The Red Pony

“The Great Mountains” develops the theme of The Connection Between People and Their Environment. Carl proudly declares, “[T]here’s more unexplored country in the mountains of Monterey County than any place in the United States” (167). He, and other characters in Steinbeck’s stories, values places where nature is wild and untouched by humans; however, these characters value nature in different ways, as Carl maintains a dominant attitude over his land, animals, and even his companions on the land. In the story’s opening, Jody compares the two mountain ranges he can see from the ranch. The wild western mountains are “dear to him, and terrible” (168). These mysterious, unnamed western mountains are compared to the eastern Gabilan Mountains, which are “jolly mountains” (168) to Jody because they are populated. The Gabilans are similar to the location on the ranch where Jody feels safest, near the water-pipe in the brush line. The locations on the ranch that inspire happiness and fear are a microcosm of the surrounding mountains, and Jody’s feelings of safety on his family’s ranch or in a populated area demonstrate his fear of nature. This speaks to the theme of Jody’s Coming of Age, suggesting that he will reach a significant moment of growth when he faces his fears.

The eastern mountains also reflect the character Gitano, who only appears in this installment of Steinbeck’s stories about the Tiflin ranch. To Jody, the traveler “Gitano was mysterious like the mountains” (176). Gitano, and his past, are unfamiliar and fascinating to Jody. Encountering Gitano, who was born on the ranch, is also part of Jody’s Coming of Age. Gitano is a distraction from boredom. Without the responsibility of caring for the red pony, Jody is bored, but Gitano’s mysterious presence keeps Jody out of trouble—which he otherwise has a hard time avoiding. The fact that Gitano is not white adds to Jody’s fascination: The Tiflins and Billy Buck are white. Billy notes that “You don’t see any white men as old as Gitano walking twenty or thirty miles” (176), referring to the distance Gitano walked to reach the Tiflin ranch. Steinbeck uses the fictional character of Gitano to highlight the real-life tension between white people and people of color in the Salinas Valley.

Further, the various ways Jody, Billy, and Carl treat Gitano develop the theme of the Relationships Between Men and Boys. While Billy stands up for Gitano, Carl treats Gitano cruelly. Carl compares Gitano to his oldest horse, Easter. Carl says it is a “shame not to shoot Easter” (173) since she is no longer useful. He dislikes elderly men who are physically inferior to him, and he also exhibits racial tension and a lack of understanding for those he feels are different from him. Gitano can be contrasted with Carl’s friend Jess Taylor. Carl likes Jess because he is still young and healthy enough to work. Carl “hated softness” (174), and considers the elderly soft. On the other hand, Billy believes that retirement is a good thing that is earned. He says horses like Easter have earned their right to rest, demonstrating Billy’s respect for older men like Gitano.

At the end of the story, Gitano merges with the flora and fauna that reflect him, taking Easter and riding into the mountains after being mistreated by Carl. Jess Taylor tells Carl he saw him riding “straight back into the mountains” (178). This develops the theme of The Connection Between People and their Environment, as Gitano braves the wild mountains that he saw as a boy and that Jody feels reflect Gitano. Further, Gitano wanted to die on the ranch where he was born; when it becomes clear that Carl won’t allow this, Gitano perhaps prefers to die upon the wild mountains, rapier in hand. Jody’s encounter with Gitano leaves him “full of a nameless sorrow” (179). That Gitano halted Jody’s violence toward animals and instead filled him with sad emotions represents character growth in Jody, who also kept Gitano’s rapier secret—an act that can be read as a sign of respect.