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.