When they reached the river, he turned left. , Blue Water River. You call it the Brazos, eh? He pointed ahead of them. , upstream. Jabbing a thumb over his shoulder, he said, , downstream. You will listen good, Blue Eyes, and learn. talk is dirt in my mouth.His tone set Loretta off balance. Dirt in his mouth? If he hated the whites so much, why on earth had he taken her? Upstream, downstream, she couldn't remember the words. She didn't want to. The language of murderers. All she wanted was to be free of the whole filthy lot of them.
In "Comanche Moon" by Catherine Anderson, the protagonist grapples with conflicting emotions as she encounters a man who embodies her fears. As they reach the river, he directs her, clearly emphasizing his authority. His reference to the Brazos River reveals his perspective and perhaps a cultural divide between them. Loretta feels unsettled by his tone, which suggests a deep-seated animosity toward those who are not like him. His words, laden with hostility, evoke her fear and confusion.
Despite the man’s instructions, Loretta is plagued by uncertainty and resentment towards the tension between their worlds. His reference to "talk being dirt in his mouth" underscores a profound disdain for communication with outsiders, which only deepens her desire to escape the violence she associates with him and his kind. This internal conflict leaves her yearning for liberation from the turmoil surrounding her, indicating her struggle against both physical captivity and emotional turmoil.
