Josh+Wilson

In the poem “The Knight” by Adrienne Rich, the author portrays the theme of valor and bravery, but also with a sense of insecurity. The poem begins by the author describing to us a glorious knight, riding around in shiny armor with a lot of confidence. When he rides during the day, Rich describes the knight’s armor by saying, “his helmet points to the sun, and a thousand splintered suns are the gaiety of his mail.” Not only is his armor good looking, but it also displays the pride and bravery of the knight. The author portrays this by describing how his armor reflects the suns rays in a gallant manner. But when the knight rides during the night, he is completely different. Rich describes the knight as “a lump of bitter jelly set in a metal mask.” What the author is saying is that during the day, he rides around gloriously with a lot of pride and bravery. Although when night falls, he becomes the complete opposite. He is no longer a symbol of hope, but rather becomes this person who is hideous and insecure. But in the end of the poem, the knight is still a force to be reckoned with. The author proves this by questioning, “who will unhorse the rider?” With this, he is asking if there is anyone who can defeat the knight. And if somebody can, will they barely beat him? Or will they completely destroy the knight? This can be related to the 1988 Permian football team in the book __Friday Night Lights__, who is just like the knight.

To the public eye, the football team is like the knight “riding into the noon.” Everywhere they go, they are treated as heroes and are symbols of hope and bravery although out Odessa. On the football field, it is as if their ‘helmets point to the sun, and a thousand splintered sun are the gaiety of [their] mail.” They are a team that shows a lot of bravery and valor through their hard work and determination. But privately, the side no one sees is just like the ‘hyde’ to the knight in shinning armor. They are just high school kids, who are continually put under a lot of pressure. Inside, they are insecure and frightened. The team is also just like the knight in the end. This because they are unstoppable, and so far they have not shown much weakness. Who can take them down? Just like the knight, they are constantly challenged, but do no witness defeat. But if they do fall, will they be defeated “gently," or will they be left "hurled on the green?” If Permian falls, will it be by a close margin? Or will it be a blow out, and a complete loss and the udder defeat of a once great dynasty? The poem shows no apparent end for the knight, and so far we have no evidence to suggest the outcome of the Permian football team. We know not whether the Permian football team wins, or gets taken down in the end by a stronger opponent.