Essay Questions

What are the two types of love described by the author in ‘The Mysterious Rider’ by Zane Grey?

The author talks about perfect and imperfect love. Firstly, there is love between Columbine and Moore, which is perfect love. Columbine and Moore love each other genuinely, and their love is pure and acceptable. Similarly, Bellounds and Columbine's fatherly love is ideal. However, there is imperfect love between Columbine and Jack. Columbine does not love Jack, but Jack loves her and takes her as his possession. The obsessive love of Jack makes him attack Moore when he realizes he is secretly seeing Columbine. Jack has always been cruel throughout his life, but his father unconditionally loves him.

How does the author demonstrate that hatred has no benefit in one’s life?

Wilson Moor explains to Wade how he hates Jack with all his heart. Wade listens carefully and advises Moore not to hate but forgive and love. According to Wade, hatred results in self-destruction. For instance, jack has been a cruel person throughout his life, and he now leads a miserable life because he has no friends. Jack is jealousy of everything, and he cannot find peace in his life. Moore accepts that hate is a bad thing because it has no benefits.

What is the dramatic irony in this book?

Bellounds brings up Columbine, and she respects him as her father. While living with Bellounds, Columbine got everything she wanted, and she sardonically later realizes that she will pay the price by marrying Jack, Bellounds' son, who is yet to come from prison. Throughout her life, Columbine has not loved Jack because he is cruel and disobedient. Bellounds knows that jack is irresponsible, but he believes that by marrying Columbine, Jack will transform into a good man. However, the two do not marry at last because Columbine genuinely loves Moore. Bellounds has no option but to bless Columbine and Moore to be a couple.