The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse
By: William Saroyan
Question: Why was Mourad crazy?
Yes Mourad was crazy, because he stole a horse and went to his cousin, Aram's, house at 4 o'clock in the morning. " ...came to my house at four in the morning and woke me up by tapping on the window of my room. My cousin Mourad was sitting on a beautiful white horse." (p.1) Mourad was also crazy because he says that he has a way with almost everything. "Don't forget that I have a way with a horse." (p.4) "I have a way with farmers." (p.8) "I have a way with dogs." (p.9) Mourad is also crazy because he lies to John Byro, that he did not steal his horse. Mourad is just saved because of the reputation of his family, for being honest. "Tooth for tooth, he said. I would swear it is my horse if I didn't know your parents. The fame of your family for honesty is well known to me." (p.9)
Vocabulary
Consequently- As a result. "Consequently, even though I could see the horse, so magnificent; even though I could smell it, so lovely; even though I could hear it breathing, so exciting; I couldn't believe the horse had anything to do with my cousin Mourad or with me or with any other members of the family, asleep or awake, because I knew my cousin Mourad couldn't have bought the horse, and if he couldn't have bought it he must have stolen it, and I refused to believe he had stolen it." (p.2)
Pious- Ominous. "There was a pious stillness and humor in each of them which on the one hand delighted ma and on the other frightened me." (p.3)
Irritable- Annoying. "Before him was our uncle Khosrove, an enormous man with a powerful head of black hair and the largest mustache in the San Joaquin Valley, a man so furious in temper, so irritable, so impatient that he stopped anyone from talking by roaring, It is no harm; pay no attention to it." (p.3-4)
Capricious- Careless. "The distribution of the various kinds of spirit of our tribe had been from the beginning capricious and vagrant." (p.4)
Vagrant- Random. "The distribution of the various kinds of spirit of our tribe had been from the beginning capricious and vagrant."(p.4)
Pious- Ominous. "There was a pious stillness and humor in each of them which on the one hand delighted ma and on the other frightened me." (p.3)
Irritable- Annoying. "Before him was our uncle Khosrove, an enormous man with a powerful head of black hair and the largest mustache in the San Joaquin Valley, a man so furious in temper, so irritable, so impatient that he stopped anyone from talking by roaring, It is no harm; pay no attention to it." (p.3-4)
Capricious- Careless. "The distribution of the various kinds of spirit of our tribe had been from the beginning capricious and vagrant." (p.4)
Vagrant- Random. "The distribution of the various kinds of spirit of our tribe had been from the beginning capricious and vagrant."(p.4)
Reflection- What are some traditions and beliefs brought to you? What were some traditions and beliefs brought from Uncle Khosrove to Mourad? Provide Textual Evidence.
My beliefs passed down•Respect elders
•Use manners •With hard work comes rewards •Be caring and loving to the people around you •Do things to others, the way you want them to do things to you •If u give now, it will back back soon, but better |
Beliefs passed down from Uncle Khosrove• Crazy. "Before him was our uncle Khosrove, an enormous man with a powerful head of black hair and the largest mustache in the San Joaquin Valley, a man so furious in temper, so irritable, so impatient that he stopped anyone from talking by roaring, It is no harm; pay no attention to it." (p.3-4)
• Mourad steals a horse and goes to Arams house at four in the morning. "My cousin Mourad was sitting on a beautiful white horse." (p.1) |