Every Possible Pynch Moment in The Raven Boys Part 4
It was a comfortable enough arrangement; Adam and Ronan weren’t in a fight at the moment, and both of them were too startled by the day’s events to start a new one. (ch. 36) (Adam POV)
So. We all know this chapter. Lets start from the top. Ronan drives Adam home after they all met at Fox Way to talk about Whelk and how he has a thing for killing raven boys. (what an asshat) Comfortable silences are really important to me. Also, I like that Ronan drove him even though Gansey really could have.
He tightened his fingers around the strap of his bag, but he didn’t get out.
“Man, you don’t have to get out here,” Ronan sad.
Adam didn’t comment on that; it wasn’t helpful. Instead he asked, “Don’t you have homework to do?” (ch. 36)
I left out the the part where Ronan smirks at Adam for changing the subject. I honestly could have just copy+paste the whole damn chapter in this post but I reigned myself in. Anyway, I love Ronan Lynch. I love that he gives Adam an out without any pressure what so ever. I love that he makes this ONE comment and when Adam rejects it, he doesn’t fight him on it. I love that Ronan understands Adam has to do things in a very specific way. I love how he doesn’t always understand Adam but he gets how he works.
Still Adam didn’t get out. He didn’t like the agitation of his father’s silhouette. But, it was unwise to loiter in the car-especially this car, an undeniably Aglionby car- flaunting his friendships.
(Ronan makes distracting comment/joke about Whelk)
There was quiet, and then Ronan said, “I better go feed the bird.”
But he looked down at the gearshift instead, eyes unfocused.
(have chat about Gansey almost dying/comfort) (ch. 36)
I shoved a pillow in my mouth because I couldn’t handle this whole damn scene. Adam hesitating hurts, it hurts for all the reasons we get later in the chapter and it hurts because he feels safe in that damn car. The ‘flaunting his friendships’ line always hits me as a double meaning. Also, I cry over the parallel of this moment with the TWO we get in TRK (the ‘wrong demon scene’ and the epilogue scene. i should do a post on this) Next part is how Ronan tries to gently get Adam to leave the car but it’s with no real effort. Best of all, a lot of the conversation in the car is Adam avoiding going in the house but it’s also Ronan needing to talk. We don’t get Ronan’s POV in this book but the most soft/intimate you get to see him is in this scene. Alone with Adam, voicing his fear of Gansey almost getting shot and dying. A fear they share. I know I didn’t place the dialogue here (i kinda regret it now but oh well) but I love how Adam ends up comforting Ronan and when Ronan seems to feel better that gives him a sort of settled feeling that allows him to open the door.
“See you tomorrow. Thanks, again.”
Ronan looked away from the house, out across the black field. His hand worked on the steering wheel; something was frustrating him, but with Ronan, there was no telling if it was still Whelk or something else entirely.
“No problem, man. See you tomorrow.” (ch. 36)
*drags hands down face* Who understands Adam Parrish more than Ronan Lynch? No one. the restraint this took. I appreciate his not getting all Gansey on him. Adam was too tired for that.
“To do this,” Ronan Lynch snarled, smashing his fist into the side of Robert Parrish’s face. Beyond him, the BMW sat, the driver’s side door hanging open, headlights illuminating clouds of dust in the darkness. Ronan, said Adam. Or maybe he only thought it. (ch. 36)
Okay so. A LOT GOING ON HERE. I know a lot of people sort of see this as a grand romantic gesture or something but to me it’s more of a character focus on Ronan. He’d do this for any of the people he loved, the people closes to him. Can you imagine if he saw someone hit Gansey? Matthew?? His anger had him race down road and jump out of the car the second Adam hit the floor. He protects the people he cares about. He fights for the people he cares about. Here it happens to be Adam.
Adam’s vision shifted and cleared, shifted and cleared. He could make out Ronan, dimly. Appalled, he asked, “Is he being cuffed?”
This can’t happen. He can’t go to jail because of me. (ch. 36)
Protection my friends, goes both ways. I can write a NOVEL on Adam deciding to press charges against his dad. I won’t do that here but I assure you, I could on and on about it. I was honestly shocked when Adam pressed charges because I understand his situation. Even if he and we know that Ronan doesn’t care about Anglionby, doesn’t care about his future or himself really, Adam couldn’t let himself be the reason Ronan goes to jail. I think the thought of Ronan being affected by his situation, being collateral damage as it were, was that final push.
“If Ronan had gotten arrested for punching Adam’s dad, he would’ve been out of Aglionby no matter what happened. No way they’d let an assault charge ride. But Adam pressed charges so Ronan would get off the hook…”
“She asked, “Okay, wait, so why is Ronan at the library?”
“Cramming,” Noah said. “For an exam on Monday.”
It was the nicest things Blue had ever heard of Ronan doing. (ch. 39) (Blue POV)
Blue has known them HOW LONG and she can tell what a grand gesture this is??? Ronan doesn’t even care about school, not one tiny bit but he does this to show Adam that he gets what a big deal this is, that he’s doing the right thing. I can’t.
Adam and Ronan came in then. Ronan was bent double with a duffel bag and backpack on his back, and Adam carried a dented Froot Loops box with a Transformer poking out of the top. (ch. 39)
I mean......... someone is feeling guilty? eager? so weak?? All of the above probably. I will laugh forever over Ronan carrying everything Adam owns like a pack mule. It’s just so funny when you think about how lazy Ronan can be? Also why is that transformer in a froot loops box like what is the story there I need to know.
Ronan, still weighed down with the luggage, headed across the floor toward Noah’s room, saying “Ha. Ha. Ha” in time with his footsteps. It was the kind of laughing that came from being the only person laughing. (ch. 39)
*shakes head* he was signed, sealed and delivered. It’s sweet and no one freakin’ notices and I just really really need to know what the hell they talked about in there. They kinda have a lot of off screen moments in book one and I wonder if that was done purposely.
Adam said, “I don’t care about the risk.”
Ronan picked his teeth. “Me neither.”
“You have nothing to lose,” Gansey said, pointing at Adam. He looked at Ronan. “And you don’t care if you live or die. That makes you both bad judges.” (ch. 39)
RIGHTY-O DICK III!! As sad as that statement actually IS it is a perfect description of them at this time. It shows how similar they are and makes their character/relationship development all the more sweeter. They could NOT have started anything this early on, couldn’t even give those feelings much thought with everything else that was happening so instead we get to see compatibility, friendship, understanding and trust way before we see heart eyes and things on fire. That’s what makes the transition so easy to miss. At some point down the line, they start to heal part of themselves and it mirrors back and fourth until one day you have weird sex dreams about eating tattoos and two gods in a church, one with hungry eyes.
Adam, with probable help from Ronan, moved from Monmouth Manufacturing to a room belonging to St. Agnes Church, a subtle distance that affected both boys in different ways. (ch. 48) (Blue POV)
The last pynch scene in this book! So questions: Did Ronan and Adam discuss him moving out before or after the sacrifice? I feel like its a really important question. Next, we know how this affected Ronan (the two objects of Ronan’s worship in one place) and I know there is a lot of speculation on how it affected Adam and not to burst any bubbles but I think that’s pretty clear too. He was really truly on his own and cut off from his family. :(( I know I am such a bummer. Okay I’ll end on a bittersweet note. Adam’s constant fighting with Gansey leads to a more solid relationship with Ronan, trusting him to have his back, to not put pressure on him, to not play peacemaker. After Ronan fights his dad it just shifts everything between them. He lets Ronan help him because he feels they are on equal ground. And we all know how Adam loves equality.
That’s it for The Raven Boys! These two idiots really liked running circles around each other huh?! Up next is Dream Thieves which I expect to be short as Ronan and Adam had some MAJOR personal obstacles to deal with. Those post might lean a little less on Pynch moments and more on Ronan is Hella Gay and Angry About It. (ohhhhh I should just make a TDT post about that.)