Equus
Chapter 1
 Meet Alan and his horse, Nugget
 Dysart fills us in on how much Alan loves the horse – wants to know what the horse’s intentions are (trust)
 He is a child psychiatrist (works at a small hospital) and is having doubts about his ability to help kids – Alan’s
case (the extremity of the case) have made Dysart’s fears more pronounced
Chapter 2 (the beginning – flashback)
 Alan blinded six horses with a metal spike (all in one night) at a place where he used to work
 The bench wanted to send him to jail, but Hesther wants Dysart to “help” him – she says Dysart is “’…this boy’s
only chance’” (Shaffer 20).
 Hesther believes there is some underlying condition – she does not think he is evil
 Alan did not speak in court – he only sang
Chapter 3
 Dysart is trying to make small talk – Alan responds by singing jingles (ads) for commercials
 Whenever Dysart asks him to sing a certain one, Alan sings another – Alan is trying to piss off Dysart but Dysart
is not buying into his act
 Dysart asks which parent does not allow him to watch TV at home – Alan likes the jingles and likes to hear them
which is why he is singing them – Alan is dumbfounded – he can’t understand how Dysart knew that
Chapter 4
 Alan is annoyed – he curses the nurse
 Alan can speak when he chooses to since he just spoke to the nurse
Chapter 5
 Dysart has a dream the night he meets Alan – he is chief of a tribe and slices kids open and removes organs
 Dysart is dissecting the kids in the dream just like he is dissecting kids in real life – having doubts that people will
realize he is not a “good” as he thinks he is – he is trying to solve his problems in his sleep
 Dysart is not sure he is helping all the kids – Am I really helping the kids? Am I a fraud?
Chapter 6
 Dysart and Hesther are meeting – he tells Hesther he sees Alan’s face on every kid he dissected in his dream – not
sure he can actually help Alan
 Dysart feels the job is unworthy to fill him – he’s a bit conceited (thinks he is better than the job – I know I am
smart enough to help these kids)
 Two days ago the jingles stopped and Alan started talking
 Alan is having nightmares and saying, “’Ek’” (Shaffer 26).
 Frank, Alan’s dad, will not allow Alan to watch TV – Frank made Dora return the TV (he thinks TV breeds
idiots)
 Dora used to be a school teacher – Alan likes this – bets Dysart his mom is smarter than Dysart
 Alan’s favorite king was John who “’…put out the eyes of…’” (Shaffer 28).
 Some connection with religion and Alan – Dysart invited himself over to the Strang house so he can observe
Chapter 7
 Dysart goes to the house to visit – Dora is the religious one (she read religious stories from the Bible to Alan)
 Pagans thought horse and rider were one person – Alan was fascinated with that – he connects horses and religion
– horses were viewed as gods
 Alan’s dad replaced the religious pictures in his room with one of a horse
 Alan worked at the stables but never rode the horses
 Major tension and divide between Dora and Frank (he is an atheist and she is religious)
 Dora allowed Alan to watch TV at a neighbor’s house without telling Frank
 Frank thinks the love of a horse is connected with sex
 Dora tells Alan that sex is spiritual that creates a higher love – no one can attain this kind of love