"Tex" Literary Essay

The book “Tex” by S. E. is about Texas McCormick a 15 year old boy living with his older brother Mason in the small town of Garysville. Tex and Mason’s mother died when they were young, and their father leaves them for two months every summer to go to rodeos. One summer, however, he is gone for over five months, until November, leaving Tex and Mason to look after themselves. This situation leaves Tex and Mason with conflict in their lives. When kids have to fend for themselves it can create chaos, and rip apart their lives.

When children have to provide for themselves it can cause them to have to give up aspects of their lives that are very important to them. When Tex and Mason run out of money and have to pay the gas bills they are forced to sell their horses, who are their prized possessions. " ‘I'm going to get my horse back,’ I said ‘Pop wouldn't let you sell those horses if he were here.’ ‘Pop isn't here!’ Mason shouted. ‘Can't you get it through your thick skull that all this happened because Pop isn't here!’ ”  This helps the reader understand how that the absence of their father has changed Tex and Mason’s lives and made them grow up quickly and have to deal with  things that teenagers generally don’t have to deal with.  Having to lose his horse makes Tex feel mad, and upset, and feel very alone. “I couldn’t seem to stop crying. I cried because I was hurting… I cried because Mason had never beaten me up before. Mostly we got along pretty good. Finally I thought about Negrito (Tex’s horse) being gone, and Pop being gone and I bawled like a baby.” Tex and Mason really depend on their father to take care of things as most adolesents do, and when they have to survive without him it causes conflict and upset in their lives. When parents aren’t present it causes kids to grow up more quickly than they should and to give up things that are important to them.

When parents are gone it can cause kids to feel estranged, but when parents return kids may accept them back into their family. One day Tex and Mason reflect on how long their father has been gone, “It doesn’t seem that long ago. He’s only been gone five (months) I guess he’ll be coming home pretty soon now.” This quote helps the reader to see how although Pop’s absence has been tough on them they still love him, and will accept them right back into their family.  When Tex and Mason’s father returns to them Tex remarks at how alienated the father seems to be. “Pop was a completely separate person from us. I don’t know exactly how to explain it.  He was just the same as he always was, but he was unconnected. Almost like he was a visitor.” This shows the reader how although Tex welcomes back his father, he feels as if he is not as constant in his life. It helps the reader how Pop’s absence has affected the boys emotionally not just physically. When parent’s aren’t present it will separate them from their kids not just physically, but also emotionally, and even though the kids may still love them it will further divide a family.

 Although when Tex, and Mason’s father returns they accept him back into their family, they still feel tension between them. Mason feels completely betrayed by Pop, and isn’t willing to accept him into the family as quickly as Tex is. When Tex pulls a prank at school and Pop doesn’t make a big deal about it Mason feels that Pop is being irresponsible. “Then think about me! For God’s sake, how do you think I feel seeing you being ‘nice’ to him like you’d be ‘nice’ to a goddamn stray puppy! While I’m the one who has to look out for him and what’s going to happen when I’m not here?” The reader can see Masons uncertainty about Pop in the way he explodes. It is clear that Pop’s absence has been really hard for Mason and Tex, and it has affected them majorly. Mason continues to feel upset with Pop when Pop is surprised that they had to sell their horses because they needed money. “I know you never thought about the money. The good-sized hunk shrunk real quick when Tex fractured his arm last May and we didn’t have any insurance. We both had jobs, yeah. Summer jobs. It hasn’t been summer for a while now. And whether you planned it or not, you’ve been gone this long.” This helps the reader to understand how hard Pop being gone has been for Mason. It shows that although the boys love Pop there is still hesitation about him being back and whether or not they can trust him. Even when parents return tension, and division between the parents and kids still lingers.  

Kids tend to depend on their parents, and when their parents are gone it can be really tough on them emotionally, mentally, and physically. When Pop leaves Mason and Tex for an extended period of time it really affects them, and turns their lives upside down. I could never imagine what my life would be without my mom, it really goes to show that sometimes it’s hard to appreciate what you have until it’s gone.