Rhetoric Study

“They rode out along the fenceline and across the open pasture-land. The leather creaked in the morning cold. They pushed the horses into a lope. The light fell away behind them. They rode out on the high prairie where they slowed the horses to a walk and the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness. They heard somewhere in that tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming stars so that they rode not under but among them and they rode at once jaunty and circumspect, like thieves newly loosed in that dark electric, like young thieves in a glowing orchard, loosely jacketed against the cold and ten thousand worlds for the choosing.” pg.30

This quote is towards the beginning of the book, right as John Grady and Rawlins are leaving their home, Texas, to find adventure elsewhere. They have no plan, and that is okay with them. All they know is that Texas has nothing left for them, and it is time to find something new. This passage basically introduces the book and what is to come.

This passage depicts McCarthy’s style perfectly. Lack of punctuation, simple sentences, and carefully chosen words are McCarthy’s specialties. However, they are used for a purpose. His sentences are often straight forward, with only a subject and verb. This helps create the feeling of simplicity within the story. These boys are leaving home, and they have no plan. But it doesn’t matter. They are not worried about the complications and problems they may encounter. Whatever happens, will happen. McCarthy’s short but not choppy sentences help create this almost carefree mood in a situation where you would expect the complete opposite.

Like I have talked about earlier, McCarthy’s lack of punctuation emphasizes the importance of the setting. However, this also makes you want to keep reading. His thought provoking description and dialogue leave you wanting more. In this passage, his imagery once again creates a scene the reader can picture. With the horses, the stars, and the never-ending land, one can’t help but feel like he/she is right there with Grady and Rawlins, riding into the unknown.

I think it is important to look at the words McCarthy uses to describe the setting and the characters. He chooses words as much for their sound as for their meaning. His words flow, even in his run-on sentences. “Jaunty” and “Circumspect” describe the mood perfectly. The boys are excited, but they are cautious as well. They have no idea what to expect. When McCarthy says, “they rode not under but among them” he is putting humans and nature [stars] on the same level. This once again is making life seem simple and beautiful. I also like when he says “and ten thousand worlds for the choosing.” These boys can go anywhere; their options are endless. It creates a sense of hope that they will find what they are looking for. I also like how he uses the word ‘thieves’ because it almost foreshadows the dangers they are going to encounter in their journey. He also implies they may not be ready for these dangers by saying they are “loosely jacketed against the cold.” McCarthy chooses his words carefully to make sure they not only mean but also sound perfect in context.

I want to talk about some other rhetoric devices McCarthy uses that are not necessarily used in this passage. Throughout the book McCarthy occasionally puts quotations in Spanish. This makes the reader feel like a stranger to the land, just as Grady and Rawlins are. It helps the reader connect with the characters. And although it may seem like it would be confusing, McCarthy has developed his characters so that the reader knows what they are saying, even if it is in Spanish. McCarthy also uses similes and metaphors, as he did in this passage, to better describe the setting and the characters. He does this because he knows how hard it is to fully imagine something you have never seen, and by comparing it to certain things, he makes this task a little easier.