The Red Pony

By: John Steinbeck

Tone

This book starts out as a feel good tale of a boy with his horse. Slowly the tone goes from a light hearted tale of his childhood to a heart wrenching reality. The ending tone is serious and dark.

Imagery
Steinbeck uses imagery constantly throughout the novel. He describes the situation along with the agricultural setting Then he turned and looked back on the ranch, on the low, whitewashed house girded with red geraniums, and on the long bunkhouse by the cypress tree where Billy Buck lived alone. (Steinbeck 6) Billy lifted the weak head and made a quick slash with the knife. Jody saw the yellow pus run out. He held up the head while Billy swabbed out the wound (Steinbeck 29)

Voice
Steinbeck uses voice in the text to show the contrast of Jody and his father. Jodys father in the beginning is introduced as Carl Tiflin and he is very emotionless. Steinbeck uses the voice in the novel to further explain the relationship they possess.

Irony
Irony is used in The Red Pony. Most of the symbols are ironic. The Mountains: symbolize as barriers. They also serve as the ridges in our lives and the ups and downs we have The Ocean: symbolizes freedom. You reach freedom only after surmounting the ridges and going through the ups and downs.

The Long Valley

By: John Steinbeck

Tone
This book is a series of short stories and each have their own tone For example: The tone of Chrysanthemums is playful in the beginning and then solemn in the end when she realizes she has been cheated

Imagery
Imagery is used throughout the novel in a series of the stories. In the beginning of each story, Steinbeck describes the land and the setting. He uses distinct descriptions to identify the land

Voice
The voice in these stories also vary. Many of the characters do not speak with direct diction. Steinbeck creates their voice through their actions and their deeds. In The Chrysanthemums, the voice of the woman is very soft and loving in the beginning and harsh at the end.

Irony
Irony is used throughout the stories as a way to enhance the readers experience. In one of the stories Rattlesnakes the scientist is disrupted during an experiment by a lady. She wants to buy a snake from him. Her snakelike behavior causes him to lose his experiment and never see her again. This is ironic in the way that the woman was acting strange and never returned

John Steinbeck
The Red Pony

The Long Valley