"Horses of the Night"

1. Explain the final line of the story. How is it possible to be ‘ruthless’ and gentle at the same time?

I think the only way that it is possible is if, in your mind you think and believe that you are being ruthless. But in reality you are gentle to it, because of the memories and things associated with the item that you are putting away. But to you what you are doing feels ruthless. 

2. Create a character sketch for Chris. Is he a character with whom you can sympathize?

Chris always seems to be happy but really he is suffering on the inside and won’t let anyone really in to help him. He copes with his ‘depression’ by making up stories and saying that he owns a ranch up north and that the lake use to have monsters in it. He always seemed to be hopeful for the future even thou his future will, like everything else in his life, will not work out. He is kind to everyone and can relate to Vanessa. Chris likes to occupy his time with making mine items. For example he made Vanessa a tiny saddle. Chris is a character a can sympathize with because of his situation. He had great ambitions but in the end he did not have the money to pursue his dreams. Not a lot of things work out for Chris and for this reason he is a character that you can sympathize with.

3. Is Vanessa a static or dynamic character?

The character Vanessa is more of a Static character her state of mind stays the same mostly though out the story not changing the why she thinks.

4. Consider the saddle as a symbol. What, in your opinion, does it represent?

In my mind the saddle represents the imaginary world that Chris has made for him self and what Vanessa thought Chris’s life is like in her mind. It also represents the had work that he is willing to do, it must have taken such a long time to make and he did it very easily.