We once again see peer-pressure patriotism throughout this text, which is best highlighted at the beginning of the story by the collectors trying to goad Miranda into “doing her bit” by buying Liberty Bonds she can’t afford, and we see later on that they had also approached her coworker, Townie, as well. How does Porter’s approach to this subject differ from other displays of homefront patriotism that’s been portrayed in other works we’ve read so far, such as in All Quiet or in Smith? Consider that this is a piece following not a soldier or a nurse, but a female journalist who still lives a relatively normal, if crummy, life—far away from the trenches. Consider, as well, the genders of the two parties involved in the exchange; is their attitude and conduct towards her reliant on their gender, social status, occupation, etc. and if so, how? Do these aspects pop up anywhere else throughout the text, and how does this impact the setting over the backdrop of the war? What does the response/attitude of Miranda and other characters regarding this patriotism do to reinforce the larger societal mindset prevalent of home effort during the time?
While this story is primarily told from a third-person limited perspective, there are times in which Porter abruptly switches the tense style to a first-person perspective, best exemplified on pp. 281-2, 283, and 288, sometimes shifting in the same paragraph. Why do you think Porter chose to write this way, outside of mere authorial intrusion? How are these specific moments significant? Are these passages more or less impactful when told from this perspective compared to Miranda’s third-person POV, or about the same? How does this story benefit from being told primarily in third-person limited?
What is the significance of the title, Pale Horse, Pale Rider? Are there any symbolic or religious references you can find throughout the text we’ve read so far to explain why Porter chose this specific title? What do you think the dream sequence Miranda has with the horses at the beginning represents, and can we draw connections between the two—if so, how? How could this be connected to the character of Miranda, her relationships, and her situation?
13 thoughts on “Amanda’s Reading Questions for April 7th”
1. Porter’s display of peer-pressure patriotism(I like the wording you used to describe this!) offers the same message of senselessness in the “doing your bit” idea as Smith does, but it brings a slightly different perspective. Rather than the upper class foolishness, it is coming from someone who cannot afford to support the war effort even if she wanted to. Therefore, she can see how unnecessary war is and think “Suppose I said to hell with this filthy war?”(Porter 285). Unfortunately, she does not have the sort of influence the upper class patriots do so her protest would not change anything. This is where the relationship to Remarque is interesting because the townspeople boasting patriotism in All Quiet on the Western Front are not upper class, but ultimately they are similar to the patriots in Smith who glorify the war. Miranda is different from them both because she does not want to support the war. I find the fact that she is able to see the absurdity of sacrificing young lives interesting because unlike the characters in the other stories she does not have sons or daughters fighting in the war nor is she in the war herself; she is simply someone who cares enough to look beyond nationalist propaganda. The gender dynamic is another interesting factor in this because there is an added expectation for a woman to care for the men and “do her bit.” However, she struggles financial due to the difficulties a self supporting woman faced in that time. While the man shames her for not wanting to support the war effort, Miranda questions why he does not serve in the army. This relates to how the upper-class women in Not So Quiet shamed their children for not participating despite the fact that they did not truly do anything to help or prevent the war.
I think that the ‘doing her bit’ is applied differently in this context because it is a different setting. Miranda is not a soldier or a VAD, so she is not directly involved with the war effort. They wrongfully expect her to pay liberty bonds that she can’t afford, and they try to guilt her into doing it by implying that it is the least that she could do to help with the overall war effort. However, Miranda still does what she can to help. When it comes to rations, she said that she would only eat ‘boiled cabbage’ if she could and that she has really tried to limit her sugar intake. She mentions how her coffee isn’t too sweet or strong. Also, she tries to eat less food in general.
1-The peer pressure to buy Liberty Bonds was an element of Porter’s story that showed me how the homefront handled patriotism. I knew that the public was encouraged to contribute and sacrifice but the outright intimidation was a bit surprising and rather unsettling. The authors name was familiar to me and I remembered from a PBS American Experience episode about the Influenza of 1918 that what happened in this story actually happened to Katherine Anne Porter. Knowing this is based on her life, I can completely understand the bitterness woven into the Miranda’s story.
2-The story benefits from both a third person limited perspective and the occasional switch to first person because it allows the reader to fully “get inside” the thoughts and emotions that Porter is experiencing both prior to and during the illness. This technique fully explores the whole heartbreaking experience in a clear chronological narrative.
3-For me this story did not contain a great deal of religiosity. Adam and Miranda only really talk about it once (315). I interpreted the use of the word “pale” to mean the whiteness that is sometimes associated with a severe illness that will most likely result in death. The “rider” of the horse was death itself.
To answer your first question what we talked in class that she hated the war.. in her eyes that the war is useless “Miranda, desperately silent, had thought, “Suppose I were not a coward, but said what I really thought? Suppose I said to
hell with this filthy war?” (Porter 285). This means that Miranda was not as patriotic as the other characters from other novels that we have been reading this semester it kinda reminds me of the last novel we read in class was an American soldier in Italy, that he tries during the war to separate himself the war in Italy, by saying he is not an Italian but an American… in other words he was not as patriotic to Italians but to Americans.
Also, reminds me of the “Wedding day” short story of how he shows patriotism and loyalty to France and does not show to Americans. This act of showing loyalty to France is because African American soldiers got equality in society and the French showed respect.
1. Porter’s display of peer-pressure patriotism(I like the wording you used to describe this!) offers the same message of senselessness in the “doing your bit” idea as Smith does, but it brings a slightly different perspective. Rather than the upper class foolishness, it is coming from someone who cannot afford to support the war effort even if she wanted to. Therefore, she can see how unnecessary war is and think “Suppose I said to hell with this filthy war?”(Porter 285). Unfortunately, she does not have the sort of influence the upper class patriots do so her protest would not change anything. This is where the relationship to Remarque is interesting because the townspeople boasting patriotism in All Quiet on the Western Front are not upper class, but ultimately they are similar to the patriots in Smith who glorify the war. Miranda is different from them both because she does not want to support the war. I find the fact that she is able to see the absurdity of sacrificing young lives interesting because unlike the characters in the other stories she does not have sons or daughters fighting in the war nor is she in the war herself; she is simply someone who cares enough to look beyond nationalist propaganda. The gender dynamic is another interesting factor in this because there is an added expectation for a woman to care for the men and “do her bit.” However, she struggles financial due to the difficulties a self supporting woman faced in that time. While the man shames her for not wanting to support the war effort, Miranda questions why he does not serve in the army. This relates to how the upper-class women in Not So Quiet shamed their children for not participating despite the fact that they did not truly do anything to help or prevent the war.
I think that the ‘doing her bit’ is applied differently in this context because it is a different setting. Miranda is not a soldier or a VAD, so she is not directly involved with the war effort. They wrongfully expect her to pay liberty bonds that she can’t afford, and they try to guilt her into doing it by implying that it is the least that she could do to help with the overall war effort. However, Miranda still does what she can to help. When it comes to rations, she said that she would only eat ‘boiled cabbage’ if she could and that she has really tried to limit her sugar intake. She mentions how her coffee isn’t too sweet or strong. Also, she tries to eat less food in general.
1-The peer pressure to buy Liberty Bonds was an element of Porter’s story that showed me how the homefront handled patriotism. I knew that the public was encouraged to contribute and sacrifice but the outright intimidation was a bit surprising and rather unsettling. The authors name was familiar to me and I remembered from a PBS American Experience episode about the Influenza of 1918 that what happened in this story actually happened to Katherine Anne Porter. Knowing this is based on her life, I can completely understand the bitterness woven into the Miranda’s story.
2-The story benefits from both a third person limited perspective and the occasional switch to first person because it allows the reader to fully “get inside” the thoughts and emotions that Porter is experiencing both prior to and during the illness. This technique fully explores the whole heartbreaking experience in a clear chronological narrative.
3-For me this story did not contain a great deal of religiosity. Adam and Miranda only really talk about it once (315). I interpreted the use of the word “pale” to mean the whiteness that is sometimes associated with a severe illness that will most likely result in death. The “rider” of the horse was death itself.
To answer your first question what we talked in class that she hated the war.. in her eyes that the war is useless “Miranda, desperately silent, had thought, “Suppose I were not a coward, but said what I really thought? Suppose I said to
hell with this filthy war?” (Porter 285). This means that Miranda was not as patriotic as the other characters from other novels that we have been reading this semester it kinda reminds me of the last novel we read in class was an American soldier in Italy, that he tries during the war to separate himself the war in Italy, by saying he is not an Italian but an American… in other words he was not as patriotic to Italians but to Americans.
Also, reminds me of the “Wedding day” short story of how he shows patriotism and loyalty to France and does not show to Americans. This act of showing loyalty to France is because African American soldiers got equality in society and the French showed respect.