Leroy Ninker Saddles Up
33 pages • 1-hour read
Kate DiCamilloLeroy Ninker Saddles Up
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Themes
The Importance of Following One’s Dreams
Over the course of the narrative, Leroy’s personal growth centers on his ability to take action and make his dreams a reality. DiCamillo frames Leroy’s quest to become a cowboy as a journey to embrace his best self—one that allows him to build his confidence and understand what he’s capable of. Answering the ad to purchase Maybelline marks Leroy’s first step toward making his dreams a reality. Having a horse of his own immediately gives Leroy a new, more expansive perspective of himself and the world around him. As he sleeps outside at Maybelline’s feet, he thinks, “Had his heart been waiting for Maybelline to come along so that it could open wide and he could speak all the beautiful words that had been hiding inside of him?” (49). The contentment of achieving a dream is evident in the fact that Leroy’s heart had been waiting for Maybelline and that it had opened “wide.” Instead of spouting generic compliments to fulfill Patty’s instructions, Leroy utters “beautiful words” to Maybelline, demonstrating his happiness. When he wonders if this poetry “had been hiding inside of him” (49), Leroy suggests that by going after his dream to become a cowboy, he’s unlocked a joyful part of himself that he never realized existed. DiCamillo’s imagery suggests that Leroy feels joy, not just because he is a cowboy with a horse, but because pursuing his dream spurred this loving connection with Maybelline.
By pursuing his dream of becoming a cowboy and finding Maybelline, Leroy unlocks not only a newfound joy but also a confidence in himself that creates a sense of momentum that propels his personal growth. When Leroy first sits on Maybelline’s back, Patty says, “‘Well, look at you […] It seems you got a talent for poeticals’” (28). Patty’s surprise suggests that Leroy’s connection with Maybelline has awakened this untapped “talent.” DiCamillo takes this idea further by suggesting that Leroy’s growing understanding of his true potential extends far beyond his ability to spin beautiful words. After he tracks Maybelline’s hoofprints through the mud and finds her, Leroy thinks, “He had done it. He had taken hold of fate with both hands and wrestled it to the ground. And he had done it without a lasso, without boots, without a hat” (78). Taking active steps to achieve his dreams allows Leroy to realize that it’s his own courage and determination rather than the external accessories—a lasso, boots, and a hat—that make him a cowboy. Not only does he show determination and courage in finding Maybelline, but Leroy also realizes that he is capable of conquering something difficult, indicating that the ability to succeed was within him the whole time.
The Need for Friendship and Community
Through many of DiCamillo’s narratives, she weaves a consistent thematic thread: Human beings crave companionship and often need both the company of others and their support. The network of friends and neighbors that bolsters Leroy on his quest to become a cowboy emphasizes the myriad ways people can support and uplift one another.
Leroy’s journey emphasizes the positive impact of friends who support one another both physically and emotionally. For example, when Patty helps Leroy into Maybelline’s saddle, she says, “‘Let me give you a hand here, Hank, since you are kind of a short little gentleman who looks to be in need of assistance with some of life’s more overwhelming necessities’” (24). The act of helping Leroy into the saddle takes on symbolic significance in the scene—just as Leroy needs physical support to get into the saddle the first time, Patty also provides emotional support in the form of instruction and encouragement that helps Leroy throughout the narrative. Patty does not mock Leroy’s diminutive size but jumps in to assist him.
Maybelline’s need for compliments highlights the power of kind and affirmative words. For example, the horse enjoys romance movies because, even when kind phrases are not directed at her, she finds comfort in hearing them, underscoring their importance. Terms of endearment, like those Leroy utters to Maybelline and those she hears at the movies, offer emotional support. DiCamillo suggests that just as Maybelline feels empowered by compliments, Leroy feels strengthened by companionship. When he finds Maybelline, “Leroy put[s] his arms around her. He close[s] his eyes and lean[s] his head against her neck” (76). Instead of a desire for compliments, Leroy relishes a hug to boost his spirits. The physical touch of the hug and his head touching Maybelline’s neck provides him with a sense of relief and affection.
In addition to physical and emotional support, friends often provide the knowledge and guidance needed to navigate difficult situations. When the storm rages and Maybelline cannot find Leroy, “she [doesn’t] know what to do. And when Maybelline [doesn’t] know what to do, what Maybelline [does is] run” (56). Alone with no one to guide her, the horse panics and reverts to a fight-or-flight instinct. Ultimately, Maybelline needs not only Leroy’s love but his knowledge of what to do. Similarly, when Leroy encounters difficult moments, Patty’s advice comes into his mind. For example, during the storm when he discovers that Maybelline is gone, “Patty LeMarque’s face appear[s] before him and [says], ‘Don’t forget the compliments, Hank. And the grub’” (61). Not knowing what to do, Leroy remembers her words and shouts compliments, hoping that Maybelline will hear and return to him. Even though this does not happen, Leroy’s connection with Patty and his recollection of her words gives him a starting point to find the horse.
Overcoming Obstacles with Determination and Positivity
DiCamillo’s narrative asserts that hope alone is not enough to conquer a challenge, but when combined with resilience and grit, optimism can lead to solutions even in the direst circumstances. Both Leroy and Mrs. Watson underscore the power of positivity when coupled with determination.
Leroy’s commitment to Maybelline proves that with resilience and an optimistic outlook, challenges can be conquered. After Patty instructs Leroy on how to care for the horse, he says, “giddy-up,” but the horse stands still. Only when Patty reminds him to be kind does Maybelline begin to move, and her speed is determined by the number of flattering remarks she receives from Leroy. Later he faces other problems when it comes to caring for Maybelline, such as procuring food for her to eat and a place to sleep. By remaining positive, Leroy finds solutions to each challenge. For example, when it begins to rain, Leroy immediately begins problem-solving, saying: “‘Sweetest and most delicate of all springtime blossoms, I cannot let you be rained on. I will go inside and get you an umbrella’” (53). Leroy is determined not to let bad weather hinder them. Although an umbrella will not cover all of Maybelline, he’s determined to protect her through the storm. DiCamillo frames Leroy’s refusal to panic and commitment to solving his problems positively as acts of love toward his horse. When Maybelline runs away during the novel’s climax, Leroy doesn’t quit even though he feels distraught. Once he finds her hoofprints in the mud, he literally leaps over obstacles to get to her.
Mrs. Watson exemplifies this positive determination in the face of difficulty, further underscoring the theme. Not only does she assume the best in everyone, even dubbing Maybelline “a true equine wonder,” but she also tackles problems with optimism and perseverance (83). When she invites everyone inside for buttered toast, Leroy suggests that Maybelline will not fit through the entryway. Mrs. Watson immediately counters, “‘There is always a way to make things fit. Come inside, come inside’” (83). In addition to this optimistic outlook that where there’s a will there’s a way, Mrs. Watson’s use of the word “always” hints at an implied determination. DiCamillo suggests that Mrs. Watson’s confidence facilitates her success, even in situations that seem, at first, insurmountable. Because there is always a solution, if she faces an obstacle, the suggestion is that she will somehow find a way around it. And indeed, Maybelline makes it inside—on the following page, Van Dusen’s illustration depicts her joyously awaiting toast at the breakfast table. Although she’s a minor character who only briefly appears in the final chapter, Mrs. Watson helps reinforce the concept of conquering difficulties with a combination of resilience and optimism.
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