some hazard lethal to creatures." This was about the dead animals surrounding the watering hole. I thought this was bad because McCarthy just describes this scene to a hazard lethal to creatures. Sure this intentional vagueness leads readers to form their own opinion of what hazard this is (I like to think it's because of the new Nah Money album that was released), but with an author that describes the most minuscule detail, I expected a more powerful simile. I know I can't say this, but I'm just sayin'.
I expected the kid not to have shot the judge when they were hiding. As the judge said, the kid isn't the assassin type. He would be suited to killing judge in a classic western draw, which hasn't happened in this book, nor will happen. Also, it would've been anticlimactic if the judge was shot like that and died. When the judge is calling to the kid to get him to show himself or whatever, he says a pretty cool line on page 299, "You alone reserved in your soul some corner of clemency for the heathen." This could literally mean mercy for Shelby, or it could be the figurative demon that the judge stands for, or the corruption of the old company. It was good to find out that judge didn't kill Toadvine and Brown, but it seems McCarthy alluded to their fate. The quote on 300, "They are in the fruits of their election." I think there's a saying that talks about fruit, and it has something to do with punishment. This line made me think of the quote, so maybe the judge actually took them to the authorities or something, but how could he if they were in the middle of nowhere and chased by Yumas?
The Dieguenos Indians seemed pretty cool. Nice to know there are still peaceful Indians that don't want their blood. The food they were brought seemed tasty. "Stew of lizards and pocketmice hot in clay bowls." Can't remember the last time I had a meal that sounded that good. I got to admit, I thought the kid was going to shoot that Indian who reached for his pistola. If it were any other character, that probably would've been the case. I think the kid has calmed down since the beginning of the story, or has a greater understanding of life.
I didn't know what a joshua tree was, so I got a picture of it to share. I gotta say, it's a pretty dumb idea to name a tree someone's name. I want to see a picture of a Steven bush.
Once again, the party, Tobin and the kid, moves on which is pretty much most of what they do in this chapter, just trying to find a safe location away from the judge. A quote on page 295 that I didn't understand, "The earth fell away on every side equally in arcature and by these limits were they circumscribed and of them were they locus." These are the various meanings of locus, but I still have no clue what McCarthy is getting at here. This probably isn't an important line, but I just took note of it.
Also as I read this chapter I had in the back of my mind the thought that maybe Tobin was actually evil and the judge was good or whatever. When Tobin kept telling the kid to leave him and go on, I initially thought that he was trying to be selfless, but then I thought maybe he's just trying to seem selfless, in an ever increasing deception towards the kid.
I noticed a pretty bad simile on page 296. "As if the wells were ringed about by some hazard lethal to creatures." This was about the dead animals surrounding the watering hole. I thought this was bad because McCarthy just describes this scene to a hazard lethal to creatures. Sure this intentional vagueness leads readers to form their own opinion of what hazard this is (I like to think it's because of the new Nah Money album that was released), but with an author that describes the most minuscule detail, I expected a more powerful simile. I know I can't say this, but I'm just sayin'.
I expected the kid not to have shot the judge when they were hiding. As the judge said, the kid isn't the assassin type. He would be suited to killing judge in a classic western draw, which hasn't happened in this book, nor will happen. Also, it would've been anticlimactic if the judge was shot like that and died. When the judge is calling to the kid to get him to show himself or whatever, he says a pretty cool line on page 299, "You alone reserved in your soul some corner of clemency for the heathen." This could literally mean mercy for Shelby, or it could be the figurative demon that the judge stands for, or the corruption of the old company. It was good to find out that judge didn't kill Toadvine and Brown, but it seems McCarthy alluded to their fate. The quote on 300, "They are in the fruits of their election." I think there's a saying that talks about fruit, and it has something to do with punishment. This line made me think of the quote, so maybe the judge actually took them to the authorities or something, but how could he if they were in the middle of nowhere and chased by Yumas?
The Dieguenos Indians seemed pretty cool. Nice to know there are still peaceful Indians that don't want their blood. The food they were brought seemed tasty. "Stew of lizards and pocketmice hot in clay bowls." Can't remember the last time I had a meal that sounded that good. I got to admit, I thought the kid was going to shoot that Indian who reached for his pistola. If it were any other character, that probably would've been the case. I think the kid has calmed down since the beginning of the story, or has a greater understanding of life.
I didn't know what a joshua tree was, so I got a picture of it to share. I gotta say, it's a pretty dumb idea to name a tree someone's name. I want to see a picture of a Steven bush.
Blood Meridian Chapter 21
Well it turns out that the expreist and the kid are in a whole mess of trouble. Since both of them are wounded, it is highly unlikely that either of them will live. Well, that is unless the only friendly group of Native Americans comes to the rescue, which is exactly what happens. It seems like McCarthy has some plans in the future for the two refugees.
The fact that the Judge is able to keep up with the kid and Tobin is very strange. It reminds me of when you have a dream that something is chasing you and you can't run away fast enough (Dane Cook reference). Still not sure what the idiot is for, but it seems like the Judge has a master plan for everyone he meets. I think that the Judge has a really important plan for the kid. This is especially shown when the Judge talks out loud to the kid and Tobin in the desert when they are hiding. He says, "I've passed before your gunsights twice this hour and will pass a third time. Why not show yourself (McCarthy 298)?'' First of all, the fugitives are hiding under a wagon-like thing. This is one of the only marks in the evil and unforgiving desert. Why didn't the Judge go and check it out? Seriously, if he was looking for the kid, why not look underneath one of the only obstacles in the area? McCarthy may want the kid to survive to deal with the Judge later in a semi-fair fight.
Yay! It turns out that Toadvine and Brown are alive and "...in possession of the fruits of their election (McCarthy 300)." Or, at least, this is what the Judge wants him to believe. It still seems pretty strange that the Judge would have their clothes and their guns.
Thunderstones are mentioned on page 303 and it turns out that they have a real meaning other than their use in Pokemon. This word is also used in a simile. "...a bed of thunderstones clustered on that heath like the ossified eggs of some primal groundbird (prehistoric birds)." It seems like McCarthy likes to describe things with attributes of animals, probably adding to the uncivilized and wild setting.
On the last page, McCarthy describes a lot of very small and seemingly insignificant things. He writes, "Out there island clouds emplaned upon a salmoncolored othersea. Seafowl in silhouette. Downshore the dull surf boomed (McCarthy 304)." This seems to show how the feelings of the kid and Tobin are more relaxed now that they are in a safe haven city. They now have the time not to worry about the Judge, but to take in their surroundings.
Another good simile is on page 298, on which McCarthy writes, "The idiot squatted on all fours and leaned into the lead like some naked species of lemur." This is intended to describe the idiot with some sort of animal. The Americans don't see him as a human so therefore, they must compare him to animals. For a picture of a lumur, click here.
The fact that the Judge is able to keep up with the kid and Tobin is very strange. It reminds me of when you have a dream that something is chasing you and you can't run away fast enough (Dane Cook reference). Still not sure what the idiot is for, but it seems like the Judge has a master plan for everyone he meets. I think that the Judge has a really important plan for the kid. This is especially shown when the Judge talks out loud to the kid and Tobin in the desert when they are hiding. He says, "I've passed before your gunsights twice this hour and will pass a third time. Why not show yourself (McCarthy 298)?'' First of all, the fugitives are hiding under a wagon-like thing. This is one of the only marks in the evil and unforgiving desert. Why didn't the Judge go and check it out? Seriously, if he was looking for the kid, why not look underneath one of the only obstacles in the area? McCarthy may want the kid to survive to deal with the Judge later in a semi-fair fight.
Yay! It turns out that Toadvine and Brown are alive and "...in possession of the fruits of their election (McCarthy 300)." Or, at least, this is what the Judge wants him to believe. It still seems pretty strange that the Judge would have their clothes and their guns.
Thunderstones are mentioned on page 303 and it turns out that they have a real meaning other than their use in Pokemon. This word is also used in a simile. "...a bed of thunderstones clustered on that heath like the ossified eggs of some primal groundbird (prehistoric birds)." It seems like McCarthy likes to describe things with attributes of animals, probably adding to the uncivilized and wild setting.
On the last page, McCarthy describes a lot of very small and seemingly insignificant things. He writes, "Out there island clouds emplaned upon a salmoncolored othersea. Seafowl in silhouette. Downshore the dull surf boomed (McCarthy 304)." This seems to show how the feelings of the kid and Tobin are more relaxed now that they are in a safe haven city. They now have the time not to worry about the Judge, but to take in their surroundings.
Another good simile is on page 298, on which McCarthy writes, "The idiot squatted on all fours and leaned into the lead like some naked species of lemur." This is intended to describe the idiot with some sort of animal. The Americans don't see him as a human so therefore, they must compare him to animals. For a picture of a lumur, click here.
What an awful nap.
Short chapter, pretty nifty. It got slow when the met the indians, but here's what made me not happy. In the derka before the chapter where it lists the events, it says "Grizzlies." There were no grizzlies. As I recall, all they saw were "great shambling figures of bears." How's that for a let down? But the judge made up for this.
Is he psychic or something? He knew the kid was hiding all along; they weren't fooling anyone. When the judge first passed, was the kid going to shoot him? Tobin says "Ye'll get no such a chance as that again." I guess that was as good a chance as any that they could kill the judge. If they had fired, the judge would've surely died; even though he knew they were hiding there, he may not have known exactly where, and you can't defend yourself against a bullet. But the judge knew the kid wouldn't shoot: "you've not the heart of a common assassin." He knows everything about the kid. He knows what he's thinking, all the time. He comes back and gives the speech, claiming Toadvine and Brown are still alive. The kid has to believe this to some extent. After all, he doesn't have any hard evidence of the judges murdering the two. Maybe the priest has been mad the whole time. Maybe he's just got some inexplicable hatred for the judge to where he would do anything to bring him down, but the judge is just too strong. He should've known, you don't mess with the judge.
No you don't.
(I hope this isn't super failure. I'm not really sure how to harness the sorcery of salliefeelds)
Like I said earlier, the indian part kind of lost me. I know they don't like the Yumas, but other than that I got nothing really. I guess it was kind of ironic for "savages" to be so hospitable (yeah, I totally ripped that from the intro to the chapter). The pistol part (301), what was that about? Were the indians just messing with him? They are enticed by the "pistola."
I love when they arrive at the sea. That last line of the chapter, "where the stars are drowning and whales ferry their vast souls through the black and seamless sea," is just great. I've never heard the ocean described so perfectly. And the slight change in verb tense, I'm starting to understand now. The things that go on, things that aren't exclusive to the setting but whose lives are parallel to this earth (fire, the ocean, the judge) are described in present tense. I don't understand the "salmoncolored othersea." I've never seen salmoncolored water (think of a salmon shirt, Patty), maybe he's trying to say there are a lot of salmon in the water. I don't know (idk, for you hip youngsters).
I'll do some words! (that's a factorial sign by the way)
Thunderstone (303): I relate this to pokémon. Maybe it's some kind of mineral, but the only "thunderstone" google could find was some dumpy metal band... named thunderstone.
Bananas in Pajamas!
I'm feeling fontsy
So this chapter was average, but the events that had to do with Judge (go figure) were was the highlight. Any who, both Tobin and Kid are injured, out of water, and are 2 miles ahead of a man that wants the both of them dead. I get that Judge isn't ever going to die, but why didn't Kid even try to shoot him? I've been expecting someone to try to hide the entire book, I can't believe it actually worked for them. Judge knew they were there because (I'm assuming) their tracks completely stopped. Judge was just kind of talking to the surrounding area knowing they could hear. "There's a flawed place in the fabric of your heart." when Judge talks it's like he's doing some old fashioned reverse psychology; putting Kid in the mind set that there is something wrong with him and he isn't acting like the "right kind of man" (maybe). Questioning his manhood, "Do you think I could not know?" he talks as if he has known this all along.
Once Tobin and Kid are found by the Indians McCarthy starts naming off a bunch of Indians(?). One with the phonetic name of Beetlejuice (Betelgeuse), and i saw no purpose what-so-ever for doing this. It was great that the Indians were good Indians; the "stew of lizards and pocketmice" makes your mouth water, right?
The part where the one Indian man reaches for Kid's gun was hilarious, it was like he was intentionally toying with Kid for amusement. I have absolutely no idea what they are saying when Espanol is being spoken, care to share?
On page 297 when McCarthy refers to the idiot as "his [Judge] drooling manciple" I really liked his word choice, it helped paint a better mental picture. And the idiot was just cracking me up, the sight of a very serious, very naked man with an almost midget dummy on a leash was perfect. Judge has useful items hanging from him almost everywhere. Here are some of the things he was carting around.
Quite a bit, dontcha think?
Some super-duper sentences with the word like in them
298 "The idiot squatted on all fours and leaned into the lead like some naked species of lemur.
303 "That day there was no sun and only a paleness in the haze and the country was white with frost and the shrubs were like polar isomers of their own shapes."
303 "In the morning they crossed a bed of thunderstones clustered on that heath like the ossified eggs of some primal groundbird."
Wurds
295 shales - a fissile rock that is formed by the consolidation of clay, mud, or silt, has a finely stratified or laminated structure, and is composed of minerals essentially unaltered since deposition
locus - the place where something is situated or occurs
296 scalloped - a thin slice of boneless meat or fish (sand)
esker - a long narrow ridge or mound of sand, gravel, and boulders deposited by a stream flowing on, within, or beneath a stagnant glacier
297 sated - to cloy with overabundance
reconnoitred - to make a reconnaissance of (reconnaissance - a preliminary survey to gain information; especially an exploratory military survey of enemy territory)
purview - the body or enacting part of a statute
So this chapter was average, but the event
Once Tobin and Kid are found by the Indians McCarthy starts naming off a bunch of Indians(?). One with the phonetic name of Beetlejuice (Betelgeuse), and i saw no purpose what-so-ever for doing this. It was great that the Indians were good Indians; the "stew of lizards and pocketmice" makes your mouth water, right?
The part where the one Indian man reaches for Kid's gun was hilarious, it was like he was intentionally toying with Kid for amusement. I have absolutely no idea what they are saying when Espanol is being spoken, care to share?
On page 297 when McCarthy refers to the idiot as "his [Judge] drooling manciple" I really liked his word choice, it helped paint a better mental picture. And the idiot was just cracking me up, the sight of a very serious, very naked man with an almost midget dummy on a leash was perfect. Judge has useful items hanging from him almost everywhere. Here are some of the things he was carting around.
Quite a bit, dontcha think?
Some super-duper sentences with the word like in them
298 "The idiot squatted on all fours and leaned into the lead like some naked species of lemur.
303 "That day there was no sun and only a paleness in the haze and the country was white with frost and the shrubs were like polar isomers of their own shapes."
303 "In the morning they crossed a bed of thunderstones clustered on that heath like the ossified eggs of some primal groundbird."
Wurds
295 shales - a fissile rock that is formed by the consolidation of clay, mud, or silt, has a finely stratified or laminated structure, and is composed of minerals essentially unaltered since deposition
locus - the place where something is situated or occurs
296 scalloped - a thin slice of boneless meat or fish (sand)
esker - a long narrow ridge or mound of sand, gravel, and boulders deposited by a stream flowing on, within, or beneath a stagnant glacier
297 sated - to cloy with overabundance
reconnoitred - to make a reconnaissance of (reconnaissance - a preliminary survey to gain information; especially an exploratory military survey of enemy territory)
purview - the body or enacting part of a statute
Mr. Rud has a twin, they're 100% identical
I'm curious as to why the Yumas didn't even make an attempt to go after Toadvine and Kid, I mean it's good for their sake, but you would think they would at least try. On page 277 "there was no place the sun would not find him and only the wind could hide his tracks" the only reason I can think that they would even be worried about their tracks is in case of the Yumas possibly coming after them. They don't talk to each other much either, "got any water?" "not much" I guess that sort of thing doesn't require much talking, Toadvine could always just check for himself.
Kid tells Toadvine, three times, to go on and to leave Kid to die. But Toadvine stays, this could be because Toadvine is attached to Kid, as a father figure kind of thing; or it is because he knows Kid is a great shot. Kid has amazing aim, he kills a Yuma about 100 yards away, and you have to add the factor of the guns accuracy, back in that time.
When Toadvine and Kid get to the well where there is a figure, at first I thought it was going to be Judge, but it was just Tobin, the not even a real expriest.
at first Toadvine and Kid are running, getting away..from Judge. I hate that the tables have turned on them; Judge wants to kill the two of them. He wants to kill everyone, everyone in the company. Judge has pulled a total 180.
I was shocked when Kid shot at Judge, but super glad when he missed, it was an INTENSE moment.
Kid tells Toadvine, three times, to go on and to leave Kid to die. But Toadvine stays, this could be because Toadvine is attached to Kid, as a father figure kind of thing; or it is because he knows Kid is a great shot. Kid has amazing aim, he kills a Yuma about 100 yards away, and you have to add the factor of the guns accuracy, back in that time.
When Toadvine and Kid get to the well where there is a figure, at first I thought it was going to be Judge, but it was just Tobin, the not even a real expriest.
at first Toadvine and Kid are running, getting away..from Judge. I hate that the tables have turned on them; Judge wants to kill the two of them. He wants to kill everyone, everyone in the company. Judge has pulled a total 180.
I was shocked when Kid shot at Judge, but super glad when he missed, it was an INTENSE moment.
ummm.....
This chapter was great, but it got confusing after a while. I wasn't exactly following why the kid and Tobin were running from the judge.
I'll comment on the dialogue; there seems to be a lot of it in this chapter. Toadvine is talking to the kid after he's shot and the kid is just a jerk, even though he's probably not trying to be. "How much water you got?" "Not much." "What do you want to do?" "I don't know." And more short answers that don't really say anything. Then, later on, this one: "Where is the judge?" said the kid. "Where indeed," (says Tobin). But I think this one means something more. The judge could be anywhere. No one could really know. It's kind of a jerk way to say it though. And then after that, Tobin says "You'll not kill him," talking about the judge. Yep, this guy can't be killed. Earlier the kid shot at him, and it seemed as though he was trying to miss. Earlier he had hit Yumas one after another from further distances, but he misses the judge by quite a bit. Maybe he can't be killed.
Toadvine says "Let's see your color (283)." I haven't any idea what this means. He's talking to the judge about buying his hat. Maybe color means money or something. I'm not sure. And judge quotes "some term in latin." I thought it was weird that he didn't include an actual phrase. I doubt he was too lazy to find one; maybe it's just that the quote doesn't matter so much as the fact the judge recites them so often does.
"He was sitting in the sand and he made a tripod of three fingers and stuck them in the sand before him and then he lifted and turned them and poked them in again so that there were six holes in the form of a star or a hexagon and then he rubbed them out again." This is Toadvine, and this action seems to be all but arbitrary. We all like playing in the sand, but I don't know why the passage is included in the book, because it doesn't really show how Toadvine is feeling. He is talking about being arrested. They ask him why and he doesn't answer, instead he just plays in the sand. I guess it's just showing he doesn't want to answer, and is reluctant to talk about his past.
I liked this quote: "We will cook impartially upon this great siliceous griddle I do assure you." This is the judge speaking. I just think it sounds cool, the desert being a griddle and all. Oh, and then the judge calls himself "a simple man (284)." As far as we've seen, he's far from simple and for him to say so is clearly a lie. I'm not sure.
penitent scurrilous neolithic (from the simile describing the idiot "shambling along behind them like some dim neolithic herdsman.)
May 06, 2010 Blog Chapter 20
Pg 280, the kid's target practice. How far out are the Indians? Either way, it seems like he only missed once and then killed 3 one after another.
sprues
tangenital
portent
scurrilous
I like the quote on page 282. "those who travel in desert places do indeed meet with creatures surpassing all description." They are in "desert places" but I think that McCarthy means to imply that this applies to any situation in which people are completely alone. Perhaps in an mental desert, one faces many "creatures" or thought processes that would be impossible for anyone to follow but the thinker of the thoughts
Judge is still able to manipulate people naked, sunburnt, and weaponless using his latin. Page 283, he "quoted some term in latin." in order to further convince Toadvine to sell his hat to him. McCarthy later describes him as "some immense and naked barrister whom the country had crazed."
sprues
tangenital
portent
scurrilous
I like the quote on page 282. "those who travel in desert places do indeed meet with creatures surpassing all description." They are in "desert places" but I think that McCarthy means to imply that this applies to any situation in which people are completely alone. Perhaps in an mental desert, one faces many "creatures" or thought processes that would be impossible for anyone to follow but the thinker of the thoughts
Judge is still able to manipulate people naked, sunburnt, and weaponless using his latin. Page 283, he "quoted some term in latin." in order to further convince Toadvine to sell his hat to him. McCarthy later describes him as "some immense and naked barrister whom the country had crazed."
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Blood Meridian Chapter 20
UPDATE ON THE BLOOD MERIDIAN MOVIE!!!!!
IT IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AND IS SCHEDULED FOR 2011!! (no specific date)
for more info click here
Now for some blog...
I loved this chapter! It was very interesting and definately fufilled the saying, "Love your enemies but keep your gun oiled."
Toadvine and the kid finally get to become their own little group again. It turns out, they're best of friends and will protect each other until the end. I agree with Ollie's statement about Toadvine being a father figure.
The kid's arrow wound is directly a link to Brown's similar injury. Instead of being treatable though, the kid has to endure long periods of agony with an arrow imbedded against his thigh bone. The future doesn't seem too bright for the kid. It turns out that the kid is the best shooter of the group. The expreist says, "Aye, you're a cool one. But it's cunning work all the same and wouldnt it take the heart out of ye (McCarthy 280)." I think this means that the kid is actually able to pick where to place the bullet, giving him the ability to inflict the most agony upon his foes; as apposed to his friends that shoot just to hit the enemy. Because the kid is a dead-eye, he gets to choose how much he makes a person suffer, which could be emotionally disturbing while necessary in combat at the same time.
The Judge's appearance is very mystic. All of a sudden, the Judge and the imbicile come out of the abyss promising trade. A great simile is on page 282, on which McCarthy writes, "Like things so charged with meaning that their forms are dimmed." Again this adds to the power and knowledge of the Judge and his new companion. Still not really sure why the Judge chose to keep the idiot. He may use it later as a sort of lure, but I'm not entirely sure. Another good simile is on the same page. "...very extremes of exile like some scurrilous king stripped of his vestiture and driven together with his fool into the wilderness to die." The only simile-like thing in this sentence is the part describing the Judge to a king. The rest about the fool, wilderness, and exile are all true. This similarity seperated by a difference emphasizes the actual simile that is intended.
scurrilous- grossly or obscenely abusive (dictionary.com)
The Judge has a weakness: the sun. It seems that only now, in his entirely nude form, the sun starts to take an effect on him. On page 284, the Judge says, "Yonder sun is like the eye of God (notice the capitalization) and we will cook impartially..." Again, maybe the sun is God's weapon against the Judge, since he is the devil.
The entire book can be summarized in one line Toadvine says. "You wouldnt think that a man would run plumb out of country out here, would ye (McCarthy 285)?'' Ever since the beginning, the Americans have been running out of places to go. Even their own brotheren (the Judge) wants them dead. This is McCarthy's way of saying that, pretty soon, everything you have done will catch up with you. Wether the outcome is good or bad depends on what you have done up to the point of your day of judgement.
The Judge has finally completely snapped. He kills everyone now, even if they were once part of his group of brothers or students. They used to look up to the Judge, but now they must run from him. They cannot have any hope of escaping for they have complete and total respect for the Judge. They fear him so therefore they adore him which will lead to their ultimate demise.
Neolithic (page 288) refers to the last part of the stone age.
I've never noticed this before, but McCarthy refuses to use hyphens. When he spells cul-de-sac, he spells it culdesac. It took me forever to understand what he meant. This deletion of hyphens from the languange of the book really adds to the whole era thing and the use of McCarthy's combination of words thing. Basically you can be a great writer by not using hyphens.
IT IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AND IS SCHEDULED FOR 2011!! (no specific date)
for more info click here
Now for some blog...
I loved this chapter! It was very interesting and definately fufilled the saying, "Love your enemies but keep your gun oiled."
Toadvine and the kid finally get to become their own little group again. It turns out, they're best of friends and will protect each other until the end. I agree with Ollie's statement about Toadvine being a father figure.
The kid's arrow wound is directly a link to Brown's similar injury. Instead of being treatable though, the kid has to endure long periods of agony with an arrow imbedded against his thigh bone. The future doesn't seem too bright for the kid. It turns out that the kid is the best shooter of the group. The expreist says, "Aye, you're a cool one. But it's cunning work all the same and wouldnt it take the heart out of ye (McCarthy 280)." I think this means that the kid is actually able to pick where to place the bullet, giving him the ability to inflict the most agony upon his foes; as apposed to his friends that shoot just to hit the enemy. Because the kid is a dead-eye, he gets to choose how much he makes a person suffer, which could be emotionally disturbing while necessary in combat at the same time.
The Judge's appearance is very mystic. All of a sudden, the Judge and the imbicile come out of the abyss promising trade. A great simile is on page 282, on which McCarthy writes, "Like things so charged with meaning that their forms are dimmed." Again this adds to the power and knowledge of the Judge and his new companion. Still not really sure why the Judge chose to keep the idiot. He may use it later as a sort of lure, but I'm not entirely sure. Another good simile is on the same page. "...very extremes of exile like some scurrilous king stripped of his vestiture and driven together with his fool into the wilderness to die." The only simile-like thing in this sentence is the part describing the Judge to a king. The rest about the fool, wilderness, and exile are all true. This similarity seperated by a difference emphasizes the actual simile that is intended.
scurrilous- grossly or obscenely abusive (dictionary.com)
The Judge has a weakness: the sun. It seems that only now, in his entirely nude form, the sun starts to take an effect on him. On page 284, the Judge says, "Yonder sun is like the eye of God (notice the capitalization) and we will cook impartially..." Again, maybe the sun is God's weapon against the Judge, since he is the devil.
The entire book can be summarized in one line Toadvine says. "You wouldnt think that a man would run plumb out of country out here, would ye (McCarthy 285)?'' Ever since the beginning, the Americans have been running out of places to go. Even their own brotheren (the Judge) wants them dead. This is McCarthy's way of saying that, pretty soon, everything you have done will catch up with you. Wether the outcome is good or bad depends on what you have done up to the point of your day of judgement.
The Judge has finally completely snapped. He kills everyone now, even if they were once part of his group of brothers or students. They used to look up to the Judge, but now they must run from him. They cannot have any hope of escaping for they have complete and total respect for the Judge. They fear him so therefore they adore him which will lead to their ultimate demise.
Neolithic (page 288) refers to the last part of the stone age.
I've never noticed this before, but McCarthy refuses to use hyphens. When he spells cul-de-sac, he spells it culdesac. It took me forever to understand what he meant. This deletion of hyphens from the languange of the book really adds to the whole era thing and the use of McCarthy's combination of words thing. Basically you can be a great writer by not using hyphens.
Chapter 20
I thought this chapter was pretty slow. At least in the beginning. McCarthy uses rancid a lot in this chapter. It's a good word, but he could've used a thesaurus or something to find another one.
I thought it was interesting that in the beginning, the Yumas didn't go after Toadvine and the kid. They just watched them run. I think they were letting them go ahead so they could have a chase, like in The Most Dangerous Game. Also the Yuma could be just bored, and thought that since they were wounded and such, they didn't pose much of a threat anymore.
A line I like on page 277, "there was no place the sun would not find him and only the wind could hide his tracks." This adds to the reason as to why the Yumas let them go because it explains the futility of Toadvine and the kid trying to get away.
I thought it was pretty noble that Toadvine stuck with the kid even though the kid told him to go. I think Toadvine has become somewhat of a parental figure for the kid, even if it's only a little bit.
I liked the simile on 278, "They watched them assemble upon the trembling drop of the eastern horizon like baleful marionettes." Thought this was an interesting way to describe the aborigines. The little aborigines fight was pretty cool. It seemed too ridiculous to believe that all the arrows that was shot at the two Americans missed, though it was a smart move to snap all the arrows in the ground. Pretty cool that the kid got to his elbows and shot one aborigine, and that's all that was needed to get them to stop fighting. Seems like the aborigines were pretty weak that it took only one shot ally to get them to stop. Pretty lame I think.
I thought it was cool that after they find Tobin, the kid just shoots random Yumas as if he's sniping them. I thought the line on 280 was pretty weird, "The expriest whispered encouragement at his elbow." I thought this line was pretty creepy.
On 281, "Evening was coming on and in the red land to the west the Yumas were gathering in silhouette before the sun." I noticed this quote used nearly all the words in the second title of the book. Just thought it was interesting to point out.
The trade of the hat between Toadvine and Judge was alright. Also, what happened to Toadvine? Did the judge kill him when the kid and Tobin leave, because it said something later like he wore the clothes of his recent associates. Does that mean Toadvine and Brown?
The kid vs judge scene was pretty epic, that doesn't seem to be finished. Once again, pretty miraculous that Tobin didn't die of the gunshot through the throat. The chapter ended in a big cliffhanger. I'm actually looking forward to chapter 21 to find out what the heck happens next.
I thought it was interesting that in the beginning, the Yumas didn't go after Toadvine and the kid. They just watched them run. I think they were letting them go ahead so they could have a chase, like in The Most Dangerous Game. Also the Yuma could be just bored, and thought that since they were wounded and such, they didn't pose much of a threat anymore.
A line I like on page 277, "there was no place the sun would not find him and only the wind could hide his tracks." This adds to the reason as to why the Yumas let them go because it explains the futility of Toadvine and the kid trying to get away.
I thought it was pretty noble that Toadvine stuck with the kid even though the kid told him to go. I think Toadvine has become somewhat of a parental figure for the kid, even if it's only a little bit.
I liked the simile on 278, "They watched them assemble upon the trembling drop of the eastern horizon like baleful marionettes." Thought this was an interesting way to describe the aborigines. The little aborigines fight was pretty cool. It seemed too ridiculous to believe that all the arrows that was shot at the two Americans missed, though it was a smart move to snap all the arrows in the ground. Pretty cool that the kid got to his elbows and shot one aborigine, and that's all that was needed to get them to stop fighting. Seems like the aborigines were pretty weak that it took only one shot ally to get them to stop. Pretty lame I think.
I thought it was cool that after they find Tobin, the kid just shoots random Yumas as if he's sniping them. I thought the line on 280 was pretty weird, "The expriest whispered encouragement at his elbow." I thought this line was pretty creepy.
On 281, "Evening was coming on and in the red land to the west the Yumas were gathering in silhouette before the sun." I noticed this quote used nearly all the words in the second title of the book. Just thought it was interesting to point out.
The trade of the hat between Toadvine and Judge was alright. Also, what happened to Toadvine? Did the judge kill him when the kid and Tobin leave, because it said something later like he wore the clothes of his recent associates. Does that mean Toadvine and Brown?
The kid vs judge scene was pretty epic, that doesn't seem to be finished. Once again, pretty miraculous that Tobin didn't die of the gunshot through the throat. The chapter ended in a big cliffhanger. I'm actually looking forward to chapter 21 to find out what the heck happens next.
some lady just gave me a sausage biscuit
I automatically thought of the red haired lady singing and hanging clothes in 1984 near Winston and Julia's apartment room, then I think of that lady washing Simple Jack (Tropic Thunder) in the river singing like the girls did in O'Brother Where Art Thou, ...I watch too many movies.
Pg 257 "Damn if you aint a sorry specimen" said Sarah Borginnis to Idiot, Poor guy. If Idiot is stupid enough to get BACK into the water he automatically loses all right to live. And in chapter 19 I believe we learn why Judge saved him. Did I mention, it was a pantsless party.
Howitzer: short barrel cannon mostly sued for high angle shooting, Judge held this?! ..it does only say twelvepounder.
Naked 12 year old girl, naked retard, naked pedophile, Judge is disappointing; at least he is consistant, but that's pretty sickening.
Glanton...died, it was foreshadowed in chapter 17, when McCarthy had him contemplating and being all seclusive, I figured it was about his time. It happened in the most un-epic way possible, though. I'm glad he's dead. Pg 275 "Hack away you mean red nigger" And not only was he cut from the crown of the skull to the throat, but they lifted up his body as if it were a prize then just tossed him into their fire like a log. And this is the life of a man named John.
Seeing how they didn't have handy bic lighters back then, cigars are the next best thing. Brown does it, killing about a dozen Yumas, awesome. Then Judge does it at the end, which is much less awesome, because he is ONCE AGAIN naked.
This is the first chapter( as far as I can remember) that so much time goes by, two days, one days, a month, so forth so on.
This Doctor guy, I don't really get why he stay for the ferry, Doctor job would pay more, right? But then the Yuma's take it over and a fellow Yuma, Callaghan, operates it for them. Little does he know within the next few days he'll be relaxing without a worry in the world (maybe he's worried about the vulture, but I don't think he minds now), and his head..
Brown dashes a bit of fire water on a guy and sets him on, you guessed it, fire. fun points for David Brown and his creativity as he escapes after being arrested.
When McCarthy describes Brown's gun I see this beautifully hand crafted weapon, purple barrel, reddish wood, gold inlaid name, platinum bands, and the locks on the hammers had scrollwork. I hate that he wants to cut the barrels so badly, but you just can't ruin a masterpiece.
"can't or wont?" "You pick the one that best suits you" I kept thinking Brown was going to decapitate this guy. "In the case of which I aim to take it out of your ass." ouch. Brown still gets his way, and manages to get away without being charged.
alcalde amassed abutments
Sent via iPod Safari.
Pg 257 "Damn if you aint a sorry specimen" said Sarah Borginnis to Idiot, Poor guy. If Idiot is stupid enough to get BACK into the water he automatically loses all right to live. And in chapter 19 I believe we learn why Judge saved him. Did I mention, it was a pantsless party.
Howitzer: short barrel cannon mostly sued for high angle shooting, Judge held this?! ..it does only say twelvepounder.
Naked 12 year old girl, naked retard, naked pedophile, Judge is disappointing; at least he is consistant, but that's pretty sickening.
Glanton...died, it was foreshadowed in chapter 17, when McCarthy had him contemplating and being all seclusive, I figured it was about his time. It happened in the most un-epic way possible, though. I'm glad he's dead. Pg 275 "Hack away you mean red nigger" And not only was he cut from the crown of the skull to the throat, but they lifted up his body as if it were a prize then just tossed him into their fire like a log. And this is the life of a man named John.
Seeing how they didn't have handy bic lighters back then, cigars are the next best thing. Brown does it, killing about a dozen Yumas, awesome. Then Judge does it at the end, which is much less awesome, because he is ONCE AGAIN naked.
This is the first chapter( as far as I can remember) that so much time goes by, two days, one days, a month, so forth so on.
This Doctor guy, I don't really get why he stay for the ferry, Doctor job would pay more, right? But then the Yuma's take it over and a fellow Yuma, Callaghan, operates it for them. Little does he know within the next few days he'll be relaxing without a worry in the world (maybe he's worried about the vulture, but I don't think he minds now), and his head..
Brown dashes a bit of fire water on a guy and sets him on, you guessed it, fire. fun points for David Brown and his creativity as he escapes after being arrested.
When McCarthy describes Brown's gun I see this beautifully hand crafted weapon, purple barrel, reddish wood, gold inlaid name, platinum bands, and the locks on the hammers had scrollwork. I hate that he wants to cut the barrels so badly, but you just can't ruin a masterpiece.
"can't or wont?" "You pick the one that best suits you" I kept thinking Brown was going to decapitate this guy. "In the case of which I aim to take it out of your ass." ouch. Brown still gets his way, and manages to get away without being charged.
alcalde amassed abutments
Sent via iPod Safari.
Blood Meridian Chapter 18 + (cos(19)^3)/cot(2)......not really sure if this equals 19 but the answer is indeed 19....
Very disappointed....I was expecting Glanton to die in some furious fire-fight in where he takes out a mass of people only to die in the end. Oh well, we still have the Judge to count on!
I don't blame the Yumas for running. If I saw the Judge nude holding a cannon next to the idiot and a naked 12 year old girl, I would run also. Also, the Judge was HOLDING the cannon! Those things have to weigh over like 500 pounds! http://www.thepirateking.com/historical/cannon_united_states_guns_of_the_early.htm
A question...Why is the idiot in the tent with the Judge? We know he likes little children (hence the 12 year old girl) but why the idiot?
We all knew Glanton was going to be killed off. He had to be. McCarthy showed the common ending of a leader when he had Glanton killed by the Yumas. It was predictable that some sort of Native was going to kill him. Plus, Glanton's final words were great, "Hack away you mean red nigger (McCarthy 275)." Perfect! Definitely the best thing he could have said. McCarthy hopefully got some of his ideas from watching awesome one-liner movies like Predator (STICK AROUND!). Having Glanton die was fitting, however the way he died was very anti-climatic. First of all, he was sleeping. He wasn't even ready for the Yumas and he didn't even shoot anyone. I was expecting him to shoot at least a couple of Yumas before being hit in the throat.
McCarthy doesn't really describe anyones facial expressions or inner feelings. The only way he has done so so far is by making people spit when they are either angry or in deep thought. He does this to show how evil and expressionless the Americans are since they kill for a living. Basically, the Americans have grown tough and mean after so many years of murder and hardship.
On page 273, McCarthy writes, "Someone had given the idiot whiskey mixed with sarsaparilla..." So who had the brilliant idea to get the idiot drunk? Seriously guys? Well, it's actually really funny! It's awesome how it actually healed him somewhat, "...This thing which could little more than walk had commenced to dance...(McCarthy 273)" We have finally found the cure for retardation, WHISKEY!
It seems that, as the group and other travelers migrate west, they get crazier and are less likely to live. A good simile is on page 272. "(Glanton) rode...like some storied hero toward what beast of war or plague or famine with what set to his relentless jaw." This is the view of other travelers as Glanton is riding back to the ferry. It seems like he's a hero because he is traveling in the other direction, toward the death and destruction.
Descriptive language?- "...he had also a mountain howitzer-a bronze twelvepounder with a bore the size of a saucer...(McCarthy 260)" Umm...that's a pretty big gun! I'm amazed that even the Judge could hold it in one arm!
Metaphor- "(the washing of the idiot-Chapter 18) A birth scene or a baptism or some ritual not yet inaugurated into any canon (McCarthy 259)." This metaphor gets progressively more religiously intense, starting with a birth then going to a ritual. This emphasizes the religious preference of Sarah Borginnis.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c13/CBNH/Estate0011.jpg
Here is a picture of an engraved 1800's shotgun. Engraved guns were incredibly valuable in the early 1800's because machines weren't made to do the art mechanically. Instead, artiseans had to engrave the guns by hand, a delicate trade that needed the steady hands of a surgeon, the metal knowledge of a ferrier (book reference), and the colorful imagination of an artist.
I don't blame the Yumas for running. If I saw the Judge nude holding a cannon next to the idiot and a naked 12 year old girl, I would run also. Also, the Judge was HOLDING the cannon! Those things have to weigh over like 500 pounds! http://www.thepirateking.com/historical/cannon_united_states_guns_of_the_early.htm
A question...Why is the idiot in the tent with the Judge? We know he likes little children (hence the 12 year old girl) but why the idiot?
We all knew Glanton was going to be killed off. He had to be. McCarthy showed the common ending of a leader when he had Glanton killed by the Yumas. It was predictable that some sort of Native was going to kill him. Plus, Glanton's final words were great, "Hack away you mean red nigger (McCarthy 275)." Perfect! Definitely the best thing he could have said. McCarthy hopefully got some of his ideas from watching awesome one-liner movies like Predator (STICK AROUND!). Having Glanton die was fitting, however the way he died was very anti-climatic. First of all, he was sleeping. He wasn't even ready for the Yumas and he didn't even shoot anyone. I was expecting him to shoot at least a couple of Yumas before being hit in the throat.
McCarthy doesn't really describe anyones facial expressions or inner feelings. The only way he has done so so far is by making people spit when they are either angry or in deep thought. He does this to show how evil and expressionless the Americans are since they kill for a living. Basically, the Americans have grown tough and mean after so many years of murder and hardship.
On page 273, McCarthy writes, "Someone had given the idiot whiskey mixed with sarsaparilla..." So who had the brilliant idea to get the idiot drunk? Seriously guys? Well, it's actually really funny! It's awesome how it actually healed him somewhat, "...This thing which could little more than walk had commenced to dance...(McCarthy 273)" We have finally found the cure for retardation, WHISKEY!
It seems that, as the group and other travelers migrate west, they get crazier and are less likely to live. A good simile is on page 272. "(Glanton) rode...like some storied hero toward what beast of war or plague or famine with what set to his relentless jaw." This is the view of other travelers as Glanton is riding back to the ferry. It seems like he's a hero because he is traveling in the other direction, toward the death and destruction.
Descriptive language?- "...he had also a mountain howitzer-a bronze twelvepounder with a bore the size of a saucer...(McCarthy 260)" Umm...that's a pretty big gun! I'm amazed that even the Judge could hold it in one arm!
Metaphor- "(the washing of the idiot-Chapter 18) A birth scene or a baptism or some ritual not yet inaugurated into any canon (McCarthy 259)." This metaphor gets progressively more religiously intense, starting with a birth then going to a ritual. This emphasizes the religious preference of Sarah Borginnis.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c13/CBNH/Estate0011.jpg
Here is a picture of an engraved 1800's shotgun. Engraved guns were incredibly valuable in the early 1800's because machines weren't made to do the art mechanically. Instead, artiseans had to engrave the guns by hand, a delicate trade that needed the steady hands of a surgeon, the metal knowledge of a ferrier (book reference), and the colorful imagination of an artist.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Skoobadeedoobeedoo. Skoobadeedoobeedoo.
Since most of the other folks have their favorite chapters, I will say these two are collectively my favorites.
Those old ladies... they make me so mad, mostly because they remind me of two old ladies I know who are the exact same. They think they can make everything better and they're always right, and yeah, they aren't annoying in the least bit, right? It's none of their business, but they have to go digging around and whatnot, trying to make a poor fellow's life better, even though this certain poor fellow wouldn't know Dr. Pepper from Dr. Thunder, or Papa John's from J.B.'s. But the idiot gets his; even a guy who eats his own feces knows there's something wrong with these hags. Is this guy a kid? They describe him as very small (the judge's waist) and the old ladies call him a child. But anyway, the naked "balden groundsloth" gets out of there while the gettin's good, and sure enough finds the judge... who is also naked. "Like a great midwife." Only what's the child? Because I see the idiot as more of the afterbirth. Regardless, it was a great line.
I'm glad we got to experience some of Brown's bad-butt-ery. Lighting guys on fire with cigars, firing a howitzer with... a cigar. He made me sad though, twice. First when he lights the guy on fire. I'm laughing; it's all fun. Especially at "the man ran outside mute save for the whoosh of the flames," haha, made me laff. But then the words, "[he] burned up." It makes me sad, why I don't know. And then, even worse, was the guard of the prison. Yeah, the kid was an idiot to trust the guy in the cell; the guy with EARS around his neck. It was obviously coming, but it made me sad because the boy was so optimistic; he was sure these were the first steps to a new life. But he's shot through the back of his head. Even in the wanton malicious 1849 west, Brown has to feel a little bad, right? But forget the sadness; remember the bad-butt-ery. "I believe that man done withdrawed his charges." Brown basically gets through this dilemma the same way Judge and Glanton got through the one a few chapters ago. A blatant lie. "Nah, that ain't me."
Glanton goes on a big errand (all the while keeping his headphones in, playing Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Taking Care of Business" on repeat). No messing around, just going to get his boy back. He's on his way back, basking in his man-ness, and then he... gets axed in the head. I didn't see this one coming. I figured he would've stuck it out.
I have a load more, but I'll skip the lesser parts and talk about judge. Picking up the howitzer like the man beast he is. Yeah, it's not a cannon, it's a bloody rifle. And that's what America does: we pick up howitzers and aim them at injin's faces. He was found with a twelve year old but who even cares after that stunt? Looks like he's on his own now (with the idiot, for whatever he is worth). Looking forward to the next chapters.
Yeah, lastly a wordy word simile. "The judge was standing on the rise in silhouette against the evening sun like some great balden archimandrite."
Some words: clerical (in that awesome simile, describing the vulture on the dead guy)
juzgado-spanish for "court"
Chapter 18 + Chapter 19
These two chapters were pretty good. It took a twist, mention it later in the blog.
Spoiler Alert: Glanton dies.
18 starts with a good description of the various constellations, including the Cassiopeia. 256, "the constellation of Cassiopeia burned like a witch's signature on the black face of the firmament." Pretty cool simile about such constellation.
I thought it pretty funny that the women gathered around the idiot, and thought to bathe him and clothe him, and he goes and removes them later. Also, thought it a little interesting that the judge took a nude walk right at this time. To me it seemed as if it was too good that it happened like that.
The howitzer mentioned here is just amazing. The way that the company uses it to fight the invading Yumas is pretty smart, even if it uses most of their gunpowder in the process. Fear is a powerful thing, too bad it came to bite them in the long run. Who would've seen that coming?
I liked the line on page 260, "Glanton told him to his face that any man who trusted an indian was a fool." Pretty much a super D-bag move, but still good.
I thought it was strange that the company took the scalps off the Yumas, when they didn't have a contract for them. They weren't really getting money, and it wouldn't have been worth it because they had that chest in the ferry with thousands of dollars in it in different currencies. I think they did this because they just needed to kill, to satisfy the urge so to speak. Or maybe it's become somewhat of a habit that they did it instinctively, or maybe they did it so they can have some trophies to decorate their new place of business. I liked when the contents of the chest was described, they mentioned teeth last, as if it's some sort of treasure or currency. Sure they made be valuable gold or silver teeth, but just the way McCarthy wrote teeth appeared strange to me.
I didn't see it surprising when the company got control over the ferry, he steadily increased the price until it was literal robbery. It seemed to reflect real life operations, that appear at first to be helpful, but end up just robbing you blind. Also it shows how chaotic things can be once a change of power has taken place. Reflects corrupt organizations throughout history.
A line I thought was awesome is on page 262, "a vulture standing between the shoulderblades in clerical black, silent rider to the sea." Thought it was descriptive to see the wings of a vulture as clerical robes.
The Sonoran army was messed up with the hanging Judas. I wonder who this guy betrayed. It was pretty interesting to read that the guy blew up from the bomb. Did the Sonoran army place the bomb there, or did he already have it there?
The part where Brown tried to get his shotgun sawed was hilarious. When the owner got the soldier and he tried to act all tough, then he ran when Brown came over was once again, funny. I just like how everyone in this company seems either tough, scary or both. It was pretty insane that Brown lit that guy on fire like that in the bar. 268, "Brown poured a pitcher of aguardiente over a young soldier and set him afire with his cigar." That is a badass western move if I ever saw one. It also wasn't surprising that Brown got jailed for such an act or shot the guy that broke him out to cover his tracks.
This story is starting to follow some formula for the events, that they may not be entirely predictable, but aren't surprising when they happen. Sure the whole book isn't like this, but it's good to know these characters don't change out of nowhere.
When Glanton rode back from the village, I took note of an intresting line. 272, "the horseman rode on all contrary to the tide of refugees like some storied hero toward what beast of war or plague or famine with what set to his relentless jaw." This is a classic hero archetype that Glanton seems to fit.
The Yuma massacre scene at the end is just epic. An awesome way to end a chapter in my opinion. Just the fact that they really have no mercy is just great. I thought the Glanton death scene was a bit anti-climatic, but I've noticed in a lot of stories one of the main characters dies like that so it could be a new hero archetype to die in a pretty low way. Though it is pretty cool to get your head split open to the thrapple.
I have a question, did the judge know the Yuma were coming to massacre everyone? I mean, the Yuma were sneaking around like ninjas hacking people up, and here Judge sits with the howitzer acting like he's going to shoot them. Maybe he sold everyone out, and that could be why the Judas was mentioned, maybe a type of loose foreshadowing. Also I wonder why the kid and the others weren't mentioned in this massacre. I know they were there because the next chapter's summary says escape.
Aguardiente - Fire water
Thrapple - throat, or windpipe
Spoiler Alert: Glanton dies.
18 starts with a good description of the various constellations, including the Cassiopeia. 256, "the constellation of Cassiopeia burned like a witch's signature on the black face of the firmament." Pretty cool simile about such constellation.
I thought it pretty funny that the women gathered around the idiot, and thought to bathe him and clothe him, and he goes and removes them later. Also, thought it a little interesting that the judge took a nude walk right at this time. To me it seemed as if it was too good that it happened like that.
The howitzer mentioned here is just amazing. The way that the company uses it to fight the invading Yumas is pretty smart, even if it uses most of their gunpowder in the process. Fear is a powerful thing, too bad it came to bite them in the long run. Who would've seen that coming?
I liked the line on page 260, "Glanton told him to his face that any man who trusted an indian was a fool." Pretty much a super D-bag move, but still good.
I thought it was strange that the company took the scalps off the Yumas, when they didn't have a contract for them. They weren't really getting money, and it wouldn't have been worth it because they had that chest in the ferry with thousands of dollars in it in different currencies. I think they did this because they just needed to kill, to satisfy the urge so to speak. Or maybe it's become somewhat of a habit that they did it instinctively, or maybe they did it so they can have some trophies to decorate their new place of business. I liked when the contents of the chest was described, they mentioned teeth last, as if it's some sort of treasure or currency. Sure they made be valuable gold or silver teeth, but just the way McCarthy wrote teeth appeared strange to me.
I didn't see it surprising when the company got control over the ferry, he steadily increased the price until it was literal robbery. It seemed to reflect real life operations, that appear at first to be helpful, but end up just robbing you blind. Also it shows how chaotic things can be once a change of power has taken place. Reflects corrupt organizations throughout history.
A line I thought was awesome is on page 262, "a vulture standing between the shoulderblades in clerical black, silent rider to the sea." Thought it was descriptive to see the wings of a vulture as clerical robes.
The Sonoran army was messed up with the hanging Judas. I wonder who this guy betrayed. It was pretty interesting to read that the guy blew up from the bomb. Did the Sonoran army place the bomb there, or did he already have it there?
The part where Brown tried to get his shotgun sawed was hilarious. When the owner got the soldier and he tried to act all tough, then he ran when Brown came over was once again, funny. I just like how everyone in this company seems either tough, scary or both. It was pretty insane that Brown lit that guy on fire like that in the bar. 268, "Brown poured a pitcher of aguardiente over a young soldier and set him afire with his cigar." That is a badass western move if I ever saw one. It also wasn't surprising that Brown got jailed for such an act or shot the guy that broke him out to cover his tracks.
This story is starting to follow some formula for the events, that they may not be entirely predictable, but aren't surprising when they happen. Sure the whole book isn't like this, but it's good to know these characters don't change out of nowhere.
When Glanton rode back from the village, I took note of an intresting line. 272, "the horseman rode on all contrary to the tide of refugees like some storied hero toward what beast of war or plague or famine with what set to his relentless jaw." This is a classic hero archetype that Glanton seems to fit.
The Yuma massacre scene at the end is just epic. An awesome way to end a chapter in my opinion. Just the fact that they really have no mercy is just great. I thought the Glanton death scene was a bit anti-climatic, but I've noticed in a lot of stories one of the main characters dies like that so it could be a new hero archetype to die in a pretty low way. Though it is pretty cool to get your head split open to the thrapple.
I have a question, did the judge know the Yuma were coming to massacre everyone? I mean, the Yuma were sneaking around like ninjas hacking people up, and here Judge sits with the howitzer acting like he's going to shoot them. Maybe he sold everyone out, and that could be why the Judas was mentioned, maybe a type of loose foreshadowing. Also I wonder why the kid and the others weren't mentioned in this massacre. I know they were there because the next chapter's summary says escape.
Aguardiente - Fire water
Thrapple - throat, or windpipe
May 4, 2010 Blog Chapter 18&19
Let's write in green, mmkay?
So, interesting couple of chapters I guess. First chapter was rather humorous to me, what with the old ladies yelling at the older brother of the "idiot" and then taking him in and what not. McCarthy uses the phrase, "she read him riot." on page 256. What does this mean? This is what it means. The older brother is a lazy fella though, I think he should've made a better attempt at keeping his brother healthy and what not. Judge is such a creep. I know I've said that so many times, and I know you all have made equal or greater comments on the judge's character, but he just is... Does he ever sleep? It's kind of ironic that he was at the river at just the right time to save the "idiot" from drowning....while they're both nude... and then carries him back to his bed...Then, in chapter 19, he's found in his room, naked, with the idiot and a 12 year old mexican girl, who are also naked.
I'll start chapter 19 off with definitions because...well... dictionary.com is already up soooo....yeah! Here ya go:
Littoral- of or pertaining to the shore of a lake, sea, or ocean
Procrustean- tending to produce conformity by violent or arbitrary means
Sash milled
Alcalde- mayor having judicial powers
Damascus barrels
Burl Mahogany (notice the fine grain, mmyesshh....)
Cabildo- town hall
Lazarous Bodega- Bodega is wineshop, lazarous I think means lazarus-like/esque
Lazarus- receiver of a miracle by Jesus in the bible
Valgame dios- good god
Caissons- ammunition chest
archimandrite- head of a monastery, an abbot
thaumaturge- workers of wonders or miracles
atavistic- suggesting characteristics of a primitive type
suttee- hindu custom where a widow kills herself on the pyre of her dead husband
I circled "curious dory's" but I couldn't find anything on it.
Page 262. "...a vulture standing between the shoulder blades in clerical black, silent rider to the sea." I like how this sounds. It's just funny... idk...
Glanton's loot sonsits of all the things on page 263, including teeth. Why would Glanton, after he's gotten all these other valuables, bother knocking the teeth out of a dead man? It's not like he is desperate for it. Maybe he just likes violence that much, that would make sense. I underlined the shotgun, posted info above. The howitzer was pretty sweet. It weighed about, just the barrel, 220lb. Brown acts like a child when he's in the town. He says, "It was not no threat. It was a promise." I remember saying that when I was in about 6 or 7th grade. Brown pours some strong alcohol on another guy in the bar (strong because one couldn't see the flames). McCarthy's description of the burnt man is a little sick, "like an enormous spider." Page 274, it says, "...he ravaged among his clothes for the weapons that were not there and were not there." Was the repetition of "were not there" intentional?
So, interesting couple of chapters I guess. First chapter was rather humorous to me, what with the old ladies yelling at the older brother of the "idiot" and then taking him in and what not. McCarthy uses the phrase, "she read him riot." on page 256. What does this mean? This is what it means. The older brother is a lazy fella though, I think he should've made a better attempt at keeping his brother healthy and what not. Judge is such a creep. I know I've said that so many times, and I know you all have made equal or greater comments on the judge's character, but he just is... Does he ever sleep? It's kind of ironic that he was at the river at just the right time to save the "idiot" from drowning....while they're both nude... and then carries him back to his bed...Then, in chapter 19, he's found in his room, naked, with the idiot and a 12 year old mexican girl, who are also naked.
I'll start chapter 19 off with definitions because...well... dictionary.com is already up soooo....yeah! Here ya go:
Littoral- of or pertaining to the shore of a lake, sea, or ocean
Procrustean- tending to produce conformity by violent or arbitrary means
Sash milled
Alcalde- mayor having judicial powers
Damascus barrels
Burl Mahogany (notice the fine grain, mmyesshh....)
Cabildo- town hall
Lazarous Bodega- Bodega is wineshop, lazarous I think means lazarus-like/esque
Lazarus- receiver of a miracle by Jesus in the bible
Valgame dios- good god
Caissons- ammunition chest
archimandrite- head of a monastery, an abbot
thaumaturge- workers of wonders or miracles
atavistic- suggesting characteristics of a primitive type
suttee- hindu custom where a widow kills herself on the pyre of her dead husband
I circled "curious dory's" but I couldn't find anything on it.
Page 262. "...a vulture standing between the shoulder blades in clerical black, silent rider to the sea." I like how this sounds. It's just funny... idk...
Glanton's loot sonsits of all the things on page 263, including teeth. Why would Glanton, after he's gotten all these other valuables, bother knocking the teeth out of a dead man? It's not like he is desperate for it. Maybe he just likes violence that much, that would make sense. I underlined the shotgun, posted info above. The howitzer was pretty sweet. It weighed about, just the barrel, 220lb. Brown acts like a child when he's in the town. He says, "It was not no threat. It was a promise." I remember saying that when I was in about 6 or 7th grade. Brown pours some strong alcohol on another guy in the bar (strong because one couldn't see the flames). McCarthy's description of the burnt man is a little sick, "like an enormous spider." Page 274, it says, "...he ravaged among his clothes for the weapons that were not there and were not there." Was the repetition of "were not there" intentional?
An appropriate title.
Something was weird about this chapter. It would get really boring for a while talking about the setting, and then, before I knew what was going on, Judge was talking and being smart. And it seems like we're seeing more and more of the judge as we go on. anyway.
I'll talk about the judge for a while. First of all, the half-naked part. What exactly does "half-naked" mean. Shirtless? Pantless? Naked except for a leaf? Whatever it is, judge is really into it now, even more so than regular nudity. The guys call him crazy in this chapter, twice. Both times are after one of his long rants. What the judge is saying is too smart for the rest of the men, so they think he's crazy. Anything they don't know is "crazy." But maybe they're right, maybe he is crazy.
Simile I didn't quite get. It's describing Glanton's doggy. "Out of some custodial instinct such as children will evoke in animals." The dog is following the idiot, so I guess he's trying to say the idiot is like a child, but I didn't know children evoked custodial instincts in animals. Maybe a really smart animal, like a dolphin or dragon, but the average dog isn't going to protect a baby, a fallacy which movies and tv shows like to exploit. Old yeller. any other movie named after a dog.
The big war discussion kind of reminded me of "the book" in 1984. War is God. War has to be going on. It's not the same perspective; judge just likes war, he doesn't care about the economy. It's a really wordy two paragraphs, that really don't make much sense to me. And same with the earlier one about life elsewhere in the universe; it made no sense to me. Those are just words, man.
244, a brief change in verb tense.
tandem suns, 247. I guess this just means the sun never stops shining. Once it sets, it rises without hesitation. The sun is hot.
Nihil dicit Malabarista-Juggler Noctambulant
Blood Meridian Chapter 17
This chapter was a filler chapter. In reality, nothing happened. All that happens in this chapter is the Judge goes on one of his rants again and...well...that's pretty much it. Oh and they leave the place they were staying...
The Judge is very suspicious (well we kind of knew this already). The fact that he knows, without a doubt, that there is no other forms of life in the universe is pretty weird. Also, the magic trick with the coin was pretty funny. No one could tell what he did. Again, this adds to the idea of the Judge as a satanic figure is fortified in this chapter, as well as McCarthy's description of the Judge as an intellectual outcast. McCarthy writes, "In the morning some did walk over the ground where the coin had gone but if any man found it he kept it to himself...(McCarthy 246)." This sentence shows how some people still don't believe that the Judge is as mysterious and strange as he makes himself out to be. Another good quote is on page 245. "The arc of circling bodies is determined by the length of their tether. Moons, coins, men." Basically in this sentence, the Judge is saying that men can go as far as his own conscience and self-confidence takes him. Someone who keeps to themselves, doesn't take risks, and is otherwise nonexistant will not "have a long tether" and will be forced to live a close and sheltered life (or a short arc of orbit). However, if one is very outgoing, confident, and morally strong, he will have a good, happy, enjoyful life (aka. a long tether and a large arc or orbit).
Noctambulants- of pertaining to or given to sleepwalking (dictionary.com)
Did anyone noticed how the Judge addressed God in his speech about war. In the last sentence of his ramble, the Judge says, "War is god (McCarthy 249)." The weird part here is that god isn't capitalized. Usually the word God is capitalized because it is determined to be a proper noun, like a name. However, I think that God is not capitalized here to show that the Judge has either no respect for him or that he doesn't believe in him. Actually this makes sense if the Judge is truly a symbol of the Devil.
Nihil Dicit means to say nothing in latin (http://www.famguardian1.org/TaxFreedom/CitesByTopic/NihilDicit.htm)
Good simile on page 251. Actually lots of good similes on this page. "...black volcanic hills lay a lone albino ridge, sand or gypsum, like the back of some pale seabeast surfaced among the dark archipelagos." Click here to see what this reminds me of(http://codeka.com/uk/blog/20051003-nessie.jpg)
"...the idiot clinging to the bars and calling hoarsely after the sun like some queer unruly god abducted from a race of degenerates (McCarthy 251)." I think that McCarthy is talking about the idiot being a god here. This is another sign of irony because the idiot is the least sane of the group.
Lots o' words I didn't know in this chapter...
malabarista-person coming from the coast of India
nacre- mother-of-pearl
aggregate- consisting of a mixture of minerals separable by mechanical means
holothurians- any echinoderm of the class of Holothuroidea, comprising the sea cucumbers
Here is a picture of a sea cucumber(http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/sea-cucumber-ga.jpg)
abhorrence- a feeling of extreme repugnance or aversion; utter loathing; abomination
Just to name a few
All definitions come from dictionary.com
"They wont ride at night." "Why wont they?'' "Because it's dark..." Page 242
The Judge is very suspicious (well we kind of knew this already). The fact that he knows, without a doubt, that there is no other forms of life in the universe is pretty weird. Also, the magic trick with the coin was pretty funny. No one could tell what he did. Again, this adds to the idea of the Judge as a satanic figure is fortified in this chapter, as well as McCarthy's description of the Judge as an intellectual outcast. McCarthy writes, "In the morning some did walk over the ground where the coin had gone but if any man found it he kept it to himself...(McCarthy 246)." This sentence shows how some people still don't believe that the Judge is as mysterious and strange as he makes himself out to be. Another good quote is on page 245. "The arc of circling bodies is determined by the length of their tether. Moons, coins, men." Basically in this sentence, the Judge is saying that men can go as far as his own conscience and self-confidence takes him. Someone who keeps to themselves, doesn't take risks, and is otherwise nonexistant will not "have a long tether" and will be forced to live a close and sheltered life (or a short arc of orbit). However, if one is very outgoing, confident, and morally strong, he will have a good, happy, enjoyful life (aka. a long tether and a large arc or orbit).
Noctambulants- of pertaining to or given to sleepwalking (dictionary.com)
Did anyone noticed how the Judge addressed God in his speech about war. In the last sentence of his ramble, the Judge says, "War is god (McCarthy 249)." The weird part here is that god isn't capitalized. Usually the word God is capitalized because it is determined to be a proper noun, like a name. However, I think that God is not capitalized here to show that the Judge has either no respect for him or that he doesn't believe in him. Actually this makes sense if the Judge is truly a symbol of the Devil.
Nihil Dicit means to say nothing in latin (http://www.famguardian1.org/TaxFreedom/CitesByTopic/NihilDicit.htm)
Good simile on page 251. Actually lots of good similes on this page. "...black volcanic hills lay a lone albino ridge, sand or gypsum, like the back of some pale seabeast surfaced among the dark archipelagos." Click here to see what this reminds me of(http://codeka.com/uk/blog/20051003-nessie.jpg)
"...the idiot clinging to the bars and calling hoarsely after the sun like some queer unruly god abducted from a race of degenerates (McCarthy 251)." I think that McCarthy is talking about the idiot being a god here. This is another sign of irony because the idiot is the least sane of the group.
Lots o' words I didn't know in this chapter...
malabarista-person coming from the coast of India
nacre- mother-of-pearl
aggregate- consisting of a mixture of minerals separable by mechanical means
holothurians- any echinoderm of the class of Holothuroidea, comprising the sea cucumbers
Here is a picture of a sea cucumber(http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/sea-cucumber-ga.jpg)
abhorrence- a feeling of extreme repugnance or aversion; utter loathing; abomination
Just to name a few
All definitions come from dictionary.com
"They wont ride at night." "Why wont they?'' "Because it's dark..." Page 242
Monday, May 3, 2010
May 3, 2010 Chapter 17
So I'm kinda surprised Glanton and his men actually got the whiskey to the Indians... I figured he'd just blow it off. Maybe they would've followed and hunted him if he hadn't though so...
WAR IS GOD!
Interesting perception of the world and human nature. This quote comes from page 249. Turn in you books to page 249....now. So, judge says "As well ask men what they think of stone." What does that have to do with war? If this were asked of me, I'd say..."old...gray...hard...?" Which has nothing to do with war. Next he says, "War was always here. Before man, war waited for him." So war, in judge's opinion, is not a creation of man, but rather man is manipulated by war ("the ultimate trade", and it by man ("the ultimate practitioner"). Furthermore, judge believes this will always be the situation. Judge continues then applies this to sport and games. His logic is reasonable. In the first part, Men are born for war, in the next part, he's saying that they are born for games, so one could come to the conclusion, before reading on, that judge believes games are a form of war. Judge confirms this, and again, I follow his logic completely. War requires the risk, the "wager" of loss of life or limb. Games require a wager of material product, be it money, stocks, whatever, sports require the risk of humiliation. With war, the outcome one wants is power. With games, people want the material good, thus power. With sports, people want the "pride of victory" which, in turn, results in power. Then judge says, "Moral law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the powerful in favor of the weak." So, morality is the attempt of the weak, mentally and physically (the opposite on both spectrum for judge) to bring down the strong. I find this similar to the illusion the people of Oceania in 1984 had, except judge believes it as fact. Speaking of which, I can see judge doing the room 101 stuff...just saying...
Concomitant
WAR IS GOD!
Interesting perception of the world and human nature. This quote comes from page 249. Turn in you books to page 249....now. So, judge says "As well ask men what they think of stone." What does that have to do with war? If this were asked of me, I'd say..."old...gray...hard...?" Which has nothing to do with war. Next he says, "War was always here. Before man, war waited for him." So war, in judge's opinion, is not a creation of man, but rather man is manipulated by war ("the ultimate trade", and it by man ("the ultimate practitioner"). Furthermore, judge believes this will always be the situation. Judge continues then applies this to sport and games. His logic is reasonable. In the first part, Men are born for war, in the next part, he's saying that they are born for games, so one could come to the conclusion, before reading on, that judge believes games are a form of war. Judge confirms this, and again, I follow his logic completely. War requires the risk, the "wager" of loss of life or limb. Games require a wager of material product, be it money, stocks, whatever, sports require the risk of humiliation. With war, the outcome one wants is power. With games, people want the material good, thus power. With sports, people want the "pride of victory" which, in turn, results in power. Then judge says, "Moral law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the powerful in favor of the weak." So, morality is the attempt of the weak, mentally and physically (the opposite on both spectrum for judge) to bring down the strong. I find this similar to the illusion the people of Oceania in 1984 had, except judge believes it as fact. Speaking of which, I can see judge doing the room 101 stuff...just saying...
Concomitant
Chapter 17
This chapter was pretty good, though the last half started to sound confusing to me.
I didn't understand the quote on 241, "a man Glanton had appointed cooper pro-tem to the expedition." I don't understand pro-tem.
The barrel of whiskey they traded to the Apaches was pretty messed up. It was pretty obvious that they would only put a little bit in there, and fill the rest with water. And here I thought the company and the Apaches were going to be getting along.
A good simile I noticed was on page 242, "those fluted columns passing in the dark were like the ruins of vast temples." I think it's pretty amazing McCarthy can make trees look like columns of temples.
I thought it wasn't surprising when Glanton recollects his thoughts on the number of people still alive in his company. Pretty bummed that all the Delawares died. They were my favorite of the company. I think the paragraph on 243 that talks about the Delawares being slain, also alludes to some foreshadowing.
When McCarthy mentions the Sonoran company led by Colonel Garcia, I think it's pretty cool that they have derelict weapons. The description of their lack of good weapons and clothes reminded me of the Soviets during World War I or II when they would just drop their troops in the field without weapons and the troops had to scavenge the weapons they find. I think that fits Garcia's legion. I also think that there was somewhat of a rivalry between the two companies when Glanton and his men left. The way it was described gave me a competitive feel.
I thought the quote on page 244 was interesting," the moon sat in a ring overhead and in that ring lay a mock moon with its own cold gray and nacre seas." I just thought it was cool to see a fake moon within the real moon.
I noticed McCarthy mentions birds a lot in the last few chapters, as if the company is jealous or envious of them.
I loved that the Judge brings in some more of his philosophy. I didn't think judge was a person to believe in aliens. He just didn't seem to be a UFO kind of guy. But the thing that is contradictory is that he says he doesn't believe in aliens, but goes ahead and says anything is possible. He's basically going against what he just said before. The funny thing is most of the company, now probably like 3 guys, are just eating what he says up like it's fact. He even goes further by saying on 245, "Even in this world more things exist without our knowledge than with it."
I thought it funny when the judge was playing the coin trick with Davy he replies with "I'll notify you where to put the coin." I just thought that was another example of classic Western humor. I wonder if there is any significance in McCarthy describing the coin trick with the thin wire. Maybe it's a symbol for things in life that seem awe-inspiring at first end up not being that great, or things can be controllable.
I loved the quote on page 248, "The good book does indeed count war an evil, said Irving, Yet there's many a bloody tale of war inside it." This whole section about war is pretty amazing, and this line couldn't be any more true. I thought it interesting of the way the judge described how men are only interested in games, that they live for the stakes. I think this is a pretty simple, yet effective way to describe why people love war. Because in a war, it could be seen as both a game of sport and a game of chance. The game of chance being more literal in my opinion. But the game of sport also because there's always people that sign up for war that don't really care who wins, pretty much like the company. They just want to kill.
I didn't understand the quote on 241, "a man Glanton had appointed cooper pro-tem to the expedition." I don't understand pro-tem.
The barrel of whiskey they traded to the Apaches was pretty messed up. It was pretty obvious that they would only put a little bit in there, and fill the rest with water. And here I thought the company and the Apaches were going to be getting along.
A good simile I noticed was on page 242, "those fluted columns passing in the dark were like the ruins of vast temples." I think it's pretty amazing McCarthy can make trees look like columns of temples.
I thought it wasn't surprising when Glanton recollects his thoughts on the number of people still alive in his company. Pretty bummed that all the Delawares died. They were my favorite of the company. I think the paragraph on 243 that talks about the Delawares being slain, also alludes to some foreshadowing.
When McCarthy mentions the Sonoran company led by Colonel Garcia, I think it's pretty cool that they have derelict weapons. The description of their lack of good weapons and clothes reminded me of the Soviets during World War I or II when they would just drop their troops in the field without weapons and the troops had to scavenge the weapons they find. I think that fits Garcia's legion. I also think that there was somewhat of a rivalry between the two companies when Glanton and his men left. The way it was described gave me a competitive feel.
I thought the quote on page 244 was interesting," the moon sat in a ring overhead and in that ring lay a mock moon with its own cold gray and nacre seas." I just thought it was cool to see a fake moon within the real moon.
I noticed McCarthy mentions birds a lot in the last few chapters, as if the company is jealous or envious of them.
I loved that the Judge brings in some more of his philosophy. I didn't think judge was a person to believe in aliens. He just didn't seem to be a UFO kind of guy. But the thing that is contradictory is that he says he doesn't believe in aliens, but goes ahead and says anything is possible. He's basically going against what he just said before. The funny thing is most of the company, now probably like 3 guys, are just eating what he says up like it's fact. He even goes further by saying on 245, "Even in this world more things exist without our knowledge than with it."
I thought it funny when the judge was playing the coin trick with Davy he replies with "I'll notify you where to put the coin." I just thought that was another example of classic Western humor. I wonder if there is any significance in McCarthy describing the coin trick with the thin wire. Maybe it's a symbol for things in life that seem awe-inspiring at first end up not being that great, or things can be controllable.
I loved the quote on page 248, "The good book does indeed count war an evil, said Irving, Yet there's many a bloody tale of war inside it." This whole section about war is pretty amazing, and this line couldn't be any more true. I thought it interesting of the way the judge described how men are only interested in games, that they live for the stakes. I think this is a pretty simple, yet effective way to describe why people love war. Because in a war, it could be seen as both a game of sport and a game of chance. The game of chance being more literal in my opinion. But the game of sport also because there's always people that sign up for war that don't really care who wins, pretty much like the company. They just want to kill.
Nadorsha Bar, it's not candy..
sentry: guard; watch; a solider standing watch at a point of passage
parapet
Some background on this Glanton..man. He was born in 1819 in South Carolina. He moved with his parents to Texas, where he fell for an orphan girl, while Glanton was out and about, Lipan warriors raided the city, his fiancée was tomahawked and
Glanton's conscience is starting to catch up with him. On page 243 "He'd long forsworn all weighing of consequence.." it's about time.Judge is magic now? Voodoo!
Page 245 "the order in creation which you see is that which you have put there, like a string in a maze, so that you shall not lose your way. For existance has it's own order and that no man's mind can compass, that mind itself being but a fact among others." Everyone is starting to get all philosophical, Irving, Tobin the apprentance priest, and Judge of course. Even Glanton's state of mind is changing, or at least being made known. I know it's close to the end of the book but it seems like all of the characters are coming to their conclusion, as far as their prsonaliry goes.
Page 245 "the arc of circling bodies is determined by the length of their tether." ....what?
When "the black" quotes the bible, is that Jackson?
I can't say enough about what Judge says about war, and it being a game. "men are born for games" when he uses the card game as an analogy it throws it into better perspective. "in such games as have for their sake the annihilation of the defeated the decisions are quite clear."
Sent via iPod safari.
parapet
Some background on this Glanton..man. He was born in 1819 in South Carolina. He moved with his parents to Texas, where he fell for an orphan girl, while Glanton was out and about, Lipan warriors raided the city, his fiancée was tomahawked and
scalped, after seeking revenge, John Joel Glanton wasn't the same man.
This was the picture I got for John Joel Glanton... somehow, I think it's not the same guy.
This chapter gave a lot more information, I am now convinced Kid is not the main character anymore, he hardly even exists. Judge is taking his place, showing more and more what his character symbolizes. The almost whole page of what Judge says about war and it being the game of men was just fantastic. "War is god." As usual, everyone believes that Judge is a lunatic, that he is absure, but everything he says makes perfect sense, I can't get over how McCarthy comes up with all of this, genuis.
Glanton's conscience is starting to catch up with him. On page 243 "He'd long forsworn all weighing of consequence.." it's about time.Judge is magic now? Voodoo!
Page 245 "the order in creation which you see is that which you have put there, like a string in a maze, so that you shall not lose your way. For existance has it's own order and that no man's mind can compass, that mind itself being but a fact among others." Everyone is starting to get all philosophical, Irving, Tobin the apprentance priest, and Judge of course. Even Glanton's state of mind is changing, or at least being made known. I know it's close to the end of the book but it seems like all of the characters are coming to their conclusion, as far as their prsonaliry goes.
Page 245 "the arc of circling bodies is determined by the length of their tether." ....what?
When "the black" quotes the bible, is that Jackson?
I can't say enough about what Judge says about war, and it being a game. "men are born for games" when he uses the card game as an analogy it throws it into better perspective. "in such games as have for their sake the annihilation of the defeated the decisions are quite clear."
Sent via iPod safari.
Friday, April 30, 2010
wakka wakka
AND YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF TERRIBLE DECISION MAKING THAT WILL RESULT IN A LOSS OF CREDIT
To the point that isn't the least lesser, I'm going to skip talking about the awesomeness of the dangling dead men (boiling BRAINS!!); if I had a brother that was naked covered in fecal matter and was at the same time putting it into his mouth like a snickers bar, I would put him in a cage and have people pay to see him.
Now to the main point, the blog, Judge just seems to be a walking Google, he seems to be omniscient. This only makes his character better. He speaks German too. What can't Judge do? Eat fire? Judge is my favorite, even though yet ANOTHER little girl disappear. He is also good with his words, as we already know, the Lieutenant just goes away after Judge says his mumbo jumbo. He squeezed a mans head, I imagine this is the same concept as squeezing a nice orange for the juices.
"Glanton watched them go with dark misgiving." I don't get it, was Glanton worried about what was possibly in the church? aside from an almost dead man.. And why is a buttplate on his thigh? More importantly what is a buttplate? click hur. Of course Glanton is racist, "I don't like to see white men that way" It was 184something, everyone was racist.
Sir James Miller, I thought that it was un-nice of the other men not to help him with his saddle; but they are all grown men, I'm sure they know he can do it all by himself. I liked how they just forgot about the horse and had an extra, like those Walgreen's commercials. If the bulls were old because of their branding, and it dates back to the Spanish, how old is old? The life expectancy of a bull is [XX]. Which only makes the old factor of the bull seem less.
The list at the beginning of the chapter I wrote "space turd" under meteorite, I think I'm psychic, McCarthy used the word turd this chapter, there's a connection. On a more serious note, I couldn't really figure out why McCarthy would use the word turd instead of sticking to excrement, which is what he called it the second time. The only thing I could come up with that didn't defy all of McCarthy logic and writing that we've learned so far is, he just wanted to, no reason, he just did it... or did he? let that spew in your mind.
Everyone was NOT black, there lied the mistake, thinking everyone was black. Owens is under the assumption he has the upper hand, then BLAM! dead; don't mess with a man with a gun, especially if he's black.
Apaches...talk now? They're too comparable to the company.
girthstraps - also called a girth or cinch, it's used to hold the saddle still while in use.
this says absolutely nothing, I wanted to play with the fonts. I laugh at you if you actually translated this [STUFF]
To the point that isn't the least lesser, I'm going to skip talking about the awesomeness of the dangling dead men (boiling BRAINS!!); if I had a brother that was naked covered in fecal matter and was at the same time putting it into his mouth like a snickers bar, I would put him in a cage and have people pay to see him.
Now to the main point, the blog, Judge just seems to be a walking Google, he seems to be omniscient. This only makes his character better. He speaks German too. What can't Judge do? Eat fire? Judge is my favorite, even though yet ANOTHER little girl disappear. He is also good with his words, as we already know, the Lieutenant just goes away after Judge says his mumbo jumbo. He squeezed a mans head, I imagine this is the same concept as squeezing a nice orange for the juices.
"Glanton watched them go with dark misgiving." I don't get it, was Glanton worried about what was possibly in the church? aside from an almost dead man.. And why is a buttplate on his thigh? More importantly what is a buttplate? click hur. Of course Glanton is racist, "I don't like to see white men that way" It was 184something, everyone was racist.
Sir James Miller, I thought that it was un-nice of the other men not to help him with his saddle; but they are all grown men, I'm sure they know he can do it all by himself. I liked how they just forgot about the horse and had an extra, like those Walgreen's commercials. If the bulls were old because of their branding, and it dates back to the Spanish, how old is old? The life expectancy of a bull is [XX]. Which only makes the old factor of the bull seem less.
The list at the beginning of the chapter I wrote "space turd" under meteorite, I think I'm psychic, McCarthy used the word turd this chapter, there's a connection. On a more serious note, I couldn't really figure out why McCarthy would use the word turd instead of sticking to excrement, which is what he called it the second time. The only thing I could come up with that didn't defy all of McCarthy logic and writing that we've learned so far is, he just wanted to, no reason, he just did it... or did he? let that spew in your mind.
Everyone was NOT black, there lied the mistake, thinking everyone was black. Owens is under the assumption he has the upper hand, then BLAM! dead; don't mess with a man with a gun, especially if he's black.
Apaches...talk now? They're too comparable to the company.
girthstraps - also called a girth or cinch, it's used to hold the saddle still while in use.
this says absolutely nothing, I wanted to play with the fonts. I laugh at you if you actually translated this [STUFF]
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Another Example of Terrible Decision Making that will Result in a Loss of Credit
I think the red was such a big hit, I'll try blue. And i associate the number sixteen with blue, so win-win right? right.
(FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, IF I HAVE TO WASTE MY TIME EDITING ANYONE ELSE'S POST BECAUSE OF INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT, LANGUAGE, SLANDER ISSUES, OR USING INDECIPHERABLE COLORS THAT RESULT IN ME HAVING TO EDIT YOUR HTML CODE, I WILL SIMPLY DELETE SAID POST AND ASSIGN A ZERO TO THE POSTER - THANKS, THE MGMNT) The judge seems to know everything about everything. He has a lecture pertaining to anything even the slightest bit out of the ordinary that the group comes across. And this backs up the claim of the judge being the devil and knowing everything, but I'll shut up about that because we've talked about that enough. But as judge and a few pals approach an abandon church, it is said Glanton "watched them go with dark misgiving." I guess this is foreshadowing, but it didn't occur to me until after the group came across the hermits. I don't know why he would be apprehensive about something like going into an old church. I mean, there were people in there but they were of no threat.
The dead scouts part was really disturbing. "the brains bubbled in the skulls and steam sang from their noseholes." It's really sick, and kind of poetic. Did it say who killed the scouts? I guess it was the Apaches, but if these Apaches were so barbaric, why did they talk to the Americans instead of just kill them?
I love how the groups movements are described as "a certain sequence as in a child's game yet with some terrible forfeit at hand." The, if you will, JUXTAPOSITION OF ANTITHETICAL ELEMENTS (a child's game, death) does all sorts a' good. And maybe it is like a game to the guys. Child's play. These guys are calm, they know what they're doing, no big deal.
"There was nothing about these arrivals to suggest even the discovery of the wheel." Probably the coolest way of saying "They're primal," I've ever heard. These savages are stuck in a time millennia past. Ha! Look at these guys. No wheels...
And how manipulative this judge guy is. Lieutenant Gimp comes in pointing fingers and judge scares him away. Just with some tough words. All up in his grill. And then the lieutenant is "stunned at the BALDNESS of these disclaimers." I thought this was funny because the judge is bald (I even wrote it in my book). yep.
And since you broskis showed me how to do the links and whatnot, I'll do one (1)!
Blood Meridian Chapter 16
Well, this chapter was actually a little different. We got to see the much calmer and more civilized side of the Americans. When they're not killing Apaches and Mexicans, they're actually pretty nice fellows.
I have to say, the best part of this chapter was when Jackson shot the racist guy through the head. The only thing I can say is that he had it coming. If you're going to be racist, don't be racist towards a black guy with a bad attitude and a powerful gun. Pretty bad judgement on the shop owner's part. Again, McCarthy sucessfully paints a picture with his words. However, in this chapter, it's a little more grusome. McCarthy writes, "The big pistol jumped and a double handful (oh no not just one handful) of Owen's brains went out the back of his skull and plopped in the floor behind him (McCarthy 236)." Good job McCarthy; now I know what brains being shot out of a human skull sounds like (PLOP). This seems like a good lesson when you look closely. First of all, don't mess with a man with a gun. Secondly racism is bad m'kay? But seriously, McCarthy added this little racist segment to show how differences were settled back in the 1800's. If you truly didn't like a guy, you better be able to defend yourself after being a jerk.
Wow, in this chapter, the Judge actually acts like, well, a judge. He's very diplomatic and convincing when he's not squeezing a man's head so hard he kills him. Again, the Judge shows his intelligence when he quotes all of those latin guys and the terms of jurisprudence. (Jurisprudence = the science or philosophy of law (dictionary.com))
One of the best jokes in the book is on page 239. The Judge says, "Has (the idiot) always been like that?" To which the man's brother replies, "Yessir. He was born that way." The Judge then says, "Were you?" Oh no he didn't....OH YES HE DID! OHHHHHH snap! Someone better call the fire department because someone just got burned! This shows the Judge's view of people that use others as a means to make money. The Judge wouldn't look to kindly at the idea of slaves. Or would he? Hmmmm.....
Big suprise, a little girl goes missing. Wonder who did it? Anyone got any ideas?
culverin = a mideval form of musket OR a kind of heavy cannon used in the 16th and 17th centuries (dictionary.com)
Here's a picture of a bowieknife (remember the man who was looking for a fight? Page 232... http://api.ning.com/files/1W**OwEmmgnHiZEC48qk9mYZP1PnbapFZagaQ12AsLO73Q*bP3MmSKOOaa4x7Vtqq6t4J8ajS7x0VU3OTT3vpz3KIhPbOj3d/bowie_knife_lg.jpg
Please forgive the super long link......
Similes
"The judge had his entire head in his grip like an immense and dangerous faith healer (McCarthy 238)." This is a pretty ironic statement since the judge had been familiarized with the devil and since faith healers arn't dangerous (this is a guess seeing as how I have never met a faith healer). Still very good use of description by McCarthy.
"...desert hummed like a snare drum (McCarthy 239)." This is pretty confusing. Is it humming because the horses are trembling? Another question to be discussed...
I have to say, the best part of this chapter was when Jackson shot the racist guy through the head. The only thing I can say is that he had it coming. If you're going to be racist, don't be racist towards a black guy with a bad attitude and a powerful gun. Pretty bad judgement on the shop owner's part. Again, McCarthy sucessfully paints a picture with his words. However, in this chapter, it's a little more grusome. McCarthy writes, "The big pistol jumped and a double handful (oh no not just one handful) of Owen's brains went out the back of his skull and plopped in the floor behind him (McCarthy 236)." Good job McCarthy; now I know what brains being shot out of a human skull sounds like (PLOP). This seems like a good lesson when you look closely. First of all, don't mess with a man with a gun. Secondly racism is bad m'kay? But seriously, McCarthy added this little racist segment to show how differences were settled back in the 1800's. If you truly didn't like a guy, you better be able to defend yourself after being a jerk.
Wow, in this chapter, the Judge actually acts like, well, a judge. He's very diplomatic and convincing when he's not squeezing a man's head so hard he kills him. Again, the Judge shows his intelligence when he quotes all of those latin guys and the terms of jurisprudence. (Jurisprudence = the science or philosophy of law (dictionary.com))
One of the best jokes in the book is on page 239. The Judge says, "Has (the idiot) always been like that?" To which the man's brother replies, "Yessir. He was born that way." The Judge then says, "Were you?" Oh no he didn't....OH YES HE DID! OHHHHHH snap! Someone better call the fire department because someone just got burned! This shows the Judge's view of people that use others as a means to make money. The Judge wouldn't look to kindly at the idea of slaves. Or would he? Hmmmm.....
Big suprise, a little girl goes missing. Wonder who did it? Anyone got any ideas?
culverin = a mideval form of musket OR a kind of heavy cannon used in the 16th and 17th centuries (dictionary.com)
Here's a picture of a bowieknife (remember the man who was looking for a fight? Page 232... http://api.ning.com/files/1W**OwEmmgnHiZEC48qk9mYZP1PnbapFZagaQ12AsLO73Q*bP3MmSKOOaa4x7Vtqq6t4J8ajS7x0VU3OTT3vpz3KIhPbOj3d/bowie_knife_lg.jpg
Please forgive the super long link......
Similes
"The judge had his entire head in his grip like an immense and dangerous faith healer (McCarthy 238)." This is a pretty ironic statement since the judge had been familiarized with the devil and since faith healers arn't dangerous (this is a guess seeing as how I have never met a faith healer). Still very good use of description by McCarthy.
"...desert hummed like a snare drum (McCarthy 239)." This is pretty confusing. Is it humming because the horses are trembling? Another question to be discussed...
Chapter 16
I'm gonna start by saying this chapter was my favorite by far. Once again, McCarthy mentions the various plants that the company walked by including quince.
The bull scene was alright. I thought it interesting that the bulls had brands dating back to the Spanish, they must have been pretty old. I didn't understand the line at the beginning of 224, " buried its horns to the boss in the ribs of a horse." What is to the boss? I thought the quote in the same paragraph of 224 was interesting, "he put the muzzle to the bull's forehead and fired and the whole grotesque assembly collapsed he stepped clear of the wreckage and walked off in disgust with the smoking gun dangling in his hand." I thought it interesting that McCarthy compared the bull and horse falling to a collapsing machine. It was pretty jerkish of the other guys that they didn't help James Miller take the saddle off his horse. It seemed to me that they were just like it's not our problem.
They found their long lost scouts, and like all western friends that get lost, they are dead. The description was pretty gruesome. Just to list some highlights of their torture: skewered through their cords of their heels, which I think is their Achilles tendon, roasted, bubbled brains, sticks in tongues, entrails on chest. Yup, I would not like to be in their situation. I was disappointed that the Vandeiemenlander died because he was starting to be a cool guy. The guy that died named Gilchrist had an awesome name. It was said he was from the east which I suppose is Europe, but I wonder exactly where. Gilchrist sounds either German or Russian. I liked the quote on page 227, "Among their barbarous hosts they had met with neither favor nor discrimination but had suffered and died impartially."
I thought the Apache scene was interesting, but why did they start talking now all of a sudden? I think McCarthy is actually doing a comparison with the Apaches to the Company because of how savage the company is acting now, they're pretty much like the Apaches. Also, I'm surprised the Apaches' attitudes seemed to have turned a complete 180. They seem to be no longer ruthless, but diplomatic, which confused me to why did this happen?
The naked imbecile part was priceless. "the idiot was small and misshapen and his face was smeared with feces and he sat peering at them with dull hostility silently chewing a turd." TURD! Yes, that is not a typo ladies and gentlemen. McCarthy wrote turd. Did he let his 3 year old son write that? I mean, he could've used excrement. In fact he used it later down the page. Aside that, still a gross scene. At least it was his turd, and not someone/something else's. Loved the quote Glanton said to the idiot's brother, "You let women see that thing?"
The little restaurant scene with black Jackson was awesome. I thought it was funny the guy thought everyone was black. When I read the part where it described where Jackson sat, made me think that they walked in or out there and he's just sitting there alone with all his friends, just made me laugh really. Also, it was funny how Brown and Jackson played that whole think of Owens shooting Jackson, then when Owens cocked the gun to shot, Jackson just shot him in the face. God, that was awesome.
Another funny scene was when the Lieutenant came to question Glanton and the Judge, and they just denied everything, even though the Lt, had witnesses and such. I think the line that really sells this is on page 237, "Deny every goddamned word of it." This is just Glanton and the gang having fun and just messing with everyone.
The bull scene was alright. I thought it interesting that the bulls had brands dating back to the Spanish, they must have been pretty old. I didn't understand the line at the beginning of 224, " buried its horns to the boss in the ribs of a horse." What is to the boss? I thought the quote in the same paragraph of 224 was interesting, "he put the muzzle to the bull's forehead and fired and the whole grotesque assembly collapsed he stepped clear of the wreckage and walked off in disgust with the smoking gun dangling in his hand." I thought it interesting that McCarthy compared the bull and horse falling to a collapsing machine. It was pretty jerkish of the other guys that they didn't help James Miller take the saddle off his horse. It seemed to me that they were just like it's not our problem.
They found their long lost scouts, and like all western friends that get lost, they are dead. The description was pretty gruesome. Just to list some highlights of their torture: skewered through their cords of their heels, which I think is their Achilles tendon, roasted, bubbled brains, sticks in tongues, entrails on chest. Yup, I would not like to be in their situation. I was disappointed that the Vandeiemenlander died because he was starting to be a cool guy. The guy that died named Gilchrist had an awesome name. It was said he was from the east which I suppose is Europe, but I wonder exactly where. Gilchrist sounds either German or Russian. I liked the quote on page 227, "Among their barbarous hosts they had met with neither favor nor discrimination but had suffered and died impartially."
I thought the Apache scene was interesting, but why did they start talking now all of a sudden? I think McCarthy is actually doing a comparison with the Apaches to the Company because of how savage the company is acting now, they're pretty much like the Apaches. Also, I'm surprised the Apaches' attitudes seemed to have turned a complete 180. They seem to be no longer ruthless, but diplomatic, which confused me to why did this happen?
The naked imbecile part was priceless. "the idiot was small and misshapen and his face was smeared with feces and he sat peering at them with dull hostility silently chewing a turd." TURD! Yes, that is not a typo ladies and gentlemen. McCarthy wrote turd. Did he let his 3 year old son write that? I mean, he could've used excrement. In fact he used it later down the page. Aside that, still a gross scene. At least it was his turd, and not someone/something else's. Loved the quote Glanton said to the idiot's brother, "You let women see that thing?"
The little restaurant scene with black Jackson was awesome. I thought it was funny the guy thought everyone was black. When I read the part where it described where Jackson sat, made me think that they walked in or out there and he's just sitting there alone with all his friends, just made me laugh really. Also, it was funny how Brown and Jackson played that whole think of Owens shooting Jackson, then when Owens cocked the gun to shot, Jackson just shot him in the face. God, that was awesome.
Another funny scene was when the Lieutenant came to question Glanton and the Judge, and they just denied everything, even though the Lt, had witnesses and such. I think the line that really sells this is on page 237, "Deny every goddamned word of it." This is just Glanton and the gang having fun and just messing with everyone.
Señor Burbujas
Hey you guys. I'm doing this blog in red. It seems much spicier. woo.
So the wounded are sitting around, holding everyone back with their negativity. How do they off them? A freaking club to the skull. I guess back then that's the equivalent of a friendly gunshot to the head. I just can't imagine not being the first one, knowing my turn to catch the bat with my face is coming up shortly. But then, we see a very touching moment with Shelby. I think the line "[Shelby] was from a prominent Kentucky family and had attended Transylvania College and like many another young man of his class he'd gone west because of a woman," really makes this scene. You can't help but feel bad for the poor little fella; he's no choice but death. And we can say we're not afraid of dying, but when it's up close, breathing on your neck, I think we all would break down and cry. Although, the scene's intimacy is kind of diminished by the trading of "you son of a bitch."
Errp. I took note of a simile "like paper birds upon a pole." He's comparing birds... with birds. Why couldn't he just say "as though they orbited about a pole," or something? To reiterate birds seems kind of unnecessary. But if it's the paper part that matters so much, he could at least say like a paper airplane or something. It just doesn't work with this guy.
"The sun shone solely on the rocks where he stood." This is talking about the kid after he's escaped the men on the mountain. It kind of seems like... a god, sort of. Or like Moses coming down from Mount Sinus (ha...), the sun shining all majestic like and such. The kid is god, the judge is the devil! Yeah, no. Let's not get into that.
"Like a burnt carcass of some ungodly beast[!]" Yay. That was the best line of the chapter. Turns out it was just a load of scalps, right? But why were they burned? What was wrong to where they couldn't be exchanged for profit? derpa.
The kid is said to be weakened by his "fast." Fasting is usually a voluntary thing, so it's pretty snifty to see his struggle and lack of food described as, what like a religious decision or something.
And maybe in second place for coolest thing: the kid getting all awesome when he says "You think I'm afraid of him?" Yeah, I'd say anyone sane (and insane for that matter) person should be rightfully afraid of the judge. But hey, tough guy, go get 'em. Champ. That's all I would like to say.
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