Red Pony

The Red Pony has many examples of when hard work doesn’t always ensure success. Through out the four chapters of the novel Jody goes through many difficult times. He is helped through these times by Billy Buck-the cow hand, Carl Tifflin-his father, and his mother Ruth Tifflin. The book teaches people a good lesson on many different themes a few are, respect you elders,





The chapter “The Gift” proves the point that hard work doesn’t always ensure success. This chapter is filled with hard time for Jody. Jody received a red pony from his father; he bought the pony from a local auction. The pony was too young to for Jody to ride, Jody was so anxious to ride it. Jody has to care for the pony everyday. He lets him out of the stable and into the coral everyday. One day Billy Buck tells Jody that he can let Gabilan out and leave him out while he goes to school. That day it rains and the pony was left out. Jody came home and the pony was very sick. It gets worse over a few days. After a few days go by the pny gets worse and gets strangles. This leads to his death.





In the “Great Mountains” the event that matches my theme is Gitano and his life. Gitano worked hard all his life, and has nothing to show for his success. Gitano is and old man who used to live on the property that Jody lives on. Gitano had an old adobe house there. Gitano came to stay and die with the Tiffin’s since he used to live there, he calls it home. They let him stay the night and serve him dinner. Jody is very interested in the old man, and asks him many questions about the mountains. He leaves early in the morning, and no one in the family sees him leave. Jeff Taylor, the neighboring rancher, said he saw him on old Easter heading to the mountains. They never saw him again.





    In the chapter “The Promise”, the main example of hard work not ensuring success is when they are trying to birth a baby colt. Mr. Tifflin offers Jody the opportunity to...