Characters
Name and describe the main character of the story.
Who is Jody Tiflin -- 10 years old, shy, obedient, innocent.
What is a ranch in Salinas, California -- a poor ranch but well maintained, with a house, chickens, a barn for horses, a place for slaughtering pigs.
What does Billy Buck symbolize?
Describe how Chapter 1 sets up the main theme of responsibility.
Jody is responsible for some chores but hasn't learned for himself yet what responsibility means; he just obeys his father, without question. He won't learn this until he has to care for something that is his own.
Name and describe Jody's father.
Who is Carl Tiflin -- strict with Jody, traditionally masculine, quick to anger and take offense, can't deal with embarrassment or weakness, likes to tell stories.
Describe Jody's daily life on the ranch, before the Gift arrives.
Doing chores -- wood for fireplace, collecting eggs from chickens, filling the woodbox -- and going to school.
What does the ringing of the triangle symbolize?
Describe the themes represented by Carl Tiflin and Billy Buck.
Traditional masculinity -- self-reliance; hard work; strength; toughness; hiding away of emotion; expertise.
Name and describe the ranch hand who works for Mr. Tiflin and mentors Jody.
Who is Billy Buck -- middle aged, very experienced with horses, kinder than Mr. Tiflin, a father figure to Jody.
Describe the conditions under which Carl gives Jody the Gift.
He must be responsible for raising it and caring for it -- feeding it, brushing it, cleaning its stall.
What do the mountains around the ranch symbolize?
Horizon; hopes and dreams; illusion/unattainability.
Describe the theme represented by Jody's bringing his school friends home to show off the Gift.
Hubris -- excessive pride that sets up a fall.
Name and describe Jody's mother.
Who is Mrs. Tiflin - not named, warm, cares for the ranch and her family, proud of her son, concerned about Jody's school and chores, gives him space to enjoy his gift and care for it and grieve for it
Describe Jody's emotional reaction to receiving the Gift.
Shy at first; questioning; disbelief; then, pride; excitement; responsibility; love.
What do the buzzards that Jody notices in Chapter 1 symbolize?
Inescapability of death; necessity and ambivalence of nature
Describe Jody's visions/dreams about The Gift when he is away from it at school and what themes these represent.
He dreams Gabilan will not be in its stall -- will never have been there; how rats/mice had nibbled his harness and fur -- suggesting themes of anxiety, doom, helplessness.
Name and describe "The Gift".
Who is Gabilan -- a red pony colt, unbroken, rambunctious, playful, eventually grows to love and trust Jody.
Very deep -- spends all his time with the horse; gets up early to care for it; brings his friends to see it; carefully combs and braids its hair; is terrified of losing it; trains it.
What does the black Cypress tree where the pigs are slaughtered represent?
*DAILY DOUBLE* Describe the themes represented in the extended descriptions of Jody's efforts to train Gabilan, and how this reflects on Jody himself.
Training scenes represent the complexity/intricacy of learning to grow/change -- which applies to Jody as much as to Gabilan. Training is dangerous; Jody could get hurt, or turn Gabilan into a trick pony. Jody is being trained too - by his father and Billy Buck - in ownership and responsibility; with similar dangers.