The summer of the beautiful white horse

Summary of Contents

1.1 Introduction

2.1 About the Author

3.1 Description of Story

4.1` William’s Impact in people

5.1 What qualities can be observed from the story

6.1 Meanings for complex wording

7.1 Bibliography
 Action Plan

In this project, I have taken details from the lesson The

Summer Of The Beautiful White Horse and I have used the
internet as well as discussion with my fellow classmates as a
source of information. Along with that I have acquired a good
proficiency in general English speaking and methods of
interaction with people and various studies conducted by the
world media.
 1.1 INTRODUCTION

This project is about the story “The summer of the beautiful white
horse” written by William Saroyan in the 1940s. The story was
about Aram and Mourad, two boys of Armenian descent growing up
in Fresno, California in the Garoghlanian tribe and the various
members of his large family. This book is assigned reading in some
schools.

William Saroyan was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright

and short story writer. He gave international recognition to his
people at a time when they remained dispersed and continued to
meet with prejudice and outright hatred. Through his work he
brought more public understanding to the culture and the quality of
the Armenian people than any other person in Armenian history up
to that time

1.1 ends here.

 2.1 About the Author

William Saroyan

Born: August 31, 1908 {Fresno, California, United states}

Died: May 18, 1981

Resting place: Ararat Cemetery, Fresno Komitas Pantheon,

Yerevan, Armenia.

Notable rewards: Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1940)

Occupation: Novelist, playwright, short story writer.

About the Author:

William Saroyan (August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an

Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He
was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won
the Academy Award for Best Story for the film The Human Comedy.
When the studio rejected his original 240-page treatment, he turned
it into a novel, The Human Comedy. Saroyan is regarded as one of
the greatest writers of the 20th century. He had then continued to be
one of the most phenomenal writers in history.

Saroyan wrote extensively about the Armenian

immigrant life in California. Many of his stories and plays are set in
his native Fresno. Some of his best-known works are The Time of
Your Life, and My Heart's in the Highlands. His two collections of
short stories from the 1930s, Inhale Exhale (1936) and The Daring
Young Man On the Flying Trapeze (1941) are regarded as among
his major achievements and essential documents of the cultural
history of the period on the American West Coast.
 Saroyan published essays and memoirs, in which he depicted the
people he had met on travels in the Soviet Union and Europe, such
as the playwright George Bernard Shaw, the Finnish composer Jean
Sibelius, and Charlie Chaplin. In 1952, Saroyan published The
Bicycle Rider in Beverly Hills, the first of several volumes of
memoirs

My Heart's in the Highlands (1939), his first play, a comedy

about a young boy and his Armenian family, was produced at the
Guild Theatre in New York. He is probably best remembered for his
play The Time of Your Life (1939), set in a waterfront saloon in San
Francisco. It won a Pulitzer Prize, which Saroyan refused on the
grounds that commerce should not judge the arts; he did accept the
New York Drama Critics' Circle award. The play was adapted into a
1948 film starring James Cagney.

Several other works were drawn from his own experiences, although
his approach to autobiographical fact contained a fair bit of poetic
license. Drawn from such deeply personal sources, Saroyan's plays
often disregarded the convention that conflict is essential to drama.

Awards:

In 1940, William Saroyan was awarded the Pulitzer Prize

for his play The Time of Your Life, but he refused the award.
In 1943, William Saroyan received the Academy Award for his
screenplay for The Human Comedy, a screenplay he adapted into a
novel that was published just prior to the release of the film.
The 2013 Parajanov-Vartanov Institute Award posthumously
honored Saroyan for the play The Time of Your Life and the novel
Human Comedy. It was presented to his granddaughter by Academy
Award-winning Hollywood actor Jon Voight.

Saroyan's demise:

Saroyan’s end was miserable. He had spent all of his earnings in

drinking and gambling. He was also suffering fro Deporession
which made his health go to the worse.

William Saroyan died on 19th May 1981 at the Veterans

Administration Hospital in Fresno, Calif. He died of Terminal
Cancer.

2.1 Ends here.

 3.1 Description of the story
The Garoghlanian family, who is Armenian and have been well-
known for their integrity since the eleventh century, included two
impoverished sons named Aram and Mourad. Aram’s cousin
Mourad arrived at his window with a stunning white horse one early
morning while Aram was still asleep and dreaming happily. It
seemed like a dream to Aram, who could not believe it. However, he
could tell the horse was real because there was some light outside.
He didn’t think they could own a horse considering their dire
financial situation.

He was attempting to determine whether his cousin had

stolen the horse. He had come to accept a ride-along invitation from
Mourad. Before everyone in the world woke up, he told him to
hurry. Aram got on the horse behind Mourad while still wearing his
clothing, jumping through the window. They travelled along Walnut
Avenue, the area’s historic main thoroughfare, where they lived.
After a while, Mourad requested him to dismount so he could ride
the horse by himself. When Aram questioned whether he could ride
the horse by himself like him, Mourad replied that they would have
to see because it was for his own protection. He learned that
Mourad had stolen the horse a month earlier and was still riding it
each morning.

When Aram finally had a chance to ride, the horse led him
to a vineyard before throwing him off and bolting. Thirty minutes of
looking later, Mourad succeeded in finding the horse, and they
concealed him in a vacant vineyard with some oats and hay.
Everything was easier for Mourad, especially horses. He was adept
at handling both humans and all species of animals. They rode the
horse each morning for a period of two weeks, then hid it once
more. One day, John Byro visited Aram at his home to speak with
his loud-mouthed uncle Khosrove, who was easily irritated and
shouted at nearly anything. Byro told him about his lost horse,
which he had purchased for $60. He searched for it unsuccessfully
for a month before making the 10-mile trek to their home. It won’t
hurt, so don’t worry about it, shouted Khosrove at him. He left after
making Byro angry with his attitude.

Aram went to Mourad and informed him of Byro’s lost horse

and begged him to hold off on returning it until he had learned to
ride. He was told by Mourad that learning to ride a horse would
take a year. They could not be thieves, he said fiercely, for their
tribe is renowned for its integrity, and he promised that they would
give the horse back in six months.

They came upon John Byro who was returning to the town
one day as they were returning to hide the horse at the secret
location. While conversing with them, he attentively studied the
horse. He acknowledged that the horse matched his completely, but
since he knew his parents and could trust their relatives, he didn’t
think they were in possession of his missing horse.

`e believed it to be a twin horse. By letting Byro believe it

wasn’t his horse, Mourad was able to send them on their way. The
horse was returned to Byro’s vineyard the following morning when
it was placed in the barn. As they left the area, the dogs calmly
followed them the entire time.
John Byro returned to his home later that day to inform his mother
about his horse, who had returned. The horse’s improved
temperament and the fact that it was stronger than ever made him
happy and astounded. Once more, Uncle Khosrove said, “Quiet,
man, quiet.” Your horse has been delivered back. Pay no attention
to it.”

3.1 Ends here.

4.1 William’s Impact in people.

Through his work he brought more public understanding to the

culture and the quality of the Armenian people than any other
person in Armenian history up to that time. By international
standards, Saroyan is the most famous literary figure produced by
his ancient people.

4.1 Ends here.

5.1 What qualities can be observed from the
story?

Honesty: The whole Garoghlanian tribe was poverty stricken.

They had no idea how their bellies were filled. But
they were no less in their precious character of h
honesty.

Trust: The members of the Garoghlanian family were built

on trust. They believed that Truth and Honesty was
the way of life.

Owing up to one’s mistakes: Aram and Mourad returned the horse

John Byro as they felt guilty for
stealing the horse and didn’t want to
cause trouble to the Garoghlanian family
 6.1 Meanings for complex wording

Pious stillness and humour – innocence and unconcern

Edge – border or boundary

Trot – used for horse or similar animal running at its slowest speed

Streak – an inherent quality

Magnificence – greatness, excellence

Mysterious – strange, not known or understood, full of mystery

Tapping – hitting quickly and lightly with fingers

Around the corner of the world – away Comical – silly

Bellies – stomachs

Take advantage of – deceive, trick

Ran into – met accidentally

Studied – examined

Swear – guarantee
 7.1 Bibliography

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Saroyan

2. https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Saroyan

3. https://www.learncram.com/english-summary/the-summer-of-the-
beautiful-white-horse-summary/