영어로 읽는 고전 _ 맥스 브랜드의 서부의 총잡이들
맥스 브랜드의 "건맨스 레코닝"은 20세기 초에 쓰여진 소설입니다. 이 이야기는 주로 상황에 의해 몰락한 이전에 존경받던 범죄 인물인 레프티 조의 캐릭터에 초점을 맞추며, 무법자와 총잡이들의 거친 세계로 깊이 빠져듭니다. 레프티가 법의 경계에서 삶을 헤쳐 나가면서, 그는 그의 갱단의 몰락과 연관된 남자인 도네건에 맞서기 위한 탐색에 휩싸이게 되며, 복수와 구원을 위한 투쟁의 긴장된 저류가 흐릅니다.
"건맨스 레코닝"의 도입부는 독자들에게 화물 열차의 소란스러운 분위기를 소개하며, 그곳에서 레프티 조와 차장이 과거의 업적과 레프티를 현재 상황으로 이끈 혼란에 대해 논의합니다. 레프티가 배신과 도네건과의 갈등으로 표시된 그의 몰락의 역사를 밝히면서, 도네건이 바로 그 열차에 타고 있다는 깨달음과 함께 플롯이 짙어집니다. 레프티의 격동적인 과거에 대한 솔직한 성찰을 통해, 복수의 불씨가 여전히 그의 마음속에서 밝게 타오르면서, 행동과 도덕적 복잡성을 약속하는 임박한 대결의 무대가 마련됩니다.
Classics Read in English _ Gunman’s Reckoning by Max Brand
Max Brand's "Gunman's Reckoning" is a novel from the early 20th century that delves into the harsh world of outlaws and gunmen, primarily focusing on the character of Lefty Joe, a once-respected criminal figure who has fallen on hard times. As Lefty navigates life on the edges of the law, he becomes consumed by a mission to confront Donnegan, a man connected to his gang's downfall, with an underlying tension of vengeance and the struggle for redemption.
The opening of "Gunman's Reckoning" introduces readers to the chaotic atmosphere of a freight train, where Lefty Joe and a brakeman discuss past exploits and the turmoil that has brought Lefty to his current circumstances. As Lefty reveals the history of his downfall, marked by betrayal and conflict with Donnegan, the narrative intensifies with the realization that Donnegan is aboard the very same train. Through Lefty's honest reflection on his turbulent past, the stage is set for an impending confrontation that promises action and moral complexity, as the flames of vengeance continue to burn brightly in his heart.
Among the contents
The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost. Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind. This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone—it is an overtone of conversation, one might say—and it is distinctly nasal. The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe. They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars. No matter how the train lurched and staggered over that fearful road bed, these two swayed in their places as easily and as safely as birds on swinging perches. The brakie had touched Lefty Joe for two dollars; he had secured fifty cents; and since the vigor of Lefty's oaths had convinced him that this was all the money the tramp had, the two now sat elbow to elbow and killed the distance with their talk.
"It's like old times to have you here," said the brakie. "You used to play this line when you jumped from coast to coast."
"Sure," said Lefty Joe, and he scowled at the mountains on either side of the pass. The train was gathering speed, and the peaks lurched eastward in a confused, ragged procession. "And a durned hard ride it's been many a time."
서평(Book Review)
맥스 브랜드의 "건맨스 레코닝"은 몰락한 무법자의 복수와 구원을 탐구하는 강렬한 서부 소설이다. 주인공 레프티 조의 내적 갈등을 중심으로, 이 작품은 명예와 정의의 경계가 모호한 세계에서 인간의 도덕적 복잡성을 섬세하게 그려낸다. 브랜드는 화물 열차라는 제한된 공간에서 시작하여 긴장감을 고조시키며, 과거의 그림자와 맞서야 하는 인물의 심리적 여정을 탁월하게 묘사한다. 복수의 불꽃과 자기 성찰 사이에서 흔들리는 레프티의 모습은 독자들에게 인간의 본성과 구원의 가능성에 대한 보편적 질문을 던지며, 단순한 서부 액션을 넘어 영혼의 깊은 곳을 탐험하는 문학적 여정을 선사한다.
Max Brand's "Gunman's Reckoning" is a powerful Western novel that explores the vengeance and redemption of a fallen outlaw. Centered on the internal conflict of protagonist Lefty Joe, this work delicately portrays human moral complexity in a world where the boundaries between honor and justice are blurred. Brand masterfully builds tension beginning in the confined space of a freight train, excellently depicting the psychological journey of a character who must confront the shadows of his past. Lefty's oscillation between the flames of revenge and self-reflection poses universal questions about human nature and the possibility of redemption, offering readers a literary journey that explores the depths of the soul beyond simple Western action.
