The Red Pony

Jody is the protagonist of John Steinbeck’s coming-of-age stories about the Tiflin ranch. He is 10 years old at the beginning of “The Gift,” and a “little boy” (198) at the beginning of “Leader of the People,” which occurs before “The Gift.” One defining physical feature is his “mouth that worked when he thought” (137). He has trouble obeying his father, Carl, which causes Carl to call Jody “Mr. Big-Britches” (201).

Jody harms animals. In the first story, he throws pieces of white quartz at a “bird or at some rabbit” (140). This kind of violence against animals escalates as the stories progress and Jody ages. In the second story, he uses a slingshot to kill a bird. Jody feels no remorse about this, but covers up his actions: “He didn’t care about the bird, or its life, but he knew what older people would say if they had seen him kill it” (166). Jody is only concerned about not getting into trouble, mostly with his father.

The pivotal moment in Jody’s Coming of Age is getting and losing the red pony, Gabilan. Jody fails to uphold his responsibility, falling asleep when he is supposed to be watching the sick pony, twice.