West Side Story in Rodeo Country

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

My daughter read this book as part of her assigned reading for 7th grade English. As I rifled through it before she began, (I had never heard of it) I was iffy about it. She went on to read it and really enjoyed it. She really wanted me to read it so I downloaded the audio version on Overdrive.

I was intrigued by the idea that it was written in the sixties by a sixteen year old girl. 

I was not disappointed. Set in Oklahoma, the book is written in the first person by a member of the "greasers" named Pony Boy- a wrong side of the tracks orphan. The book relates a series of events that pit his gang against a rival upper glass group of teenagers. The book has in depth dialogues and analysis of the boys that make up his group, two of which are his own older brothers who are committed to filling the place of the parents who died.

SE Hinton wanted to portray the true nature and similarities between kids of different classes in her own world. She unpacks the inner emotions beneath these tough exteriors. The narrator did a wonderful job with his Oklahoman accent and great emotional expression.

Some of the dialogues felt redundant but the author manages to convey tragedy with a sense of hope and a sense of bitter sweet camaraderie that prevents it from being a downer. 

I can't wait to PonyBoy, Johnny, Darry, SodaPop, and Dallas in the movie version!

Women: take a leaf out of the page of Mattie Ross

copyright 1968

When I'm sick or tired, I turn to westerns like some people swallow chicken soup. Let's not overly examine this.

I love the John Wayne version of True Grit and I probably love the new one but I can't remember or make a comparison because I only watched it once and before I had seen the John Wayne one.

This was my first reading of the book and I was amazed at how the movie so closely followed the book. The creators of the film did an incredible job of staying true to the text.

This read, in the context of national whining about feminine oppression, abuse, and harassment etc. (I am a woman so I can speak on this) (acknowledging that there can always be room for improvement in how we treat each other as humans) is kind of hysterical. Little Mattie Ross insists on being treated with dignity despite sexual harassment and discrimination. Now, you might ask, could Mattie Ross really have existed or exist even now? After all she is a fictional creation of Charles Portis? She could've gone to the papers and screamed or she could've chosen to sign a silence contract (you don't have to sign right? Those women chose to take money and be silent and then years later decide to jump on the bandwagon and cry when it suits them, when they have the crowd on their side. Who is going to want to hire a woman now? Excuse this tirade. One can only listen so long without speaking. "man UP!' ooops - "Woman up" people. 

I really can empathize. I have never been in the corporate world or the film industry. I am sure it would be very frustrating to realize that you can't advance without offering favors. However, I can't stand the notion that people don't have choices. They can punch the guy. Quit. Work for someone else. Choose to not take the money and stay silent. Start your own corporation. Or like Mattie Ross show up and insist that you go along on your terms and don't give up until you get your man even if you get thrown into a pit of rattlesnakes and discover that the brutal man who so harassed you ends up saving your life.

Rooster Cogburn isn't a sleaze ball, like some corporate film industry head honchos. He has some questionable approaches and a shadowy past, but one never gets that slimy chill up your spine clammy handshake ewk feeling about him. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about here. LaBoeuf is a little creepy. He threatens to kiss her (She's fourteen) and tries to spank her - which Cogburn prevents. But little Mattie holds her own and eventually LaBoeuf admits she has "earned her spurs."

The book is totally charming. Written in the first person from the perspective of no nonsense Mattie Ross. Full of humorous tidbits, real danger, characters and subtales that ring true to the time. The trail lore strikes one as accurate - down to the rope around Rooster's bedroll and the surplus of corn dodgers for trail grub.

Ladies, let's take a leaf out of the page of Mattie Ross. Plunge your horse into the river if they won't let you get on the ferry and come out the other side with your revolver by your side. Stop whining and complaining and earn your spurs and don't make it harder for the rest of us to get a job. If you want to be treated honorably, treat others honorably. Don't emasculate the men too much or you'll regret it. 

Men: don't be sleazeballs. Be honorable. Focus on your character. Pretend like your five year old son is in the office watching you. Treat every woman fellow employee like she's your sister or mother. 

Megalomania of church craziness

The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb

James Goggin and Kyle Strobel

These guys had some good things to say. It's hard to bear with two different writing styles in a book. I usually prefer to read just one and unless you read it multiple times, it's hard to keep track of their different personalities.

This book was packed with scripture references. This is one of my pet peeves with evangelical writers. They write like they're writing a thesis paper and you can tell that these guys are steeped in academia. Nothing wrong with that - it will get you a good grade on your paper and a pat on the back from your dissertation prof or whatever they call those guys - but it doesn't make for engaging reading for your average person who wants to quickly get to the guts of what you're trying to say.

This book could've been summarized in nice long blog post. There could have been a lovely intro about being humble instead of modelling the corporate world in the church with a few scripture references and examples. Then the following section could have been bullet point insights that they gained from the heroes of the faith that they interviewed.

That being said, the gist of their message is needed. The church needs to stop aping the business model and start aping Jesus. The evangelical model of church that reached its peak in the 80s with its attraction model hyper aggressive sell the gospel showdowns is on the decline. Many people don't seem to realize that though and won't for some time. I am deeply convinced that God works in and through all different kinds of church models. There is no "right" way to convene. However, the megalomania of church craziness is distasteful to me and I'm not alone. The clear message here is pastoring is about serving not spearheading. 

Civil War depictions and pathos

This is not the Winston Churchill famous for being Prime Minister of the U.K. 

However this book was the bestseller in the U.S. in the year it was published in 1901.

This book belongs to my grandma and came to me by way of my mom, with this effusive reference, "you might like it." As we were camping in remote Trona Pinnacles and the nonfiction book and trade magazine I had bought were less appealing, I sampled this one. The opening line was not  palatable, "Faithful to relate how Eliphalet Hopper came to St. Louis is to betray no secret." First of all it sounds like Yoda speech. Everything's backward. But as I was not tired because I had plenty of coffee and too late in the afternoon, I nestled my flashlight more closely into the crook of my overly bony clavicle and settled in to century ago speech and to wonder why nondescript and non heroic Eliphalet of the cumbersome name was chosen to be the protagonist. It turns out he's not. He's more of a minor character and mere foil for the hero. Eliphalet's inspid, opportunistic, sleazy machinations are in stark contrast to the noble loyalty and heroism of Stephen Brice. I've always wanted to use that word - machinations. 

I'm telling you this book has more romantic pathos than many books I've read by Victorian females. I would liken it to George Eliot - not as intense as a Bronte - more than Austen who glorifies the pragmatic sensible heroine. Maybe Winston Churchill was a female? However, he/she does have a tendency to go into war stuff details and such - which I tried not to skim over - oh yea - Tolstoy is a man and he has some romantic pathos - but lots of war, lots of war - and characters with more layers. Churchill's characters are somewhat one dimensional - and the love interests in particular. Anna Karenina has bad hair days, but I'm sure Virginia Carvel is always the perfect southern belle - fiery, beautiful, confident, poised, and I'm sure she's never had to wear deodorant. This book is remiss, because it never once explains how people and southern belles in particular can be so charming in steamy St. Louis in the summer without deoderant. She will hate or try to hate Stephen Brice for being a yankee but some irrepressible force - God or fate keeps them ever crossing paths, and when she reaches up to grab the bridle of his horse, thinking it is that of her cousin - and they are struck by the notion that there is a magnetism between them that they are powerless over. See what I mean ladies? Not to omit the fact that they are in matching colonial costume at the time. Do not judge this book by its cover. Not only that, she is struck by his sheer manliness and she didn't even know Yankees knew how to ride and he gallops away with utter possession of his steed. 

Ok, enough of that romance - blech, This book really transported me fully into Civil War St. Louis. The author does an amazing job of capturing the conflicting tensions between neighbors and friends as the controversy over states rights in regard to slavery escalated. Churchill portrays the dogmatic judge who is a fervent union man and Lincoln groupie but who is dear friends with Colonel Carvel the stately and generous southern man with his plantation and slaves who seem to be intensely loyal. (Dad to snippety but soft hearted southern belle previously mentioned.) Their lengthy friendship crumbles but does not sever as they have a deathbed reunion. There are the Yankees who have come to St. Louis for work (like Stephen Brice) who respect many southerners but support the north. Stephen has an encounter with Abe Lincoln (who is elevated to godlike status in this book by Churchill who likens him to a Christlike martyr figure for the nation.) Stephen Brice is a sort of golden boy who is loved by all and encounters favoritism from many quarters (except that of "Jinny" (Virginia) and her cousin Clarence who hopes to be her intended. Of course "Jinny" eventually caves to the pressure of destiny and folds herself into the blue clad arms of "Steve."

The one perspective that is not offered is that of the slaves. We don't have any insight into what they might have been experiencing, but that might have been ahead of Churchill's time. It would have been a great addition to the novel.

Stephen distinguishes himself in battle as does Clarence. Stephen actually pleads for Clarence's life on two occasions which increases his honorability in the site of all (Clarence becomes a daredevil Rebel while Stephen is a union man) - including the famed generals Grant and Sherman who are depicted very charmingly and probably accurately in this work.

One thing I loved about this book is that it reflects certain geographic cultural distinctions that are based on the types of immigrants that moved to different regions of the States. I read about this in Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fischer. St. Louis seems to have been kind of a crossroads for many types:

* the Virginia type cavalier descendents of British second sons (the southern landowners like the Carvels and the benevolent Brinsmades who actually sided with the north)

*transplanted Yankees of Puritan roots like Stephen Brice. (Eliphalet Hooper is also a yankee, but an uneducated less affluent one) 

* "poor whites" border people who had been long persecuted and transient (northern England, scotch irish etc.) - these are represented by Abe Lincoln and Judge Whipple (maybe Elijah Brent falls into this category - more about him in a minute.)

* this book also shows the German element - immigrants who fought valiantly for the union in the civil war.

* of course there were the African Americans who are portayed but superficially here.

Ok, only one more thing about Elijah Brent "Lige". He was like an adopted son to Colonel Carvel and he really is a sweet character. He's a river captain who the author alludes has been long in love with Virginia. (who isn't, right?) She's the happy sun in the solar systems of multiple men. Her father and Judge Whipple adore her. She is desired by Eliphalet (who makes a miserable stumbling conniving attempt to woo her through bribery and threats), Elijah Brent, Clarence, and of course Stephen Brice. So unfair when there are so many other fetching and marriageable girls like poor mousy Anne Brinsmade, who could be Charlotte Lucas. (Sorry if you're not a Jane Austen follower.) But I mainly feel bad for Elijah Brent "Lige" because I think Churchill forgot all about how he left him in the lobby of the White House after he (Lige) faithfully accompanied Virginia to Washington D.C. catering to her every whim, so she could have an audience with honest Abe. She's having this "I finally submit to your love interlude with Stephen" in the oval office (nothing indiscreet here people) and we just leave Lige in the lobby. This is worse than when Fanny leaves Henry Lennox in the coach (North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell) and sayonaras off with John Thornton without even a "thank you for helping me thus far in my pretend legal matters which I fabricated so I could confess my love and keep my pride." It's pretty much equally painful only worse because Lige deserves so much more. Maybe he can get together with Anne Brinsmade.  Ahh well..