Manette Tanelus - The world Made Straight

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The world made straight was my least favorite book that we have so far, and I believe that is due to the style of writing as well as my inability to relate to the text or become completely involved in the lives of the characters. For example, “The only places with enough water to hold fish were the pools, some no bigger than a washtub. Travis flicked the spinner into each pool and reeled soon as it hit the surface, the spinner moving through the water like a slow bright bullet” (7). Rash spends a lot of his book providing extensive details such as this. He does the same thing as they are driving to Shelton Laurel, and I always find myself feeling like he gave more details than I wanted. 
However, I do enjoy his strategic character developments. I loved how well he created a troubled young man like Travis, who is somewhat ignorant even though he doesn’t seem to think so, and that he makes Travis such a product of his environment. I enjoy the fact that Leonard is an intelligent and capable man but he is essential in the drug business to sustain his girlfriend’s habits, someone who seems to be way of his league. The amount of violence in the story was also very intriguing to me. From the first moment when Travis gets his leg cut, till the very end where they take on Tommy and his son, my attention was caught. However, my attention did waiver in and out. I do enjoy some southern literature such A Rose for Emily, and Barn Burning.  I think the problem with this one for me was the fact that it included nature so much, and made the landscape its own character, which was more realistic and less twisted than Panem from Hunger Games. I am not a very nature friendly person, and felt detached. 
One of my favorite quotes from this book is “There was no need to check to Toomeys’ wrists for pulses, but Travis stepped into the shallows where Carlton Toomey had a fistful of money like a shriveled bouquet” (288). I enjoyed this quote because I feel like it distinctively speaks to Travis’ character and his pride, that even after everything he still took the money and went on his way, claiming it was an “accident” 

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 6, 2016 at 8:47 PM

    I understand how you feel that nature is almost over explained and you are not interested in it. But I feel you may be so jaded toward nature that you have missed the point in it's existence in the novel. I happened to love the extensive explanations and imagery that comes with Rash's writing, but the style was, in fact, very hard to follow. I did find it not holding my attention throughout some of the novel. I felt like I could skim some portions and not be missing any vital information. His Character Developments, however, were incredible as you said. He did a very good job in creating distinctly different personas and getting them to correlate in the most interesting ways. I love that last quote you provided us. It's like Carlton's grave was deserved and described him, shallow and marked by a shriveled dignity. He wasn't even deserving of his "shriveled bouquet" as Travis took that away from him in death. Excellent point of view!

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  2. UnknownOctober 7, 2016 at 7:51 AM

    I have to agree that this was undoubtedly my least favorite book thus far. I also agree with your observation that Rash made the land its own character, although the descriptions did tend to get pretty dense. By the way, A Rose for Emily is one of my personal favorites, and I can definitely see some cultural connections between Faulkner and Rash's writings.

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  3. UnknownOctober 7, 2016 at 12:31 PM

    Manette, I feel as though Rash provided several minor details as well, but when watching the movie after reading the book, the details of the book are very much appreciated. I also admired the way that we are allowed to see Travis grow a little as a person. He starts off kind of like this troubled young boy who doesn't listen well, then as he spends more time with Leonard, it's as though he humbles himself as a person.

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  4. Lucy McElroyOctober 7, 2016 at 4:18 PM

    Manette, I can definitely relate to you on becoming bored with Rash's fishing details. I found myself skipping through those sections when he started going on for pages and pages talking about different kinds of fish. I think he did that just to show how ingrained that lifestyle was in Travis's personality. I wish I knew more about fishing, though, because I bet that there are a lot of metaphors woven in those details.

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  5. UnknownOctober 7, 2016 at 8:36 PM

    I also like the character developments. Travis is relatable because, of his rebellion and nonchalant attitude in the beginning. I understand how u felt towards the violence because, that'the most interesting occurrence because it rises tension and emotion in the characters and the audience.

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