The Man of the Forest Discussion

This is a few days early, I know, but I will be a little busy in the next few days and didn't want to forget, so if you haven't finished yet, no worries.

I hope you all loved The Man of the Forest as much as I love it. I read it for the first time when I was ten, and even though I probably missed a lot, I was instantly drawn into this story. I loved that it was about sisters, romance, and good vs. evil, etc. Every time I read it, I get more from it. Here are my questions, and when you answer them, feel free to add one of your own :).

What was your most memorable or favorite scene from the book?

Even though there were so many great ones to choose from, I loved so many, but the scene where Al comes to get the girls in paradise Park and asks Bo about the cowboy "Las Vegas," was one of my favorites. I just loved how this strong cowboy was so shy and at a loss, and how funny the whole situation seemed to outsiders. In fact, I liked most every scene with this cowboy in it :).

Nineteen of Grey's westerns are set in the twentieth century. He mixes contemporary events such as World War I, revolutions in Mexico, large-scale dam construction, and increasing automobile use with traditional frontier elements. He suggests not only that the frontier was intact in some places but also that it could be safely visited because heroes resided there to protect innocent travelers (ZGWS). Part of this, he does through his cowboys like Carmichael, who lived most of their life as gunslingers standing up to evil. (You especially see this in his book Nevada) Helen always seemed to have a problem with this violence, but do you think this type of action was necessary for the settlement of the West?

Granted, I didn't live during this time, but from all I have ever read about it, if there hadn't been those strong heroes who were willing to sacrifice everything to stand up for the right, then settling the West would have been much harder. And although I think it is sad it had to come to bloodshed, I feel it was necessary.

Zane Grey wrote fantastic descriptions of the West, and his descriptions of western landscapes rank among the most striking ever written and are still valued for their ability to capture the character of places. What did you think of his descriptions?

Every time I read a Zane Grey novel I find myself longing for my home in the West. I was born in Arizona, raised wandering the mountains and deserts of Nevada, and spent many years in Idaho and Utah. I feel like his descriptions are very authentic and remind me of times I have been out in the wilderness and really felt close to nature. I especially loved how close to nature they got in Paradise Park. Although I don't think I could have lived that lonely life, I can appreciate it.

That said, there are many times when I completely skim over the descriptions, because as good as they are, there are a lot of them. I do think his descriptions were perfect for the time when there was no TV, Internet, and limited travel, and so this was the only way most people would experience these places.

Bo and Helen adjusted to their new life in the West very differently. Which of them do think you would most be like and why? Do you think either of their actions was better than the other?

As much as I think I would probably be like Helen - I think too much - I wish I could be free like Bo. Although Bo got into trouble at times because of her quick adjustment into their new life, I love how easily she let herself become one with the lifestyle and the place. I think they both did their best, but I think sometimes Helen let her sensibilities get in the way of letting people do what needed to be done.