Questions About Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West

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Answered Questions (18)

Dustin Steinacker Two reasons I suspect:

First, he's got a personal philosophy/credo, and he punishes people who don't hold themselves to it (not unlike Chigurh from No …moreTwo reasons I suspect:

First, he's got a personal philosophy/credo, and he punishes people who don't hold themselves to it (not unlike Chigurh from No Country for Old Men). In this case it's an unwavering commitment to war and bloodshed. He saw the kid as the sole member of the party who wavered in that commitment, or at least presented himself as having that perspective.

Second, remember all of that stuff about things existing only with his consent? He sketched an ancient piece of armor and then destroyed it, and later on sketched an old cave painting and then destroyed it. I think there's something he enjoys about being a witness of something and then removing it from existence. With he and the kid the last surviving members of Glanton's Gang I think he's pretty inclined to make everything that happened in that narrative a memory for him and him alone.(less)

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Is there a name for the chapter summaries that occur at the beginning of the chapters in this book? Is this an old convention that the author was using to some formalistic effect? Or why else did the author choose to include these in the novel?

Madison Santos I think it has to do with "The Arguments" that begin every Book of Paradise Lost, which if I remember correctly, Milton's editor asked him to include …moreI think it has to do with "The Arguments" that begin every Book of Paradise Lost, which if I remember correctly, Milton's editor asked him to include to make sure everyone understood what happened in the narrative of each Book. Blood Meridian is filled with thematic parallels and scene recreations of Paradise Lost. Could be some other formality I don't know about either, I think I've seen it in a few long poems and definitely in the newspaper briefings that start every chapter of The Lime Twig. (less)

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Why no quotation marks and inconsistent use of apostrophes?

Seth I believe it makes the text visually pure, so that there is little difference between the dialog and the action. What they say matters little compared…moreI believe it makes the text visually pure, so that there is little difference between the dialog and the action. What they say matters little compared to what they do, which is to be agents of death and war. Quotation marks make the dialog look more important as if more special, than the action. But the dialog in Blood Meridian intentionally reveals little about the characters because the narrative is more focused on depicting overall "dance" of war that mankind participates in and less the individuality of the characters. Lack of quotation marks de-emphasizes personal agency and emphasizes the action of war as man's inevitable destiny.(less)

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At the end of the first chapter did the kid and toadvine rid off together, or the kid and the judge. Also the judge is the 7ft. tall guy right?

Loretta Benham Owens And what about after the kid is recruited and taken to town to purchase clothing, boots, etc? Was he the one lying in the pool of blood? I went back a…moreAnd what about after the kid is recruited and taken to town to purchase clothing, boots, etc? Was he the one lying in the pool of blood? I went back and re-read a few times and still felt very confused. (less)

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This is a completely ridiculous detail to ask about, but in Chapter 9 when the Judge is looting the Indian corpse in the riverbed, where/how the heck would said Indian have acquired a "Tiger-Skin" bag?