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