John Steinbeck's The Red Pony

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In 1933, John Steinbeck wrote The Red Pony, an exceptional example of minimalist novella. He wrote the book to show the daily skirmishes of growing up on a California ranch.. There are many things that John Steinbeck did to the story to make it stick out. It’s about a boy called Jody Tiflin and his life in the ranch. What makes The Red Pony irreplaceable is that Steinbeck used the minimalist form of writing which contains adding only the lowest amount of character and background settings. One of the main themes of The Red Pony is Jodys transition from boyhood to manhood. "It's a long time, isn't it?" "And then it'll be about two years more before you can ride." "I'll be grown up." cried Jody "Yep, you'll be an old man," said Billy.” (Ch 3, p 69). This shows Jody’s immaturity by being impatient. In the beginning, he starts to get more mature, but it is a bit grueling for him …show more content…

"If you'd like a glass of lemonade I could make it for you" (Ch 4, pg 100). Jody is asking Grandfather if he desires a glass of lemonade. This shows that Jody’s transition to manhood is whole because Jody is now caring for other people besides himself and that he can do many things self-sufficiently. In addition to Jody now being completely mature, the chapter added some other things as well."Jody! You're sick! Take a lemon out of the cooler," she said softly. "Here, I'll reach the squeezer down to you" (Ch 4, pg 100) Ruth Tiflin says that Jody is sick and tells Jody to acquire a lemon and that she will give him the squeezer. This concludes The Red Pony on a very nonviolent note with Grandfather waiting for his lemonade, Carl and Billy are working outside, and Ruth and Jody preparing Grandfathers lemonade. So The Leader of the People is a thought-provoking, and curious addition to The Red Pony because it adds the last pieces of the puzzle, it adds a bonus character, and makes Nellie’s colt no longer required to be involved in the

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