Rdrama Bookclub Discussion Thread #14 . Blood Meridian (Chapter XII-XV)

>The Judge tried to turn it off as a joke, but we kept an ominous silence. I was left with him, while the other three retired and consulted. They soon returned, and informed him of his fate—to be tied fast with a lariat, and left. Heaven! How he begged and pleaded! But in vain; he was soon made fast to a half-buried waggon body, his arms secured behind him, and then as we departed his entreaties changed into curses and ravings.

>On my second night here we received quite a fright. It was towards morning when a shout from Ben Tobin awoke us, and the sight that greeted us caused us to seize our arms. Seated crosslegged by the fire, broiling raw meat, was the gaunt spectre of the Judge! The old scoundrel acted as cool as if nothing unpleasant had ever happened! On being interrogated, we found to our great indignation that when he reached Vallecita, guided by the light of our fire, he had in the dark stumbled onto our animals, killed one of the mules (Ben Tobin's) and cut out a chunk, which he was now eating. On the desert when he was about dead, some Indians had come across him and given him some water and parched acorns. They must have been the ones going after my saddle.

Chamberlaine:

Sketch of The Judge made by Chamberlaine:

There's not that much, the Glanton Gang portion of the book only makes up the final tenth of the book.

Is the story real? There's no compelling reason to believe it isn't. Most of the narrative concerns the Mexican-American War. Chamberlaine's participation in the conflict is documented and his facts are generally accurate. Why would he make up a story about deserting the Army to take off with a third-tier outlaw and his eccentric sidekick? Chamberlaine was a proud guy - particularly about his physical prowess( 6'2) and sense of justice( this seems to become the kids sense of mercy.) But bragging isn't lying, it's not unthinkable that the senoritas really did appreciate a tall, young man. In fact, the only lie that Chamberlaine can be proven to have told is claiming he was honorably discharged. He also denies really participating in the gangs activities and, in his own telling, was more riding with them to California than anything. So the gang portion isn't included in his bragging anyway.

So if The Judge was real, why did no one else notice him? He doesn't seem inconspicuous, who was he? This is the big question. Several Judges have been put forward, none are satisfactory. To my mind, Charles Wilkins Webber is the best candidate. Webber was a journ*list, short story writer and adventurer that was in the area at the time. He also used Holden as a pseudonym at least once. Webber was basically a goth, Edgar Allan Poe praised on of his books. He wrote stuff like this -

>These human vampires or sponges may be, therefore, as well absorbents of the spiritual as animal vitality. Their parasitical roots may strike into the very centres of life, and their hungry suckers remorselessly draw away the virility of manhood, or the spiritual strength.

>They seem to be mainly divided into two classes, one of which, born, seemingly, with but a rudimentary soul, attains to its apparent spiritual though merely mental development, by absorption of the spiritual life in others, through the Odic medium. Another class, born with a predominating spirituality based upon a feeble physique, is ravenous of animal[Pg 16] strength, and can only live by its sympathetic absorption of the same from others, through the same pervading medium. Of the two, the first is the evil type; for, born in the gross sphere of the passions, with a vigorous organisation, but faintly illuminated at the beginning with that golden light of love which is spiritual life, the fierce half-monkey being is propelled onwards, and even upwards, by the basest of the purely animal instincts, appetites, and lusts. If such beings strive towards the light of the harmonious and the beautiful, it is not because they yearn for either the holy or the good, but because it lends a lurid charm to appetite and glorifies a lust.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/69201/69201-/h/69201-h.htm

Frankenstein type shit. Webber theory would posit that this kind of thing creeped Chamberaline out. Chamberlaine claims not to be superstitious but he also claims to have seen ghosts. Chamberlaine, being proud of his strength and bravery, may have exaggerated Webber's size to cope with being a bit frightened of him. Chamberlaine saw a devilish person where others may have seen a lanky, pale dork. After all, there's no actual evidence he killed the girl, we only know that Chamberlaine thought he was the type of person who would do something like that. Chamberlaine really didn't like the guy.

Charles Wilkins Webber:

Oh no, wait, it's this one.

A little underwhelming? Maybe. It's also disappointing that Peter Steele isn't around to be in the movie. But it's also funny to think that there was a time when eye liner and black nail polish actually worked.

Also, Webber theory may have originated on Reddit - https://old.reddit.com/r/cormacmccarthy/comments/hnw2jv/i_think_i_stumbled_upon_the_true_identity_of