Our book group choice for May 2020 is They Shoot Horses Don’t They? by Horace McCoy. The marathon dance craze flourished during the 1930s, but the underside was a competition and violence unknown to most ballrooms—a dark side that Horace McCoy’s classic American novel powerfully captures.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a novel by Horace McCoy about a dance marathon during the Great Depression. The story is set in a seedy dance hall in Hollywood, where contestants compete for a cash prize by dancing for as long as they can. The marathon is a brutal and dehumanizing ordeal, and the contestants are pushed to their physical and psychological limits.
The novel is narrated by Robert Syverten, a young man who has come to Hollywood to become a film director. Robert is broke and desperate, and he sees the dance marathon as his only chance to make a living. He partners with Gloria Beatty, a young woman who is also struggling to make ends meet.
The dance marathon is a microcosm of the Depression-era world. The contestants are all from different walks of life, but they are all united by their poverty and desperation. They are all willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if it means putting their health and sanity at risk.
The novel is full of dark humor and violence. The contestants are constantly bickering and fighting, and they are often driven to violence by their exhaustion and frustration. The novel also depicts the sexual exploitation of women, as the contestants are often forced to dance in revealing clothing and to perform suggestive dances for the audience.
The novel explores a number of themes, including the Great Depression, the American Dream, and the nature of reality. The Great Depression is a constant presence in the novel, and it is seen as a time of great hardship and despair. The American Dream is also a central theme, and it is shown to be an illusion for many people. The novel suggests that the American Dream is unattainable for those who are poor and marginalized.
The novel also explores the nature of reality. The dance marathon is a surreal and nightmarish world, and it is often difficult to distinguish between reality and fantasy. The novel suggests that reality is often a matter of perception, and that what we believe to be true may not be the truth.
Discussion Questions for They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
- How did the tone of the book make you feel? How did you find the experience of reading it?
- In what ways does the Dance Marathon craze presage the advent of the Attention Economy and social media?
- Are there any 21st century analogs to this kind of contest? Or the Moral Society?
- How does the influence on Hollywood impact the characters? How are their stories shaped by a failed past – or future prospects – in Hollywood?
- How does McCoy explore class division? Are there any examples of solidarity?
- It’s not exactly a florid character study but what did you make of the key protagonists? Gloria? Robert? Why were they presented as they were?
- What did you make of the accessories to the content? Thinking specifically of the bar, the sponsors, the judges, the medical support staff, the visiting Hollywood celebrities. How were their sins made manifest?
- French philosophers celebrated this book as the first American existentialist novel. Gloria says, “I’m tired of living and I’m afraid of dying.” In what ways did Gloria express her personal philosophy?
- Did you find meaning in Gloria’s ultimate fate? In any of the characters?
- Robert’s sentence is definitive. Of what crime is he guilty?
- There are many losers but does the action reveal any winners?
- Do you think audience reaction to this book has changed over time?
- To whom would you recommend this?
Individual Comments
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