summary of the chapter the summer of the beautiful white horse....
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Summary
The chapter is about a childhood incident that the author writes about with nostalgia. He remembers how one early summer morning, his cousin, Mourad brought a beautiful white horse to enjoy riding. The riding was full of childish thrill.
The narrator describes in detail his cousin, Mourad. He was considered one of the craziest members of the Garoghlanian tribe. He was full of life and loved following his passions without caring for people around him. He could do anything to do the things he loved. Only a crazy boy like him could take the horse for riding at early dawn every day. He sacrificed his night’s sleep every night for his passion for riding. He even risked his tribe's reputation for his passion for riding. Mourad had the knack of handling almost any critical situation. His heart was full of love for animals. Mourad was considered to have taken after his uncle, Khosrove who was also very eccentric.
His most idiosyncratic and peculiar characteristic was his typical response to any question or request put to him. He would react, "It is no harm; pay no attention to it." Once he was sitting at a barber’s shop, having his moustache trimmed. His son came running to tell him their house was on fire. He responded calmly saying, "It is no harm; pay no attention to it." The barber grew panicky and asked him to run home; however, Khosrove got annoyed and shouted at the barber, "It is no harm; pay no attention to it."
The stolen horse belonged to John Byro. One day he bumped into Mourad and Aram (the narrator) while they were taking the horse to hide in in a barn; still he refused to believe his eyes.
Finally, the horse was returned to the rightful owner. John Byro was excited to get his horse back. He was happy as his horse had become healthier, better in behavior, and more decent.
Answer:
“The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse” is narrated by nine-year-old Aram Garoghlanian, a member of an Armenian community living among the lush fruit orchards and vineyards of California. One morning Aram is awakened before morning dawn by his thirteen-year-old cousin Mourad, who is thought to be demented by everyone except Aram, and has a way with animals. Aram is astonished to see that Mourad is sitting on a beautiful white horse. Aram has always wanted to ride a horse, but his family is too poor to afford one. However, the Garoghlanian tribe is noted not only for its poverty but also for its honesty, so it is unthinkable that Mourad would have stolen the horse. So, Aram felt that his cousin couldn't have stolen the horse.
Aram was invited to ride on the horse with Mourad. The idea the of Mourad stealing the horse drained away from Aram's mind as he felt that it wouldn't become stealing until they offer to sell the horse. They enjoyed their riding on the horse for a long time. Mourad's crazy behavior was considered to be a natural descent from their uncle Khosrove, even though his father, Zorab, was a practical man. Uncle Khosrove was an enormous man who was always furious, impatient, and irritable. He would roar for everyone to stop talking and say It is no harm, pay no attention to it. In fact,one day, when his son came and told them that their house was on fire, Khosrove silenced him by roaring "Enough. It is no harm". After a long day of riding, Mourad wanted to ride alone on the horse. Aram had the same longing, but when he sat on the horse and kicked its muscles it reared and snorted and raced forward, dropping Aram off its back.
That afternoon, an Assyrian farmer named John Byro -an Assyrian friend of the Garoghlanians- came to Aram's house. He reported to Aram's mother that his white horse which had been stolen a month ago was still missing. Hearing this, Aram concludes that Mouradi must have had the horse for a long time. Khosrove, who was at Aram's house when Byro came, shouted his dialogue "its no harm" to such an extent that Byro was forced to sprint out to avoid responding.
Aram ran to Mourad to inform him of Byro's arrival. Aram also pleads to Mourad to not return the horse until he could learn to ride. Mourad disagrees saying that Aram would take at least a year to learn, but promises he would keep it for six months at most. This becomes a routine. Mourad comes daily to pick Aram to ride, and Aram continuously falls off the horse's back after every attempt. Two weeks later,when they were going to take the horse back to its hiding place,they meet Byro on the road. The farmer is extremely surprised. He recognizes his horse but refuses to believe that the boys had stolen it. He says "the horse is the twin of my horse" and "a suspicious man would believe his eyes instead of his heart"And that night they return it to the farmer John Bryo. Thus the Garoghlanian's fame of honesty saves them..