The Red Pony is a novella written by John Steinbeck in 1933. Being a slice of life book, there really isn’t a whole lot to say about the story. It’s just a series of little stories revolving around a boy living on a Ranch in California, followed by a short story called “Junius Maltby,” about an accountant who left San Francisco to live on a farm.
Throughout the book, there is a scattering of brilliant little passages where Steinbeck employed evocative metaphors to illustrate everyday things. As I read, I felt compelled to sticky note my book so that I could go back and reflect on some of these passages for inspiration, something I rarely feel like doing as I read.
Here are some of my favorites. (All of the page numbers reference my Bantam Pathfinder Edition of the book. )
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Chapter 2, “The Great Mountains”, page 37.
“Then he lay on his back in the grass and looked up at the dumpling summer clouds. By closing one eye and destroying perspective he brought them down within reach so that he could put up his fingers and stroke them. He helped the gentle wind push them down the sky; it seemed to him that they went faster for his help. One fat white cloud he helped clear to the mountain rims and pressed it firmly over, out of sight. Jody wondered what it was seeing.”
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Chapter 2, “The Great Mountains”, page 41.
“Gitano’s whole straight body leaned forward a little. His right hand described the circle of the hills, the sloping fields and the mountains, and ended at his hat again.”
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Junius Maltyby, page 97.
“Between 1911, and 1917, the Maltbys grew very poor. Junius simply would not take care of the farm. They even sold a few acres of pasture land to get money for food and clothing, and even then there was never enough to eat. Poverty sat cross-legged on the farm, and the Maltbys were ragged”
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Junius Maltby, Page 102
“The discussions were erudite. Robbie couldn’t use childish talk, for he had never heard any. They didn’t make conversation; rather they let a seedling of thought sprout by itself, and then watched with wonder while it sent out branching limbs. They were surprised by the strange fruit their conversation bore, for they didn’t direct their thinking, nor trellis nor trim it the way many people do.”
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Junius Maltby, Page 111
“The farm buildings were grey with weathering, and, up the sides of the walls, outlawed climbers pushed their fingers.
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Junius Maltby, Page 112
“I’m not Mr. Maltby, I’m three hundred Indians.”
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Junius Maltby, Page 115-116
“When it was done, he asked the teacher to dismiss the school. The pupils filed quietly out, but once in the air, their relief was too much for them. With howls and shrieks they did their best to kill each other by disembowelment and decapitation.”
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by SleepingAndy
1 Comment
a little girl and her mother are sitting in front of a cheeseburger. the little girl looks up at the mother and says, ” mom, why did you name me rose? ” ” because when you were born, a rose petal fell on your head. ” ” oh, my, ” says the mother, ” is that why you’re named petunia? ” little girl shakes her head, ” no, darling. it’s because when we were leaving the hospital, a petal dropped out of the top of the hill and landed on your forehead. “