Some big happenings since last time, and I certainly did not see them coming. I expected to see Blevins again, for sure, but I expected Blevins to somehow come back into the lives of John Grady and Rawlins, rather than them being delivered forcibly back to him. From the start Blevins was character that spelled trouble for our heros. At first I was rooting for him to be removed from the story as quickly as possible, and hopefully without causing too much harm to John Grady and Rawlins (obviously, that was not the case). That changed however when Blevins quickly insists to take the road alone, and allows John Grady and Rollins to escape through the wild. That selfless act endeared Blevins to me, and I was sad to see him go.
I am considering several new questions at this point, and look forward to hearing your thoughts. First, what significance, if any, does the sighting of the greyhounds by the fire in the mountains have, especially as relating to John Grady and Rawlins being hauled away? I assume at this point that the events are somehow related, but how? John Grady states the greyhounds would not be up in the mountains alone, but why would Don Hector or anybody else be there?
Why did Don Hector not protect John Grady and Rawlins? Was he unable to help them, or unwilling to help them because he knows of John Grady’s affair with his daughter? I suspect the presence of the Mexican Rangers at the hacienda on the occasion prior to John Grady and Rawlins being hauled may mean that they never would have been hauled away without the compliance of Don Hector, and he was at least compliant with, if not responsible for, their incarceration.
I very surprised that the book took a hard turn into action with a jailing, knife fights and murder attempts, whereas before the boys were taken off the jail it had been a more subtle examination of their relationships and conditions. I did not mind the action, and certainly being kept off-balance is a good thing, but I do hope the rest of the book does not aspire to be a “thrill-ride” for lack of a better term.
I am enjoying the book very much, but I often feel that is in spite of McCarthy’s writing and not because of it. Take a look at these two sentences from page 179 and let me know your thoughts:
Yet the Captain inhabited another space and it was a space of his own election and outside the common world of men. A space privileged to men of the irreclaimable act which while it contained all lesser worlds within it contained no access to them.
I think of myself as an intelligent man, I am highly educated, and I read often, and I have no idea what these two sentences are saying. I have read it many times in and out of context, and it seems to me to be a slapdash amalgamation of impressive words with no point whatsoever. To be frank, I think it is self -indulgent nonsense.
I find McCarthy’s use of Spanish excessive. Let me say first, on a semi-related political note, that most pro-English stuff turns my stomach. Bumper stickers and the like saying stuff like “I shouldn’t have to press 1 for English” and that sort of crap are the worst kind of ignorant and I think the people sporting nonsense like that should be reminded daily that all of their ancestors probably did not arrive in the United States speaking perfect English. I also understand that stylistically, it plays a role here. John Gray’s ability to speak Spanish paints him as an intelligent and street-smart leader. Also, it smacks at true. Spanish would be spoken much of the time under the circumstances in the novel. However, my own lack of ability to understand all but the simplest of Spanish hampers my understanding of the plot. Does McCarthy intend for me to read with a Spanish/English dictionary at my side? Does he want to try and better me by teaching me a little Spanish? Does he intend for his average reader to be somewhat in the dark? Is the book written primarily for a bilingual audience?
If the intended affect is that the reader be somewhat in the dark, just as someone in the situation without the ability to understand Spanish would be in the dark, then it is a brilliant method, but most of the time I just get the feeling that McCarthy is just shoving it in my face that he can write Spanish and I can’t read it. Any thoughts on that?
Going forward, I anticipate answers to some questions, especially as to Don Hector’s role in their ordeal with the authorities. I also wonder if Perez, the powerful man of means from the prison, will make another appearance. I predict we have also not seen the last of him.
Until next time,
Matt
I agree the excessive use of Spanish should be stopped. I have had the time, but refuse to grab a Spanish/English dictionary. The spattering of Spanish does lend credibility to the story and the characters, but it should not, as it does confuse the reader.
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