'Coming Of Age In Gurney Norman's Night Ride'
Logan Epling
English 101
Dr. Underwood
2 December 2016
Night Ride
I believe Gurney Norman’s “Night Ride” is a story that shows coming of age very strongly. It shows how life still is today in Kentucky. I am very familiar with the area where the story takes place. The bullet holes in the road signs are actually there as described in the story.
“Steer this thing,” said Delmer, letting go of the wheel without slowing down in the slightest. Wilgus took the wheel as his uncle leaned out the window and began to fire. Shooting left-handed, Delmer drilled two roadsigns. Then he pointed the gun in the air and fired off the remaining rounds. Delmer handed Wilgus the pistol and told him to reload it (Norman 26).
However acknowledging the true coming of age is when Wilgus opens a beer and hangs out of the window and starts firing at the signs himself. “Wilgus had blown one whole corner off with his first shot. The .38 was heavy in Wilgus’ hands but he reloaded it smoothly and put it back in the glove compartment” (Norman 26). How grown he must have felt, drinking beer and shooting guns with his uncle. Even today in Kentucky there is still not that many attractions to go and participate in other than …show more content…
He had to have felt like he was really growing up. Being only thirteen and have a beer of his very own. How wonderful of and uncle to have. While not having his father there his uncle was still there to show him all the wonders of the world. Taking his on rides through the dark of the night to show him where he and his dad used to work together at the coal mine, and how it had caught on fire and still remained that way today. “Dug it right out of these hills here. Dumped the gob on that very pile there, twenty years ago. And it was on fire then and it’s on fire now and maybe it’ll burn forever, who knows” (Norman 38). Wilgus’ father wasn’t here to tell him these stories, but Delmer felt it was now his role to share it with
English 101
Dr. Underwood
2 December 2016
Night Ride
I believe Gurney Norman’s “Night Ride” is a story that shows coming of age very strongly. It shows how life still is today in Kentucky. I am very familiar with the area where the story takes place. The bullet holes in the road signs are actually there as described in the story.
“Steer this thing,” said Delmer, letting go of the wheel without slowing down in the slightest. Wilgus took the wheel as his uncle leaned out the window and began to fire. Shooting left-handed, Delmer drilled two roadsigns. Then he pointed the gun in the air and fired off the remaining rounds. Delmer handed Wilgus the pistol and told him to reload it (Norman 26).
However acknowledging the true coming of age is when Wilgus opens a beer and hangs out of the window and starts firing at the signs himself. “Wilgus had blown one whole corner off with his first shot. The .38 was heavy in Wilgus’ hands but he reloaded it smoothly and put it back in the glove compartment” (Norman 26). How grown he must have felt, drinking beer and shooting guns with his uncle. Even today in Kentucky there is still not that many attractions to go and participate in other than …show more content…
He had to have felt like he was really growing up. Being only thirteen and have a beer of his very own. How wonderful of and uncle to have. While not having his father there his uncle was still there to show him all the wonders of the world. Taking his on rides through the dark of the night to show him where he and his dad used to work together at the coal mine, and how it had caught on fire and still remained that way today. “Dug it right out of these hills here. Dumped the gob on that very pile there, twenty years ago. And it was on fire then and it’s on fire now and maybe it’ll burn forever, who knows” (Norman 38). Wilgus’ father wasn’t here to tell him these stories, but Delmer felt it was now his role to share it with