Quotations and Explanations

Throughout my reading, I have highlighted certain passages or quotes that I liked or that I thought were important. I want to share a few of them and explain why I highlighted them. Once again, most of these qoutes are lacking punctuation and may be confusing out of context, but I will try to explain what it happening at the time of this quote.

“Some things in this world cant be helped.” Pg. 18
This quote was in the beginning of the book when John Grady is trying to find a way to convince his mom not to sell the ranch that has been in his family for decades. His family lawyer tells him there is nothing he can do for him; his mom wants to sell the land and she will. I think this quote is a big reason why John Grady decides to leave his family and home. There is no hope for him in Texas. He feels like there isn’t anything he can do to help his situation, so he leaves. I think it is important to realize that sometimes things are never going to change. We have to take things into our own hands and make hard decisions, like Grady did. I don’t think his running away makes him a coward; I think it makes him a hero. He is taking a huge risk, putting his life in his own hands, and growing up.

"Ever dumb thing I ever done in my life there was a decision I made before that got me into it. It was never the dumb thing. It was always some choice I'd made before it." Pg.79
Rawlins says this shortly after him and Grady have met Blevins. He is trying to convince Grady to leave Blevins behind, because he will cause them trouble later. Because he does end up causing them trouble, this makes Rawlins a very realistic character. He is looking out for himself, and he knows when to say when. Unfortunately, Grady is too kind to leave a man behind. This leads them to trouble later in the book, trouble that could have been avoided if Grady had listened to Rawlins. I also highlighted this quote because it is a good thing to know. Our decisions affect us greatly, and not always in the ways we would expect. You have to think hard about what you’re doing with you’re life, because you never know what might happen.

"Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real. The events that cause them can never be forgotten." Pg.135
Alfonsa, Alexandra’s (John’s lover) godmother says this to John Grady when she is advising him to stay away from Alexandra. She is explaining how hard it is for woman to keep their reputation and that they can never get it back once it is gone. She is telling him how she lost her fingers, in a shooting accident. She then asks about his scar on his cheek, which he got from a horse. Alfonsa wants John to know that you can’t take the past back. She is saying this because once he ruins Alexandra’s reputations, the ‘scars’ will be permanent. When horrible things happen, the scars or consequences make sure we never forget them. We need to be mindful of the consequences of our actions.

"There aint but one truth. The truth is what happened. It aint what come out of somebody's mouth." Pg.168
John Grady says this when he is being questioned by the men who want revenge on Blevins. They are trying to convince him to say they story they want to hear, but he refuses. He says they straight truth, and doesn’t twist it in way. People always say there are different sides to each story, but when it comes down to it, there is only one truth. It is important to realize that people will lie and the truth is hard to find. Unless you were there, you probably won’t have the story right. And that is just the way life is.

"Dying aint in people's plans, is it?" Pg. 210
Rawlins says this to John Grady about a man he met in the hospital room who died. I like this quote because it not only created a sense of danger, but it also makes you feel like you could die any minute. Nobody plans to die. It just happens. It is simple, and McCarthy makes it seem like it is just another thing that happens in our life. This quote creates urgency to live life fully, because death comes out of nowhere.

"I wouldnt be here if I wasnt supposed to be here." Pg.214
Rawlins say this to Grady in one of their few deep conversations throughout the book. This once again creates a feeling of simplicity. We merely exist in a world that has everything picked out for us. Our life is basically decided before we even have the chance. I like this quote, because it is saying everything happens for a reason. Don’t dwell on the past or what is to come, because wherever you are, you are supposed to be there.