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.