"Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse" Paul St Pierre

Essay by Anonymous UserHigh School, 11th gradeA+, October 1996

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Throughout the story 'Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse' Smith aims to 'mind his own business'. This however seems to back fire on him and doesn't quite turn out how he'd like it to. This happens mainly due to his character traits. Smith feels strongly about what is right and wrong, he doesn't like to see his friends misrepresented or in trouble, he sees the good in people and he hates it when people take advantage of others. Even though he has a strong belief about minding his own business, these other traits seem to eventually win him over; mostly for the worse.

Quite early in the story Smith shows that he doesn't want to have anything to do with anything. When Ol Antione visits him about breaking his quarter horse, Norah brings up the topic of Gabriel staying in the cabin with Ol Antione. Smith says 'He is not bothering you.

Why are you all bothered about him?' This is the first indication the Smith doesn't really care or mind what's going on. He later reassures Norah by saying '...even if it should happen to be him, he is a quiet sort of man. He wouldn't bother you or anybody else.' Even though Jimmyboy is charged with murder, Smith still gives him credit. At the beginning of the conversation with Norah, he didn't want to have anything to do with Gabriel. At the end of the conversation, Smith leaves to talk to Gabriel. This is the first of many times Smith 'gets involved' even though he didn't want to.

In the cabin Gabriel tries to ask Smith's help but fails. Smith merely replies 'Leave me out of this, Gabriel. I have got nothing to do with it. Like I say, I don't know you are even in this cabin.'...