THE SUMMER OF THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE BY WILLIAM

SAROYAN
BACKGROUND:
The story is set in the early 20th century California.It centers around
members of the Garoghlanian Tribe , the first generations of expatriates who
moved from Armenia for greener pastures. Armenians endured extreme
brutality and genocide attacks by the Turks. Millions were killed which
caused them to move to the US.They may have lost everything but they
retained their pride and honesty even in the face of hardships and extreme
poverty.
QUESTION BANK
1.What are the chief hallmarks of the Garoghlanian tribe?
2.Why was Mourad considered crazy by the others in the tribe?
3.How did Aram justify Mourad’s act of stealing the horse?
4. what did the narrator think about Mourad?
5’ What did John Byro mean when he said “A suspicious man would believe
his eyes instead of his heart”?
6.How did Aram’s horse riding incident prove to be a disaster?
7.Bring out the humour in the story.(120-150 words)
8.Did the boys return the horse because they were conscious stricken or
they were afraid? (120-150 words)
ALL TO BE DONE
Sample answers

1. The chief hallmark of the Garoghlanian tribe, as depicted in "Summer

of the Beautiful White Horse" by William Saroyan, is their strong sense
of honor and integrity. They are known for their honesty and their
adherence to their own code of conduct, which values truthfulness and
respect.
2. Mourad was considered crazy by the others in the tribe because he had
a tendency to act impulsively and without regard for consequences.
His behavior often defied social norms and expectations, causing
others to view him as unpredictable and eccentric.
3. Aram justified Mourad's act of stealing the horse by emphasizing the
purity of their intentions. He believed that they didn't steal the horse
 maliciously but rather out of admiration and a desire to care for it
better than its current owner. Aram saw their actions as driven by love
and compassion rather than criminal intent.He redefines the meaning
of stealing.He says it would be called stealing if they sold the horse for
profit.
4. The narrator, Aram, held his cousin Mourad in high regard, despite his
eccentricities. He saw Mourad as adventurous, brave, and imaginative,
admiring his ability to dream and pursue his desires with unwavering
determination.He hero worshipped him and took him as his
rolemodel.He was affectionate and really cared for the narrator.He
adored the way Mourad went about things like riding the
horse,interacting with people and claiming that he had a way with the
birds and dogs too.
5. This observation was made by farmer John Byro after looking into the mouth of the horse. It
matched his horse tooth for tooth. He would have claimed it as his own horse if he had not
known the boys’ parents or the fame of their family for honesty. The resemblance was so
striking that he called it the twin of his horse. John Byro meant that a suspicious person relies
solely on what they see with their eyes, disregarding their intuition or feelings. He believed in
trusting one's heart over mere appearances, suggesting that suspicion can cloud judgment and
lead to misunderstanding.
6. Riding the horse was Aram’s earnest desire.He wanted to ride the horse as independently as
Mourad but could not manage it.He leaped onto the back of the horse but it did not move.He
kicked into the muscles of the horse but it roared and snorted.Then it began to run.The horse
ran down the road to the vineyard of Dikran Halabian where it began to leap over the vines.It
leaped over seven vines,threw Aram and ran away. His fall reinforces the
consequences of acting rashly without proper understanding or skill.

7 The humor in the story arises from the interactions between Aram and
Mourad, particularly in their escapades involving the white horse. Their
naive and idealistic view of the world, combined with their audacious
actions, often leads to comical situations.
For example, redefining the act of stealing
-Uncle Khosrove’s behavior-
-Aram’s failed attempt horse riding
-John Byro’s meeting with Uncle Khosrove
All these incidents showcase the whimsical and light-hearted tone of the
narrative.
 8.The boys returned the horse out of a mix of guilt and fear. While their
conscience weighed heavily on them, prompting them to rectify their
wrongdoing, they were also afraid of the potential consequences if they
were caught. Their decision to return the horse reflected a combination of
moral responsibility and self-preservation.They could not think of
tarnishing the name of the Garoghlanian tribe.

Themes
The story not only explores the significance of morals and need to uphold/
protect the community values & its solidarity but also pays attention through
the use of verbal irony (uncle Khosrove’s) to values like patriotism ,identity
and appreciation of life.The inevitability of change that challenges traditions
and long established beliefs organically comes in the wake of displacement
from the native land/fortune is another theme that the story showcases
through the actions of capricious youth. The Garoghlanian tribe was always
known for its honesty and still the older generations of the impoverished
tribe uphold their trademark honesty but the new ones are no more ready to
pretend. In fact there were already elements in the family, like Mourad and
Aram, who questioned and thwarted their traditional virtues to embark the
pleasures of the world. But all is not lost, they redeem themselves in the end
and prove that honour is more valuable than material things.
Short Answer Questions:
1. Why was it difficult for Aram to believe the sight of his cousin Mourad with
the beautiful white horse?
Ans: When Aram looked through the window, he saw his cousin Mourad with
a beautiful white horse and it was a sight which was very difficult for him to
believe for two reasons: First, the whole of the Garoghlonian family to which
the two boys belonged were extremely poor and therefore it was not
possible for Mourad to buy that horse. Secondly, in that case, it would mean
that Mourad had stolen that horse. But that was also not possible, because
the Garoghlanian family was also very much famous for their honesty and
therefore Mourad could not steal that horse either.
2. Where had Mourad been hiding the horse?
Answer: Mourad had been hiding the horse in the barn of a deserted
vineyard which was owned by a farmer named Fetvajian.
3. What did the farmer John Byro tell the two boys when one day they
accidentally met him with his horse in their custody?
Answer: The farmer examined the horse when one morning he found it with
the two boys and he told them that he could swear that the horse was his
very horse which had been stolen from him many weeks before if he did not
know about their parents. He added that the fame of their family for honesty
was very well known to him and therefore he liked to say that the horse
could be the twin of his stolen horse.
4. What did John Byro tell Aram’s mother and Uncle Khosrove when he got
his horse back?
Answer: After John Byro got his horse back mysteriously one day, he came to
Aram’s house and told Aram's mother and Uncle Khosrove that he did not
know what to think about the whole matter. It was because the horse was
stronger than ever and was better tempered too and therefore he thanked
God.
5. What were the two things for which the Garoghlanian family was famous?
Answer: The Garoghlanian family was famous for the following two things:
1. Their poverty 2. Their honesty
6. What points were put forward by Aram in defense of Mourad's act of
stealing the horse?
Answer: Aram argued to himself that stealing a horse for a ride was not the
same thing as stealing something else, such as money. And then he went a
little ahead by saying that if one was so much crazy about horses the way
Mourad and he himself were, it was not stealing at all. It would not become
stealing until they offered to sell the horse and he was sure that last thing
they would never be doing.

Long answer Questions

1. Why did the two boys ultimately return the horse all of a sudden although
they had planned to keep it at least for six months?
Answer: Although the two boys had planned to keep the horse for at least six
months, they returned it all of a sudden the morning after they accidentally
met the farmer John Byro from whom Mourad had stolen the horse. The
farmer examined the horse and told them that he could swear that the horse
was his very horse which had been stolen from him many weeks before if he
did not know about their parents. He added that the fame of their family for
honesty was very well known to him and therefore he liked to say that the
horse could be the twin of his stolen horse. What John Byro told them served
as an eye opener for the two boys especially Mourad and they became
conscious how precious and strong their family’s fame for honesty was and
therefore they did not want to tarnish that name and prestige and
immediately returned the horse.
2. Mourad was the natural descendant of the crazy streak of uncle Khosrove.
Explain the statement giving instances from the story, „The Summer of the
Beautiful White Horse‟.
Answer: Uncle Khosrove was considered in the Garoghlanian tribe as one of
the craziest persons. It was also believed that the tribe that Mourad was the
natural descendant of the crazy streak in their tribe. Uncle Khosrove's
craziness was out of the world. He had the largest moustache in the
surrounding. His talk was not less than roaring, which was but natural for
him. Once when his son came running to tell him about his house on fire, he
simply said, „It is no harm; pay no attention to it‟. The barber who reminded
him that it was his own house also got rebukes. Khosrove also asked John
Byro not to worry about the horse or the loss of money or even for his
paining legs and answered in the same way. Mourad was considered the
natural descendant of this man though not a biological descendant mainly
because of the crazy acts he was involved in. The act of stealing a horse
because he was crazy about it is an example to prove the same. Like the
punch line of uncle khosrove i.e. "It is no harm; pay no attention to it
“Mourad used to say that he had a way with the things, animals and even
people. Thus Mourad said that he had a way with the horse, with the dogs
and with the farmers too.
3. „I knew my cousin Mourad enjoyed being alive more than anyone else who
had ever fallen into the world by mistake.‟ Explain the statement with help
of the instances from the story.
Answer:
Value Points:
-Mourad’s nature
-His crazy deeds
-Having a way with the things
-Considerate towards animals
-A true member of the tribe
4. Write a brief note on the Garoghlanian tribe.
Value Points:
-The traits of the tribe
-Economic condition
-The members of the tribe
-Its uniqueness
Questions for Practice
Extra Long Questions:
1. Does the social atmosphere described in the story differ from your social
atmosphere? How?
2. What are moral lessons that the story put forward?
3. Compare and contrast the character of Aram and Mourad.
4. Describe Aram’s horse-riding experience.
5.Bring out the element of humour that makes the story interesting.
Extra Short Questions:
1. How does Mourad has a "way with the dogs”?
2. How does Mourad have a “way with farmers”?
3. Mourad was the son of Zorab but not in spirit.Why?
4. Does Uncle Khoshrove resemble Mourad in any way?
5. Describe the meeting of John Byro with the boys when they had the
custody of the horse.