Dec 9, 2009

Tex | Introduction

Susan Eloise Hinton is considered the unquestioned master of young adult (YA) literature. Although not nearly as famous as The Outsiders or Rumble Fish, Hinton's fourth novel, Tex, is deemed by many critics to be her best artistic effort.

Tex explores the same themes of her earlier novels: youth, the loss of innocence, the coming of age, and violence. It also utilizes similar plot devices. Yet this novel differs from earlier efforts because of its inclusion of an articulate female character, Jamie.

The novel chronicles a year in the life of a young, easy-going lad named Tex McCormick. In the course of the book, Tex must face questions about his family's future—particularly his brother's yearning to leave Oklahoma and his father's abandonment. He must also address his burgeoning sexuality and questions about sex and women.

Tex Summary

Tex opens on what seems to a routine day at school for Tex, the teenage protagonist of the novel. After school, Tex returns home to find that his brother Mason has sold his horse, Negrito, as well as his own horse, Red, because they have run out of money. Tex reacts violently to this news, and he and Mason fight.

Tex goes to look for the horses and runs into his friends Jamie and Johnny Collins. They are shocked by the bruises on Tex's face. Soon after, Mason pulls up in the truck and orders Tex to come home with him.

Mason's friend, Bob Collins, visits and Mason tells him that his father—who has been touring with a rodeo—is the one he should have punched out. He is sick of being the man of the house and hopes he can leave soon on a basketball scholarship.

Bob drives Tex and Johnny to the county fair. They visit a fortune-teller, who tells Tex that some people go, and some people stay—he will stay. After leaving the fair, the boys visit Charlie Collins and Tex gets drunk for the first time.

When Mr. Collins finds them passed out the next morning, he blames Mason and Tex for being bad influences on his boys. That same night, Mason's friend Lem Peters shows up to announce that he's become a father. They sneak into the Collins' house to share the news. Jamie insults Lem by telling him that he and his wife don't know anything about taking care of kids. Mason later agrees with her.

After a fight with Johnny, Tex goes to look for him at the gravel pits. After Johnny fails to jump the creek with his motorcycle, Tex manages to make it. Mason is displeased to hear about Tex's stunt. He discovers he has... » Complete Tex Summary