A Message To Garcia Sparknotes

Rowan, the main character in the passage A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard, is a man Hubbard inspires all men to be. This “ideal man” is told what to do, does that mission with no questions asked, and comes through with a proper result, just like with the man who took the message to Garcia. Elbert Hubbard, an 1899 American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher, gets that point across by his word choice, repetition, tone, time references, and examples so it relates to the reader. Hubbard states that employers and successful people do not get enough praise, unlike the physical cripple or the morally deformed (Hubbard 32).
Hubbard uses many negative words throughout the passage to convey the message of what humans have been doing wrong (asking questions instead of completing a job). “Slip-shod assistance, foolish inattention, dowdy indifference, & halfhearted work...” (Hubbard 8) is just one example within the essay that Hubbard uses these cynical words. Elbert thinks that all men should get a backbone which will help in every man's quest to be able to carry the message to Garcia (Hubbard 6). Elbert's words within the passage also show an extreme amount of intelligence; therefor meaning that this passage is not able for all to read, but only the educated.
This use of

negative words slips right into the category of tone within the passage. These gloomy words create a cynical tone. Elbert appeals to that idea by being pessimistic throughout the essay and illustrating his ability to predict how workers will react if the reader allusively asks the workers to do a job (Hubbard 20). Also, the author confirms his negativity by expressing “...this incapacity for independent action, this moral stupidity, this infirmity of the will, this unwillingness to cheerfully catch hold and lift...” (Hubbard 20) creating a repugnant mood and tone.
“A man who can carry a message to Garcia” is repeated in various forms throughout the essay a multitude of times. The idea behind that is getting the reader to take notice of the importance of finding workers that can be entrusted to carry a message to Garcia. Within the passage it clarifies the idea behind this statement by giving the backstory of it. President McKinley needed a message sent to Garcia and only one man, Rowan, was able to deliver it with no questions asked through a hostile country (Hubbard 6). Redirecting the reader's mind to this heroic idea of Rowan delivering the message to Garcia, then reminding that the average unsuccessful worker is not like this helps the reader realize the problem. “The world cries out for such: he is needed, and is needed badly--the man who can carry a message to Garcia” emphasizes the author's idea at the end of the passage which redirects to the beginning of the essay where the author tells the story of Rowan.
Past, present, and future in this essay are weaved together quite nicely helping the author convey his message even further into the reader's mind.

The author uses the past as a tool to help the reader understand the present and there for the future. Sharing the story of Rowan with the reader was one example of Hubbard using the past for his manipulation. Utilizing the present was more strenuous, but still used when Elbert asked the reader to “summon anyone and make this request: “Please look in the encyclopedia and make a brief memorandum for me concerning the life of Correggio.” (Hubbard 8). Finally the interweaving of future towards the end created this paper, A Message to

Garcia.
Although it is highly irregular, the author took the reader from being just a reader to being part of the story in the middle of the passage by inquiring into the reader's life. This created more a bond from reader to author due to a similar situation. “You reader put this matter to the test: You are sitting now in your office...” (Hubbard 8) illustrates Hubbard in his attempt to relate to the reader. Even though the reader might not be sitting in an office, the author gave a broad enough example to wherever the reader is, being in an office can be imagined and the example still lunges at the reader's attention.
Negative words, cynical tone, repetition, time references, and examples to relate to is what makes this essay a memorable one. Only at the end of the passage does the author question himself and his ability to “put the matter too strongly” (Hubbard 33). Nevertheless the author stands by his ideology that riches are better than rags, and people's perception of rich and poor are not always correct. Elbert utters that “Civilization is one long anxious search for just such individuals” (Hubbard 33). This essay gives the last implications of civilization needing people who does the work while no one is looking, who can succeed, and who can bring a message to Garcia.