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51 pages 1 hour read

Blood Meridian

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1985

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Essay Topics

1.

The protagonist of Blood Meridian is referred to only as the kid. How does the anonymity of the protagonist affect how we understand the kid’s character?

2.

The novel mostly takes place on the border between Mexico and the United States. How does the environment shape the characters? 

3.

Holden believes in domination. How does he perform the role of a judge? What authority does he wield to perform this role?

4.

The final image of Holden is a man dancing for the rest of time. How does the novel use dance as a metaphor?

5.

Compare and contrast the characters of Glanton and White. How do the leaders use violence to further their goals?

6.

Glanton’s gang takes over a ferry crossing, which ultimately leads to their demise. How does the ferry crossing symbolize the zenith of the gang’s morality and the pinnacle of their success?

7.

What is the role of Cloyce’s brother in the novel?

8.

Tobin, the ex-priest, is one of the few characters who can challenge Holden on an intellectual level. In what ways does he succeed in pushing back on Holden’s ideology? In what ways does he fail? 

9.

How does the novel portray racism during the time it is set?

10.

The kid is killed by Holden, who quickly resumes his dance. In what ways can the kid’s fate be considered a moral victory?

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