Red Sky at Morning is a 1968

1968 in literature

The year 1968 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Dean R. Koontz's first novel, Star Quest is published....

 novel

Novel

A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....

 by Richard Bradford

Richard Bradford

Richard Bradford was a novelist, best known for his 1968 novel Red Sky at Morning, a film version of which was released in 1971. He also wrote So Far from Heaven, a novel about the adventures of a disillusioned executive who flees his life in the city for a New Mexico cattle ranch. Mr...

. It was made into a 1971

1971 in film

The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music...

 film

Red Sky at Morning (1971 film)

Red Sky at Morning is a 1971 American drama film based on the 1968 Richard Bradford novel of the same name, and starring Richard Thomas, Catherine Burns, and Desi Arnaz, Jr....

 of the same name. The book follows Josh Arnold, a young man whose family relocates to Corazon Sagrado, New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. It was regarded as a "true delight" (Washington Post Book World) and a "novel of consequence" (New York Times Book Review). Today, it is still regarded as a classic coming-of-age story. The title of the book comes from a line in an ancient mariner's rhyme, "Red sky at morning

Red sky at morning

The common phrase "Red sky at morning" is a line from an ancient rhyme often repeated by mariners or seamen, during the past centuries: There are other variations of the wording...

, sailor take warning".

Characters

• Joshua Arnold – In many ways a typical teenager, Josh possesses an underlying strength that allows him to endure a variety of pressures and difficulties. When his father leaves to join the Navy
  United States Navy
  The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
  
  , Josh takes over his role as head of the household. These additional responsibilities turn Josh from the seemingly naïve boy at the beginning of the novel into the capable adult into which he evolves.

• Frank Arnold – Mr. Arnold is Josh's father. Although racism
  Racism
  Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
  
   is a common issue at the time, Mr. Arnold often goes out of his way to help minorities, whom he may employ. Mr. Arnold owns a shipyard but insists on joining the Navy. His absence plays a major role on Josh's development.

• Ann Arnold – Mrs. Arnold is Josh's mother and is in sharp contrast to his father. Mrs. Arnold is a strong southern woman who does not display the same kindness to minorities. The absence of her husband, however, leads to her mental breakdown, another trying factor for Josh, half-way through the book.

• Amalie – Amalie was Mr. Arnold's high school friend. She spoke kindly of his treatment of her throughout high school. They dated in high school also but instead of marrying her Mr. Arnold married Ann Arnold. She did and still does love Mr. Arnold and does not hold back in telling Josh so.

• Jimbob Buel – Jimbob is a professional house guest, who has been bouncing between houses for quite some time. He spends several months with the Arnolds.

• Courtney Ann Conway – Courtney Anne, or Corky, is Josh's girlfriend from Mobile.

• Paul and Lacey – Paul and Lacey are the Arnolds' domestic employees in Mobile. Upon being let go, because the family is moving, they receive 500 dollars from Mr. Arnold, while "Mrs. Ann" gives them only 10.

• Amadeo and Excilda Montoya – The Arnolds' domestic help in Sagrado. In a rage, Josh's mother fires them. Later, they are rehired by Josh.

• Victoria – Victoria is the Montoyas' daughter. When he is younger, Josh proclaims that he loves her, however, years later she is not mentioned much because Josh's feelings for her may not be racially acceptable.

• Chango Lopez – Chango was the bully in Sagrado. He constantly picked on Josh and the other kids with his gang of associates. However, after a near fatal stabbing he is transformed in to a devout Catholic
  Catholic
  The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
  
   and a friend of Josh.

• Viola Lopez – Viola is Chango's sister. She was very religious and the pride of her family and town for her studies. However, she is later corrupted by Tarzan Velarde.

• Tarzan Velarde – Tarzan was one of Chango's gang. After going crazy and stabbing Chango, he flees and hides in hills and abandoned buildings. Viola takes pity on him and tries to help him but after stealing liquor and subsequently getting drunk, he rapes Viola. Tarzan is eventually brought to justice by Chamaco.

• Marcia-An outgoing girl that resides in Sagrado. Her open personality and unbashfulness often contrast with Josh's own personality. She quickly becomes one of Josh's good friends and love interest.

• Steenie-The first friend Josh makes in Sagrado. Steenie is a meaty boy with a quick tongue. His father is the only obstetrician in Sagrado, and often runs around delivering babies. Steenie has a wide knowledge of anatomy and uses his knowledge to cleverly convince people to do things for him, or to just be funny.

• Chamaco – Chamaco is the town sheriff in Sagrado. His biggest role in the story is his pursuit of Tarzan, which he does with much enthusiasm because it is some of the only police work he gets to do in Sagrado.

• Venery Ann and Velva Mae Cloyd – The Cloyd sisters are the two beautiful shallow sisters in Sagrado. When they become pregnant, their father rushes into the school with a shotgun
  Shotgun
  A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
  
   searching for the boy responsible.

• Mr. Cloyd – Mr. Cloyd is the crazy and over protective father of the Cloyd family. He is a professional con man (or "sewer") whose double jointed back allows him to fake getting hit by a car of a big company and sue for the insurance money.

• Romeo Bonino – Romeo is the wise carpenter turned sculptor of Sagrado. Once a friend of Josh's father, Josh meets him after hiding in Romeo's woodpile to escape Tarzan one day and sees a nude model inside. Romeo becomes a wise mentor for Josh throughout the book. He goes through a series of wacky but unimportant models who live with him for periods of time. He sculpts boulders of people he admires. At the end of the novel the head of Mr. Arnold appears next to the other boulders he sculpted.

• Dr. Temple – Dr. Temple is a psychiatrist. His wife drives their Rolls Royce and accompanies him on official visits. They came to Sagrado for the dry air to cure a supposed breathing illness of their son (that was all in his head). Several times, Josh calls Dr. Temple to treat his mother.