This chapter was lacking in violence, but I still enjoyed it because it moved the story along, and I think McCarthy is setting up for something big in the next couple of chapters. I mean the kid's new companion, Earl just mysteriously dies and it ends right there. Maybe Chapter 5 is going to be some Sherlock Holmes / Scooby-Doo thing where they find out who actually did it. Probably not, but one can hope. Though I do have some thoughts as to what is to come.
I liked the recruiter or sergeant that wanted him to join Captain White's army. He kept saying all the goods and the prosperity that the kid will get if he joins. I just have to say he's good at his job. He could probably make a pacifist join White's army. I did like something he said though at the beginning, "Come on out. I'm white and Christian." I just thought that was funny and decided to share. The part where McCarthy describes the recruiters horse was pretty interesting too, all trimmed in silver, and I think the horse had white stockings, which means you're awesome in Horse World.
The Captain sounds like a real cool guy. The way he just kept signing papers when they walked in was pretty jerkish, but I suppose they were very important papers, like the cure for cancer or something. I liked how the Captain gave the kid a little history lesson when the kid mentioned he was from Tennessee. Which on a side note, I'm surprised he actually told where he was from considering how much he's lied until now. I think lying is a form of entertainment to him, since he's lied during occasions that weren't necessary for it.
I was actually pretty disappointed when I read the cantina scene. I mean whenever this kid gets around alcohol he gets crazy, which he didn't this time. And McCarthy mentions the women of questionable morals just so casually. I figured they would at least hit on one of the guys, but nope. They just sat at their table and left. And that Mennonite was a pretty interesting character. He seemed to me like a wise man of some sorts, and he wasn't that scared of the soldiers when they harassed him. I thought his quote, "the wrath of God lies sleeping," was probably one of the coolest lines in this book so far. And probably it may be foreshadowing an event later on.
Also, I thought it was weird that the kid woke up the next morning and found Earl dead with his skull broken laying in a pool of blood. Now I want to know who killed that man. The Mennonite came back and said, "There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto." I have no idea what this means, and would love to find out. Also I wonder if the Mennonite appears again later on.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Blood Meridian Chapter 3
Unlike my fellow classmates, I enjoyed this chapter. I feel that McCarthy used this chapter as a sort of build-up for a very interesting chapter 4 and 5. Also, McCarthy provides us with more information about the kid and his character. Now we know that, not only is the kid a ruthless murderer, but he is also a compulsive liar; sounds like a good combination to me.
I love the introduction of the recuiter. He's the typical soldier: religious, regal, and respectful. He offers riches, the experience of a lifetime, and an excuse to legally kill people in any means necessary, which is exactly what the kid was looking for. I also like the author's idea of a western General. He seems to be like an arrogant jerk, like a General Custer character (remember Custer's Last Stand, the huge massacre of American soldiers by the Native Americans, but only after Custer's men murdered hundreds of Native Americans in their search for gold?). I could definately see Capain White slashing through Mexican soldiers with his sword while leading a charge on an innocent spanish town. I espically like the statement the captain made on page 33, "The Apaches wont even shoot them. Did you know that? They kill them with rocks." In this sentence, Captain White shows his dislike for Mexicans while making fun of them in the process. I also think that it is funny how the kid doesn't really have a choice when asked to join the Army, the captain just tells the corporal to "sign him up."
Another small detail I noticed about McCarthy is that he doesn't describe any of the women at all! Usually, a typical western focuses on at least one girl as either a rouge or a damsel in distress. However, in chapter 3, the only description of any girl at all is on page thirty-nine, on which McCarthy writes, "They pass in a doorway a young girl whose beauty becomes the flowers about." That's it! Nothing more! It's like he either can't think of any other descriptive words or he feels that women are not important to the story. I'm not sure, but maybe women will be more influential as the story progresses.
The end of the chapter is fairly epic. The Mennonite is a sort of grim reaper character. First he tells the soldiers that they will suffer great consequences if they invade Mexico. Then in the end, suddenly appears when one of the soldiers is killed and utters a sort of "I told you so" statement. After that, he just casually walks off as if nothing ever happended. Talk about foreshadowing...
I love the introduction of the recuiter. He's the typical soldier: religious, regal, and respectful. He offers riches, the experience of a lifetime, and an excuse to legally kill people in any means necessary, which is exactly what the kid was looking for. I also like the author's idea of a western General. He seems to be like an arrogant jerk, like a General Custer character (remember Custer's Last Stand, the huge massacre of American soldiers by the Native Americans, but only after Custer's men murdered hundreds of Native Americans in their search for gold?). I could definately see Capain White slashing through Mexican soldiers with his sword while leading a charge on an innocent spanish town. I espically like the statement the captain made on page 33, "The Apaches wont even shoot them. Did you know that? They kill them with rocks." In this sentence, Captain White shows his dislike for Mexicans while making fun of them in the process. I also think that it is funny how the kid doesn't really have a choice when asked to join the Army, the captain just tells the corporal to "sign him up."
Another small detail I noticed about McCarthy is that he doesn't describe any of the women at all! Usually, a typical western focuses on at least one girl as either a rouge or a damsel in distress. However, in chapter 3, the only description of any girl at all is on page thirty-nine, on which McCarthy writes, "They pass in a doorway a young girl whose beauty becomes the flowers about." That's it! Nothing more! It's like he either can't think of any other descriptive words or he feels that women are not important to the story. I'm not sure, but maybe women will be more influential as the story progresses.
The end of the chapter is fairly epic. The Mennonite is a sort of grim reaper character. First he tells the soldiers that they will suffer great consequences if they invade Mexico. Then in the end, suddenly appears when one of the soldiers is killed and utters a sort of "I told you so" statement. After that, he just casually walks off as if nothing ever happended. Talk about foreshadowing...
Blog 08-04-10 Chapter 3
Wow, what a let down chapter... I was expecting something... more... especially after a pretty boring chapter 2.
The kid lies a lot in this book, not only about little things, but about big things too. Things like blaming the drovers he met for attacking and robbing him. Such a lie could turn out very badly for any group of mixed racial people in the area, not just the one's he accused.
The Captain's speech on the Mexicans sounds very similar to a redneck today talking about middle easterners. "There's no God in Mexico." talking about going to Mexico to govern because they can't govern themselves, and only enlightened Mexicans encourage such ideas.
I was surprised at how much the kid got for that mule! A saddle, a bridle, a saddle blanket, and fixed his shoes plus money left over.
The Mennonite's words were ominous. He's crying (whether angry or sad, I don't know) when he says, "The wrath of God lies sleeping. It was buried a million years before men, and only men have power to wake it. Hell ain't half full. Hear me. Ye carry the war of a madman's making into a foreign land. Ye'll wake more than the dogs." This is creepy... If I were to have witnessed an old, crying Mennonite talking about the wrath of God, I'd be a little wary of going across the border, but the recruits just laugh at him and he says, "...and how else could it be?"
The next morning, one recruit is dead, laying in a pool of his own blood, when suddenly the Mennonite shows up again saying, "There is no such joy as in the tavern as upon the road thereto." and then walks away... creepy guy...
The kid lies a lot in this book, not only about little things, but about big things too. Things like blaming the drovers he met for attacking and robbing him. Such a lie could turn out very badly for any group of mixed racial people in the area, not just the one's he accused.
The Captain's speech on the Mexicans sounds very similar to a redneck today talking about middle easterners. "There's no God in Mexico." talking about going to Mexico to govern because they can't govern themselves, and only enlightened Mexicans encourage such ideas.
I was surprised at how much the kid got for that mule! A saddle, a bridle, a saddle blanket, and fixed his shoes plus money left over.
The Mennonite's words were ominous. He's crying (whether angry or sad, I don't know) when he says, "The wrath of God lies sleeping. It was buried a million years before men, and only men have power to wake it. Hell ain't half full. Hear me. Ye carry the war of a madman's making into a foreign land. Ye'll wake more than the dogs." This is creepy... If I were to have witnessed an old, crying Mennonite talking about the wrath of God, I'd be a little wary of going across the border, but the recruits just laugh at him and he says, "...and how else could it be?"
The next morning, one recruit is dead, laying in a pool of his own blood, when suddenly the Mennonite shows up again saying, "There is no such joy as in the tavern as upon the road thereto." and then walks away... creepy guy...
Fun Fact: Blogs rhymes with Dogs. It's true. Look it up.
And another kind of slow chapter. When it's so violent I want to throw up, I will be pleased.
So we find out more about the kid in the chapter. I don't know if it's a diagnosed symptom or whatnot, but the kid seems to be a pathological liar. We caught a glimpse in the previous chapter with the cattle drovers, but the kid lies through most of his interview with the Capitano. "How old are ya boy?" "Ninetee." Yeah. Ok. Then he starts again with the "They done did stolt ever'thing I got." Addicted to violence and lying. Sounds like an A+ winner.
"The war's over." The Mexican-American war I'm guessing. The Alamo and whatnot. I didn't pay attention in history.
It was only a few lines, but I liked how he glorified the sergeant's horse, you know, since he's spent a fair amount of time chastising the kid's mule. "Fitted with tooled leather with worked silver trim." It's showing how much better the kid could have it if he joined the army. Silver trim is waiting for you. Just sign the paper.
Captain goes off on the Mexicans. Well if they're so pathetic to be killed by stones of the Apache, then why is it that they can still kill American troops? Captain gives an example of a battle wherein only one American died, but come on, it's just a one time thing. Have to have more than one example buddy.
There were two lines that just didn't do it for me. The first: "How many youths have come home cold and dead from just such nights and just such plans." It feels like a different narrator for that line. Just doesn't work I don't think. Yeah, yeah, I'm being way nit-picky but I thought I would point them out. The second is when one of the corporals says "get back to that hole of misery." Yeah, that just doesn't work. 1849 corporal man doesn't say that.
Verb tense! Again!
Awwwwhhh. I was looking forward to a juicy scene (well as juicy as it got in 1849- "Oh man! She took her bonnet off!") between the whores and the fellas. No. Just a crazed old out-of-place Mennonite. And a Mennonite is pretty much just an Amish guy, save for a fridge and a car, which didn't even exist back then, so... wait a minute... Ah I don't even understand. I thought those sort of folk kept to their own kind and I never thought they existed down in Mexico/Texas area.
And does the mennonite kill Earl? He's dead and all, then papa mennonite comes in with some comment. A comment which I don't fully understand. Oh well.
Bottle in A Mexican's Eye
Chapter Two:
First and foremost I think everyone needs a 'the hermit' in their life. The way people act in this book, the hospitality that the characters have come so natural to them. It's really cool, for lack of a better adjective. It's like if everyone could be equally hospitable we would have world peace and never-ever-going-to-happen things of that sort.
The Espanol Bar- There is almost nothing worse than when someone is talking to you plain as day and you have no earthly idea what they're saying, frustrating much? He sweeps, does his good deed of the day, kid deserves a drink! Using the bottles as weapons was quite resourceful (or am I supposed to use present tense?). Taking the bottle and breaking it on the man, then coming in for a second hit was mildly violent but it's nothing close to the guts and buckets of blood I'm expecting to come from this book.
The Losing of the Mule- This part was really boring it literally took me 10 minutes to read 2 pages. He loses the mule, asks a Black if he had seen it and he goes down the river and finds his hot rod ride and semi kicks it, okay...? super awesome. when do the machetes come in?
First and foremost I think everyone needs a 'the hermit' in their life. The way people act in this book, the hospitality that the characters have come so natural to them. It's really cool, for lack of a better adjective. It's like if everyone could be equally hospitable we would have world peace and never-ever-going-to-happen things of that sort.
The Espanol Bar- There is almost nothing worse than when someone is talking to you plain as day and you have no earthly idea what they're saying, frustrating much? He sweeps, does his good deed of the day, kid deserves a drink! Using the bottles as weapons was quite resourceful (or am I supposed to use present tense?). Taking the bottle and breaking it on the man, then coming in for a second hit was mildly violent but it's nothing close to the guts and buckets of blood I'm expecting to come from this book.
The Losing of the Mule- This part was really boring it literally took me 10 minutes to read 2 pages. He loses the mule, asks a Black if he had seen it and he goes down the river and finds his hot rod ride and semi kicks it, okay...? super awesome. when do the machetes come in?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
07-04-2010 Blog Chatper 2
All alone on this broken road.
I across the term King's road, and I assume it means the main roads. The books says he took this road to avoid citizenry; what does this mean? What's an anchorite? the -ite suffix suggests a type of rock, but that doesn't seem to be descriptive of a hermit. I found it interesting that the hermit wouldn't drink after a mule, but would eat old, molded rat stew. I also found the hermit's opinion of the only things that can destroy the world is women, alcohol (namely whiskey), money, and "niggers." I wonder if the heart of the slave has any symbolic meaning, or if its just something weird that the former slave driver finds reminiscent of his past. He doesn't seem to be entirely uneducated. His thought process is somewhat sane, especially his commentary about "man's mind" and heart. As well as his prediction of 1000 years from then. I wonder where the hermit went the next morning.
The encounter with the cattle drivers was nice after "the kid's" previous history. They were nice enough to give him a knife and food. I feel really bad for the poor mule: cracked hooves, protruding ribs, and bent back.
The fight at the bar was intense, but was described very undramatic like. Perhaps this was to portray "the kid's" mood at the time. I translated most of the Spanish that was spoken, I'll share in class if no one else translated also.
The morning after the fight he woke up and didn't know where he was. It was a little disturbing to read about the dead bodies in the Sacristy and the blown off body parts of the saints and the virgin and baby. What were the black people talking about when they said "It didn't have no tail nor no hair to speak of but it did have long ears." and then the other blacks laughed.... hmm....
I across the term King's road, and I assume it means the main roads. The books says he took this road to avoid citizenry; what does this mean? What's an anchorite? the -ite suffix suggests a type of rock, but that doesn't seem to be descriptive of a hermit. I found it interesting that the hermit wouldn't drink after a mule, but would eat old, molded rat stew. I also found the hermit's opinion of the only things that can destroy the world is women, alcohol (namely whiskey), money, and "niggers." I wonder if the heart of the slave has any symbolic meaning, or if its just something weird that the former slave driver finds reminiscent of his past. He doesn't seem to be entirely uneducated. His thought process is somewhat sane, especially his commentary about "man's mind" and heart. As well as his prediction of 1000 years from then. I wonder where the hermit went the next morning.
The encounter with the cattle drivers was nice after "the kid's" previous history. They were nice enough to give him a knife and food. I feel really bad for the poor mule: cracked hooves, protruding ribs, and bent back.
The fight at the bar was intense, but was described very undramatic like. Perhaps this was to portray "the kid's" mood at the time. I translated most of the Spanish that was spoken, I'll share in class if no one else translated also.
The morning after the fight he woke up and didn't know where he was. It was a little disturbing to read about the dead bodies in the Sacristy and the blown off body parts of the saints and the virgin and baby. What were the black people talking about when they said "It didn't have no tail nor no hair to speak of but it did have long ears." and then the other blacks laughed.... hmm....
Blood Meridian Chapter 2--Bloodier and Meridian-ier
This chapter was much easier to read than the first one. I'm starting to get used to the style and I have found it gets easier to read if you read the confusing parts out loud.
In the beginning, the story is pretty slow, but when the kid meets the hermit, things start to get more interesting. I like how this hermit is so nice and friendly toward the kid. After reading this, I feel that there are many misconceptions about hermits. Most of us would think of a hermit as an angry and dirty outcast, however, in chapter 2, the hermit is a nice and pleasantly kind fellow (unless you are an African American). The only thing that I don't like about the friendly hermit is that he is a little too friendly. The passage when the kid wakes to find the hermit standing over him reminds me of the teacher in "Catcher in the Rye." I think that McCarthy includes this hermit character to show another, slightly less hostile view of the west: a west of misunderstood, yet still very friendly and noble people.
Another show of friendship on the frontier is the part when the kid meets the cattle drivers. Although the kid uses their hospitality and goods as a sort of "free lunch,'' I feel that he greatly benefited in ways he will never know from this encounter. On page twenty, McCarthy writes, "Followed by packs of wolves, coyotes, indians...They asked him no questions, a ragged lot themselves." Besides from getting a free knife and some food, the kid learns the stories of some other troubled people, which may prove to be helpful later in the book. Maybe the kid will realize that there are people in the world suffering and that the west is a very volitile and crazy place. Possibly later in the book, fist fights will be the least of the kid's worries.
The passages wherein the kid sees the dead bodies (on the back of the wagon and in the church) are definitely used for symbolism and foreshadowing. The sights of the dead bodies in the back of the wagon foreshadow that something dangerous is going to happen in the town when the kid arrives. However, the sights of the dead people and animals in the church are definitely a symbol for the west in the 1800's. McCarthy uses this visualization to show how even the holiest of people either end up dead or are converted to hostile jerks. The bodies in the church are probably a sign that things arn't going to change from a wasteland of murderers to a happy and flowering meadow filled with unicorns overnight.
The fight scene in the cantina was funny to me. The funniest thing is that no one knew what was going on, espicially since the kid and the hispanics were speaking in different languages. It's no fun to be made fun of without knowing what the people making fun of you are saying. When the kid offered to sweep the floor for a drink, I knew that a fight was going to happen sooner or later. The kid doesn't strike me as the kind of person that would just sit there while he was made fun of, espicially by people he probably doesn't like in the first place. Also, I'm sensing a pattern with how people die in "Blood Meridian."Hopefully, the west has a bunch of eye doctors or a huge supply of pirate patches.
On another note, has anyone thought about the title of the book at all? I looked up the word meridian and got--a point or period of highest development, greatest prosperity, or the like (dictionary.com). Possibly this is a reference to the whole "regeneration through violence" thing. Maybe blood needs to be shed to reach a place of high prosperity and development? I'm not really sure...
In the beginning, the story is pretty slow, but when the kid meets the hermit, things start to get more interesting. I like how this hermit is so nice and friendly toward the kid. After reading this, I feel that there are many misconceptions about hermits. Most of us would think of a hermit as an angry and dirty outcast, however, in chapter 2, the hermit is a nice and pleasantly kind fellow (unless you are an African American). The only thing that I don't like about the friendly hermit is that he is a little too friendly. The passage when the kid wakes to find the hermit standing over him reminds me of the teacher in "Catcher in the Rye." I think that McCarthy includes this hermit character to show another, slightly less hostile view of the west: a west of misunderstood, yet still very friendly and noble people.
Another show of friendship on the frontier is the part when the kid meets the cattle drivers. Although the kid uses their hospitality and goods as a sort of "free lunch,'' I feel that he greatly benefited in ways he will never know from this encounter. On page twenty, McCarthy writes, "Followed by packs of wolves, coyotes, indians...They asked him no questions, a ragged lot themselves." Besides from getting a free knife and some food, the kid learns the stories of some other troubled people, which may prove to be helpful later in the book. Maybe the kid will realize that there are people in the world suffering and that the west is a very volitile and crazy place. Possibly later in the book, fist fights will be the least of the kid's worries.
The passages wherein the kid sees the dead bodies (on the back of the wagon and in the church) are definitely used for symbolism and foreshadowing. The sights of the dead bodies in the back of the wagon foreshadow that something dangerous is going to happen in the town when the kid arrives. However, the sights of the dead people and animals in the church are definitely a symbol for the west in the 1800's. McCarthy uses this visualization to show how even the holiest of people either end up dead or are converted to hostile jerks. The bodies in the church are probably a sign that things arn't going to change from a wasteland of murderers to a happy and flowering meadow filled with unicorns overnight.
The fight scene in the cantina was funny to me. The funniest thing is that no one knew what was going on, espicially since the kid and the hispanics were speaking in different languages. It's no fun to be made fun of without knowing what the people making fun of you are saying. When the kid offered to sweep the floor for a drink, I knew that a fight was going to happen sooner or later. The kid doesn't strike me as the kind of person that would just sit there while he was made fun of, espicially by people he probably doesn't like in the first place. Also, I'm sensing a pattern with how people die in "Blood Meridian."Hopefully, the west has a bunch of eye doctors or a huge supply of pirate patches.
On another note, has anyone thought about the title of the book at all? I looked up the word meridian and got--a point or period of highest development, greatest prosperity, or the like (dictionary.com). Possibly this is a reference to the whole "regeneration through violence" thing. Maybe blood needs to be shed to reach a place of high prosperity and development? I'm not really sure...
Chapter 2
This chapter was a slow read, but was needed to advance the story I suppose. I had expected there to be more fighting, but it was still good otherwise.
I want to start of by asking if anyone else thought the hermit was a bit creepy. I mean he keeps a dried up African American heart, and was bent over the kid, watching him sleep. I think McCarthy did a great job making him seem like the crazy racist guy living in a shack. I really thought the quote, "There is four things that can destroy the earth... Women, whiskey, money, and niggers," was interesting because it shed a little light on this crazy hermit's philosophy. Though a quote from the hermit I like more than that is, "You can find meanness in the least of creatures, but when God made man the devil was at his elbow."
I liked where the kid went to the cantina in Bexar. It was interesting to have the kid not understand the barman and the barman not understand the kid, and then having to use that old man as a medium. I thought it was funny that the kid asked the old man if he spoke american and not English. The later fight scene with the barman was entertaining to say the least, and certainly makes this chapter interesting. I'm starting to wonder why this fifteen year old kid is this violent. I know he's the son of an alcoholic, and its 1849, but only that doesn't make a kid kill a guy with a broken glass bottle.
I want to start of by asking if anyone else thought the hermit was a bit creepy. I mean he keeps a dried up African American heart, and was bent over the kid, watching him sleep. I think McCarthy did a great job making him seem like the crazy racist guy living in a shack. I really thought the quote, "There is four things that can destroy the earth... Women, whiskey, money, and niggers," was interesting because it shed a little light on this crazy hermit's philosophy. Though a quote from the hermit I like more than that is, "You can find meanness in the least of creatures, but when God made man the devil was at his elbow."
I liked where the kid went to the cantina in Bexar. It was interesting to have the kid not understand the barman and the barman not understand the kid, and then having to use that old man as a medium. I thought it was funny that the kid asked the old man if he spoke american and not English. The later fight scene with the barman was entertaining to say the least, and certainly makes this chapter interesting. I'm starting to wonder why this fifteen year old kid is this violent. I know he's the son of an alcoholic, and its 1849, but only that doesn't make a kid kill a guy with a broken glass bottle.
ZOMG IM BLOGGING AGAIN!!! (chapter two dawgz)
And kind of a slow chapter it was... I'm not disappointed, but I was expecting a little more... how you say... violence. Oh well, anyway:
First of all, has anyone else noticed how he changes verb tense? At the beginning of this chapter (and the previous as well) the author writes in present tense, verbs such as tracks, falls, looks, you get the idea. And it's in the middle of a paragraph that the tense changes to past. When the Kid meets the hermit it is. I don't know what the significance of this is, but like we discussed earlier today, pretty much everything McCarthy does has a reason behind it.
I smiled at the hospitality and friendliness of the hermit. And it's not just the hermit; Toadvine was guilty too. In a time when people are so ruthless and angry, it's funny to see someone so happy to take care of another. Take a look at things today. When's the last time YOU took in a perfect stranger and showed him your prized n-word's-heart (I figured the real word isn't appropriate)? It's just interesting that someone can be so quick to house a person as he is to stab him.
And then at the Mexican bar in Bexar. I'm guessing the actual spoken Spanish is only arbitrary and that understanding the words isn't necessary. I think the point McCarthy is making is that the Kid and the Mexicans have no idea what the other is up to, which leads to an unhappy (dead) Mexican.
I was lost when the Kid met the cattle drovers. This was the only instance where the absence of quotations really messed things up. All I got was that a fella' named Lonnie is getting it a lot down in Bexar. Yeah, totally lost in the dialogue, no matter how many times I read it.
I don't want to toss up the word irony, because it's overused and often incorrectly. But I thought it was... say... well I know there's some meaning in having the dead bodies in the church. I figured there must have been some massacre there or some killing. Just kind of funny for that to happen the house of God.
Lastly I want to accent the long passage of dialogue from the hermit. I want to talk about it because I don't really understand it. "When God made man the devil was at his elbow." What does it all mean (basil)? Help me out religious folk. Or is this just the mindless ranting of a man separated from society? We just don't know... (we actually may know though).
Who thought a blog could be so engaging? Too bad they couldn't have thought of a name with a MORE boring connotation... ah well.
I'm impressed with all of your comments and observations; I've probably read this book over a dozen times in five years, and I'm still picking up on nu[new]ances and items (bwah ha ha .... king made a funny) from you fine folks :)
While looking back to the "Leonids" reference, I thought of something else:
"Night of your birth. Thirty-three. The Leonids they were called. God how the stars did fall. I looked for blackness, holes in the heavens. The Dipper stove."
I'm impressed with all of your comments and observations; I've probably read this book over a dozen times in five years, and I'm still picking up on nu[new]ances and items (bwah ha ha .... king made a funny) from you fine folks :)
While looking back to the "Leonids" reference, I thought of something else:
"Night of your birth. Thirty-three. The Leonids they were called. God how the stars did fall. I looked for blackness, holes in the heavens. The Dipper stove."
–verb
a pt. and pp. of stave.
Interesting... here's a cool link to a podcast story on the Leonids of 1833:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_meteor16.431f9a3.html
Why did the author include this vivid imagery in the second paragraph of his epic?
Another thought / question I have, but had never thought of before: we see the use of a first person narrator in this very same paragraph - who is the narrator? I don't recall seeing this use of narration (1st person) in the rest of the novel... as you may have guessed, I'm a huge fan of this novel, and I refuse to believe that every word and phrase doesn't have some purpose and meaning, especially in the beginning. McCarthy is known to research his novels extensively / obsessively and writes in a mostly hermitical setting - he doesn't do interviews even... (unrelated point) Nonetheless, who is the "I" here? I'm curious to get to the end of the book and look back at this question to see if there's a clearer response.
-sk
Interesting... here's a cool link to a podcast story on the Leonids of 1833:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_meteor16.431f9a3.html
Why did the author include this vivid imagery in the second paragraph of his epic?
Another thought / question I have, but had never thought of before: we see the use of a first person narrator in this very same paragraph - who is the narrator? I don't recall seeing this use of narration (1st person) in the rest of the novel... as you may have guessed, I'm a huge fan of this novel, and I refuse to believe that every word and phrase doesn't have some purpose and meaning, especially in the beginning. McCarthy is known to research his novels extensively / obsessively and writes in a mostly hermitical setting - he doesn't do interviews even... (unrelated point) Nonetheless, who is the "I" here? I'm curious to get to the end of the book and look back at this question to see if there's a clearer response.
-sk
i just saw {my grade drop a point for mocking students online}
Chapter One:
The short list at the beginning of the chapter couldn't even begin to ruin the chapter as a whole. Even though I read the list I had to re reread every paragraph to get what was going on.
I really like the main character, as far as his actions in the first chapter go. This kid is impulsive, mean, violent, and above all else, 14 years of age. He's been shot, has run away, kicked a man's face in, burnt a hotel to tickle his devious little fancy, and escapes on a mule. Tell me can you do all of that and still sound extremely awesome? No, because you aren't the Bruce Campbell among tweens in the 30's-40's era.
No quotations, I for one am just fine with this. The fact that there aren't any is annoying to say the least, but it makes me have to re-read the words, which isn't all that terrible because I'm already reading it more than once. McCarthy's lack of punctuation is inspiration to those who hate extra things like capitalization, quotations, and commas.
Back to this 'kid', he worked in a sawmill. That reminds me of the scene in Walk the Line where little Johnny's brother gets half eaten by a sawmill. Any who, he also works in a diptheria pesthouse, sounds like a lavish job, wouldn't you say? I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be diphtheria, the disease illness thing, with the spelling being different and all.
The vividness you create in your mind when you read about the boys going upstairs and starting the fire only gets more intense as you paint the mental picture of Toadvine slowly forcing his thumb into Old Sidney's eye socket. That miniature fight scene was the highlight of the chapter; well, aside from Judge Holden having a man killed from false charges. Maybe Rev. Green looked at the Judge with flirtatious eyes, we will never know. But we know from the bulk and baldness that Judge Holden is not someone to mess with; neither is the kid.
The short list at the beginning of the chapter couldn't even begin to ruin the chapter as a whole. Even though I read the list I had to re reread every paragraph to get what was going on.
I really like the main character, as far as his actions in the first chapter go. This kid is impulsive, mean, violent, and above all else, 14 years of age. He's been shot, has run away, kicked a man's face in, burnt a hotel to tickle his devious little fancy, and escapes on a mule. Tell me can you do all of that and still sound extremely awesome? No, because you aren't the Bruce Campbell among tweens in the 30's-40's era.
No quotations, I for one am just fine with this. The fact that there aren't any is annoying to say the least, but it makes me have to re-read the words, which isn't all that terrible because I'm already reading it more than once. McCarthy's lack of punctuation is inspiration to those who hate extra things like capitalization, quotations, and commas.
Back to this 'kid', he worked in a sawmill. That reminds me of the scene in Walk the Line where little Johnny's brother gets half eaten by a sawmill. Any who, he also works in a diptheria pesthouse, sounds like a lavish job, wouldn't you say? I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be diphtheria, the disease illness thing, with the spelling being different and all.
The vividness you create in your mind when you read about the boys going upstairs and starting the fire only gets more intense as you paint the mental picture of Toadvine slowly forcing his thumb into Old Sidney's eye socket. That miniature fight scene was the highlight of the chapter; well, aside from Judge Holden having a man killed from false charges. Maybe Rev. Green looked at the Judge with flirtatious eyes, we will never know. But we know from the bulk and baldness that Judge Holden is not someone to mess with; neither is the kid.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Chapter 1, Would You Have Congress With It?
First of all, this chapter confused the crap out of me at first, but I think I somewhat understand what's going on. I don't really like how McCarthy refuses to use any quotation marks or apostrophes. The lack of those are both confusing and extremely annoying. Sure it may look better without them, but then it makes it difficult to tell if someone is saying something or if it's just happening. They're around for a reason.
McCarthy starts the chapter talking about the main character known simply as "the Kid", and seems to go in detail about his life, but I had to dig a little to find some of it. From what I got out of it, the Kid was born in 1833, hence the "Thirty-Three" in the second paragraph of the first page. The Leonids that were mentioned was a meteor shower which I had to look up. The kid seems to love violence, as shown later in the chapter when he got in a fight with a random guy for no apparent reason.
This chapter is a little slow to read at first but gets better along the way, probably because of the violence. I think the Judge character is shown as a person who is cold-hearted though, because he just walked into Reverend Green's sermon and just basically denounced him and spread all these ridiculous lies about Green having congress with both a goat and an eleven year old girl. Then later on the guy just says, "I never laid eyes on the man before today".
What I think McCarthy was the most effective at was writing about the Kid and Toadvine meeting. The only part that was confusing was where he was fighting the man who wanted him out of his way on page 9. At the part," But someone else was coming down the lot... He reached the kid first and when he swung with the club the kid went face down in the mud." I don't know which of these guys is Toadvine, because McCarthy keeps listing people as the man or the woman, and not giving many of them names. But when he does meet Toadvine, they burn down this hotel to get this guy named Old Sydney, with a really interesting and violent scene.
All in all, if this chapter was a little less confusing it'd be great. The last part is definitely better than the first in my opinion.
McCarthy starts the chapter talking about the main character known simply as "the Kid", and seems to go in detail about his life, but I had to dig a little to find some of it. From what I got out of it, the Kid was born in 1833, hence the "Thirty-Three" in the second paragraph of the first page. The Leonids that were mentioned was a meteor shower which I had to look up. The kid seems to love violence, as shown later in the chapter when he got in a fight with a random guy for no apparent reason.
This chapter is a little slow to read at first but gets better along the way, probably because of the violence. I think the Judge character is shown as a person who is cold-hearted though, because he just walked into Reverend Green's sermon and just basically denounced him and spread all these ridiculous lies about Green having congress with both a goat and an eleven year old girl. Then later on the guy just says, "I never laid eyes on the man before today".
What I think McCarthy was the most effective at was writing about the Kid and Toadvine meeting. The only part that was confusing was where he was fighting the man who wanted him out of his way on page 9. At the part," But someone else was coming down the lot... He reached the kid first and when he swung with the club the kid went face down in the mud." I don't know which of these guys is Toadvine, because McCarthy keeps listing people as the man or the woman, and not giving many of them names. But when he does meet Toadvine, they burn down this hotel to get this guy named Old Sydney, with a really interesting and violent scene.
All in all, if this chapter was a little less confusing it'd be great. The last part is definitely better than the first in my opinion.
Regeneration through violence
Now knowing the main character and a few details of his past, perhaps the "regeneration" is that of the main character after experiencing all that he has with his father, that is currently not described.
An afterthought that occurs to me, looking back and seeing, "All history present in that visage, the child the father of the man." What does this mean?
An afterthought that occurs to me, looking back and seeing, "All history present in that visage, the child the father of the man." What does this mean?
Blog 4-6-10 Interesting chapter.
A bit confusing at the start, but very... interesting... as the chapter progressed and especially at the end.
At the beginning of the chapter, McCarthy writes, "Outside lie dark turned fields with rags of snow and darker woods beyond that harbor yet a few last wolves." What I italicized confused me at first. I thought that "harbor" was referring to a place where boats are moored. Reference to the Leonids caught my attention. I wonder if the fact that the main character was born on the night of a meteor shower will have any future importance. Also in that paragraph, The author refers to "The Dipper stove." Does this mean the quadrilateral that makes up the cup of the dipper?
I like how the author doesn't actually say that the boy's mother died during child birth and uses "incubate," a word I associate with incubus; a male demon.
At fourteen the boy runs away from home, wanders for a year and ends up on a boat to New Orleans where he is shot in the back and then just below the heart. At fifteen, I would not have even thought of being shot, not seriously anyway. After two weeks, he boards another boat to Texas where he works odd jobs and sees a man hanged for killing his family by his friends, then finally comes to Nacogdoches, where the chapter is set. It surprised me that the man was killed by his friends and not by some form of appointed law enforcer.
Judge is shown to be a starter of trouble, nearly getting a reverend killed for crimes he apparently never committed in places he has probably never been, then reappears at a bar where he is questioned about his accusations and claims to never have even seen the accused.
Toadvine is another trouble maker that recruits "the boy", after knocking him out the night before, to help him smoke out and attack a man at a hotel and, perhaps not at first intentionally, burn the same hotel down.
After Toadvine's fight with "the boy" McCarthy writes about a man staring at the two of them, walking off, then returning in the direction he came only a few minutes later and again stealing a glance at them. This illustration didn't seem to be very important, so I wonder why the author chose to include it.
After escaping, the boy looks back at Judge and the two shared a moment in which Judge smiled at them and turned his horse so that "the animal watched him too." Another seemingly unimportant detail that I wonder why the author chose to include.
At the beginning of the chapter, McCarthy writes, "Outside lie dark turned fields with rags of snow and darker woods beyond that harbor yet a few last wolves." What I italicized confused me at first. I thought that "harbor" was referring to a place where boats are moored. Reference to the Leonids caught my attention. I wonder if the fact that the main character was born on the night of a meteor shower will have any future importance. Also in that paragraph, The author refers to "The Dipper stove." Does this mean the quadrilateral that makes up the cup of the dipper?
I like how the author doesn't actually say that the boy's mother died during child birth and uses "incubate," a word I associate with incubus; a male demon.
At fourteen the boy runs away from home, wanders for a year and ends up on a boat to New Orleans where he is shot in the back and then just below the heart. At fifteen, I would not have even thought of being shot, not seriously anyway. After two weeks, he boards another boat to Texas where he works odd jobs and sees a man hanged for killing his family by his friends, then finally comes to Nacogdoches, where the chapter is set. It surprised me that the man was killed by his friends and not by some form of appointed law enforcer.
Judge is shown to be a starter of trouble, nearly getting a reverend killed for crimes he apparently never committed in places he has probably never been, then reappears at a bar where he is questioned about his accusations and claims to never have even seen the accused.
Toadvine is another trouble maker that recruits "the boy", after knocking him out the night before, to help him smoke out and attack a man at a hotel and, perhaps not at first intentionally, burn the same hotel down.
After Toadvine's fight with "the boy" McCarthy writes about a man staring at the two of them, walking off, then returning in the direction he came only a few minutes later and again stealing a glance at them. This illustration didn't seem to be very important, so I wonder why the author chose to include it.
After escaping, the boy looks back at Judge and the two shared a moment in which Judge smiled at them and turned his horse so that "the animal watched him too." Another seemingly unimportant detail that I wonder why the author chose to include.
Blood Meridian Chapter 1
First of all, this chapter was pretty confusing. Although McCarthy is trying to make things mysterious and western-like by listing every detail, it gets very annoying after a couple of pages. William Faulkner, another country style writer, also uses this method of simple yet confusing writing in his book "As I Lay Dying." However, Faulkner doesn't even come close to the graphic and intense scenes depicted by McCarthy. The fight scene and the eye poking outage seem to set the stage for the rest of the book.
One of the other things McCarthy does in chapter one is that he displays his characters. The "kid" seems to be the main character although we learn very little about his life besides the fact that he likes to fight and that he moves around a lot (from Saint Lous to New Orleans to Galveston). The two other main characters, The Judge, and Toadvine, seem to be McCarthy's idea of the typical western "bad guy." The Judge is more of a jerk than a hostile killing machine like Toadvine, although this may change throughout the book. On page eight, The Judge says, "I never laid eyes on the man before today. Never even heard of him." The Judge says this after accusing the preecher-man of "having congress" with an eleven year old girl and a goat. McCarthy writes this segment to show the lawlessness of the Wild West in the 1800's. Also, McCarthy uses interesting and effective dialogue for his characters, keeping in mind that this book is set in the west.
On another note, this would make a very confusing yet interesting movie. However, not enough explosions for a Michael Bay movie. If this is chapter one, then it must have an epic ending...
One of the other things McCarthy does in chapter one is that he displays his characters. The "kid" seems to be the main character although we learn very little about his life besides the fact that he likes to fight and that he moves around a lot (from Saint Lous to New Orleans to Galveston). The two other main characters, The Judge, and Toadvine, seem to be McCarthy's idea of the typical western "bad guy." The Judge is more of a jerk than a hostile killing machine like Toadvine, although this may change throughout the book. On page eight, The Judge says, "I never laid eyes on the man before today. Never even heard of him." The Judge says this after accusing the preecher-man of "having congress" with an eleven year old girl and a goat. McCarthy writes this segment to show the lawlessness of the Wild West in the 1800's. Also, McCarthy uses interesting and effective dialogue for his characters, keeping in mind that this book is set in the west.
On another note, this would make a very confusing yet interesting movie. However, not enough explosions for a Michael Bay movie. If this is chapter one, then it must have an epic ending...
ZOMG IM BLOGGING!!! (first blog i guess)
Chapter one of Blood Meridian. Confusing from the get-go, haunting once the setting is set.
The Kid is only fourteen, but thrust into an environment where literally anything goes (ex: burning a hotel on an impulse is nothing out of the ordinary). Perhaps the time period is a big factor in maturing, because when I was fourteen, I was scared to walk down the street, and much less pick fights with random strangers twice my age.
And then there's the introduction of the judge. The judge is just the ultimate man: tall, bald and can accuse a reverend of beastiality (sp?) with zero evidence. And he doesn't think twice about it. He just didn't like the fellow, so he had him killed.
It's really neither here nor there, and maybe demeaning to the brutality and seriousness of the book, but I managed to find a bit of satire in the chapter. After the Kid fights Toadvine, they are magically best pals. It made me chuckle when I thought of guys beating the crap out of each other then going out for tea (burning a building) afterwards. I don't know, it's probably just me.
And lastly I just want to emphasize this line: "Toadvine seized him about the neck and rode him to the floor and held him by the hair and began to pry out an eyeball with his thumb," (McCarthy 13). Yeah. That. Just. Happened. Pretty terrifying.
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