News of the World

Newspapers are the physical manifestations of knowledge and the power of the written word, and the means of accessing the outside world, broadening the mind and one's familiarity with and understanding of distant places and other peoples and cultures. They also symbolize the Captain’s desire for peace among the people of Texas. The Captain believes that if people understand more of the world, they are less likely to come to violent action.

The wagon is not only the Captain's and Johanna's means of transportation, but also symbol for the healing process of the two characters. The entire journey is a journey of healing, for both the Captain and Johanna. Johanna states at the end of the novel that she is the Captain’s “curative waters.” Early in the novel, it’s said that the Captain’s “life seemed to him thin and sour, a bit spoiled” (3), yet the longer he spends with Johanna, the better his life becomes, despite the hardships involved with transporting her across the state.

A jorongo is a Mexican-Spanish word for a poncho/serape. The jorongo becomes Johanna's security blanket, the space between the cloth, a place of refuge in times of trouble, or when she feels insecure, which happens almost always when strangers approach the wagon.