Redburn and Leaving Cheyenne

Redburn ' and Leaving Cheyenne

Contrast and Comparison

The two novels , Redburn ' written by Herman Melville and Leaving Cheyenne ' by Larry McMurtry , are both stories narrated in the first person . In Leaving Cheyenne ' the book was narrated by three individuals first by Gideon , then by Molly and finally by Johnny . Each character recounts in their own words during segments of their lives together . Gideon tells the story when they were young adults , Molly narrates the middle period during which she raises the children and her accounts of tending to the three men

in her life , and finally by Johnny who as an old man , tells of Gideon 's death . In Redburn ' the narration is by the main character , Wellingborough Redburn . Both stories seem to tell of initiation and of coming of age . Although in Redburn ' the prominent theme is the confrontation between innocence corruption and evil . Leaving Cheyenne ' portrays the passing of the cowboy culture as social change brings death to old traditions

Both stories are centered on the same time era , but the characters are as different as night and day . The characters in Leaving Cheyenne are from the western frontier and Wellingborough is a gentleman from the east coast , New York . The economic status of the two books characters I would have to say , are equal . Gideon 's family owns a large ranch in Texas and is able to hire ranch hands to help with work that is required on a ranch and during that period in that geographical area this would be considered upper-class when compared to most families Wellingborough 's family is in business and would be considered in that society as upper-class . In Leaving Cheyenne ' the theme given is the sense of loss and uncertainty experienced by those left behind and by those forced to move off the land or away from the small towns of the rural west . While in Redburn ' the character is faced with emotions that surround the financial ruin of his family and the early death of his father

Another prominent theme in both books looks at the mismatching and the isolation it ultimately brings to the characters . In Leaving Cheyenne ' it was shown when both young men , Gideon and Johnny , vied for the attention of Molly and her ultimate rejection of her to marry someone else . In Redburn ' the first days on the ship tells of a series of unfortunate incidents designed to show the boy as a friendless outcast , not suited to the hard labor of a sailor , but at the same time lacking the skills to be a gentleman

The economic factors of these two books were best shown when in Leaving Cheyenne ' Gideon had bought a saddle for Johnny spending at least 150 , his father had been upset with this purchase because he considered Johnny a quarter a day cowboy . This showed clearly the economic status in the west during that time . And in Redburn ' the elegant moleskin shooting jacket which was a status symbol of a gentleman...