The Theme Of Betrayal In All The Pretty Horses

In Cormac McCarthy's All The Pretty Horses, John Grady Cole's departure of America and search for identity leads him on a tortuous journey. Sprouting in San Angelo, Texas, John Grady Cole blossoms into life on a ranch his grandfather presides over. His grandfather dies when he is just sixteen, causing him to depart America - the country he once called home - with his best friend Lacey Rawlins for Mexico, to be cowboys. As he explores the southern country, he feels that Mexico is exactly where he belongs. But, during his visit, he runs into trouble as he falls in love with a ranch owner's daughter who comes from a strictly traditional family, he is jettisoned in a moral-absent jail, and he stabs a man to death. Because Cole has nowhere else

Reality rejects the fantasy of escaping the situation without consequence. Eventually, John Grady and Rawlin are arrested. The crime committed resulted from Blevin’s stupidity and John Grady’s desire to follow his instinct be helping Blevin retrieve his horse and rifle. Darkness and suffering was the only result of this frivolous attempt.

John still feels as though he can relate with his brother on a new level of trust and respect. “But where was I? Who was I? How did I miss so much (Wideman 687)?” John admits to himself here that the situation with Robby had gotten so out of hand for him and his family most of the time they chose to look away. He has blocked so many wrongful actions from his mind that Robby’s “confession” made him realize all that he had been suppressing for years. John feels like a “hypocrite” because when the TV was stolen his father in law bought him and his wife a new one. With their homeowners insurance though they were refunded 100 dollars. Instead of giving it to his father in law he chose to keep it. When the truth came out his father in law was hurt and felt that John had manipulated the situation. Though this is a small mistake compared to Robby and his crimes,

McCarthy's addition of the compelling connection and strong desire of young love through Alejandra's selfless viewpoint emphasizes her character’s determined generosity and noble demeanor. The author effectively conveys Alejandra's value and sacrifice through a conversation between Duena Alfonsa and John Grady Cole stating, “Why did you buy me out of prison? I think you know why. Yes. And what did she have to give in return? I think you know that also. That she won't see me again. Yes.” (McCarthy 228-229). John Grady is generously bailed out of jail by Alejandra’s grandaunt Alfonsa under the forsaken condition that their

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy explores many different themes about humans and the natural world. The story’s often vacant landscapes, and barren descriptions promote an idea of isolation throughout the text. One of the only recurring motifs throughout the story that promotes a sense of life are horses. Horses clearly stick out in the otherwise depressing landscape, and McCarthy utilizes this along with other techniques to develop an overall theme to the story. This theme, that humans and the natural world are somehow interconnected, is clearly portrayed by the role that horses play in the novel.

John had finally cracked and became afraid for his family and

In prison, John Grady begins to pay the consequences of his actions as he loses his innocence by witnessing the unjust death of his companion, Blevins, and when he is forced to save himself by killing a man. He feels alone when Rawlins leaves him for Texas but is able to return to the ranch. This is how the reader knows that John Grady is not completely changed, as he is able to return to those who signed his arrest warrant. His pivotal moment is when Alejandra leaves him. The quote clearly states his devastation, “He saw very clearly how all his life led only to this moment and all after led nowhere at all. He felt something cold and soulless enter him like another being and he imagined that it smiled malignly and he had no reason to believe that it would ever leave.” (254) this is the moment to which John Cole Grady finally becomes an

In Cormac McCarthy’s novel All the Pretty Horses, John Grady Cole’s actions often conflict with his thoughts and feelings. While he is really just a young man in search of a new life in mexico, his appearance and horseback escape from Texas make him seem like an outlaw. On the outside, Cole seems unphased and apathetic about violence throughout the novel. In his heart, he knows this is not the way he intends to live his life. Often times people conform to meet the expectations of those around them, but in the end, they find out who they really are.

people start to gain experiences and knowledge that separates them from innocence. In Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy uses a story to shape the main character John Grady. The book starts out in the year of 1949 when John Grady finds himself without a home after his mother decides to sell the ranch where he has spent his entire life, then John Grady headed south to Mexico with his friend Rawlin for their adventurous journey. The experiences John Grady has gone through in Mexico has killed his innocence and shaped him into a grown man.

Alejandra and John had a deep love for each other; it got them into trouble. Their emotions were expressed secretly. Having an affair together ruined everything. As the saying goes, “morals against madness”. Once Alejandra’s family found out about

While John Grady works on the ranch he falls in love with the owner’s daughter Alejandra and has a relationship with her. Rawlins, his cousin, warns him not to fall for her because in the end Rawlins and maybe John Grady knew that it would work out. He was an American working on the ranch vying for the affections of Alejandra, the rich daughter of the owner of the ranch. It was a relationship that was doomed to fail mostly because I think it faced oppositions from everyone. The father when he found out his daughter had slept with John Grady decided to go find him on the mesa and kill him. He even could stop loving his daughter, who didn’t think this was possible. Her grand aunt paid the prison where John Grady and Rawlins were

Everyone experiences loss in life, but we can’t let it change our lives like John Grady did. He let it take control and he suffers because of it. John Grady should focus on another love, such as his love for horses. John Grady held on to his hope of being with Alejandra when he was in prison, that is what gave him the drive to survive. When he lets her go the disappointment overtakes him, and causes him to look for hope somewhere else.

After John and Rawlin were released from jail, John goes back to the Don Hector’s ranch and Rawlin went back to Texas. He meets Alfonso and tells him about her childhood, “You could see it in the children. Their intelligence was frightening. And they had a freedom which we envied. There were so few restraints upon them. So few expectations. Then at the age of eleven or twelve they would cease being children. They lost their childhood overnight and became very serious. As if some terrible truth had been visited upon them. Some terrible vision” (232). This child can be referred to John. He is the child who is free in Mexico, Later on he saw the violent, sad truths. When he returns to Texas he is no longer a boy with the hope of an unrealistic

When the master laid his eyes on the horse guilt filled within them. “This will not do, it’s too small, scrawny, and rancid. I won't let you stay until you get me a bear”, the master said with his head held high. The lion ended up getting loose and ran away.

Bang my eyes opened as I leaped out of bed. I ran at full speed to my brother's room and woke Miguel up and screamed Happy Birthday to him. We went and changed and went on our iPads before our parents woke up. It was all a hurry as we looked like buzzing bees zooming through the house, at around 10 past 9 we ran out of the house full of eager and excitement. Sitting in the car, we drove along streets, highways and whinny roads but when I though we would ever make it to the horse riding we reached. I hopped out of the car ready to get on the Horse but realised the first group wasn't back yet. The three of us played basketball, got a helmet and got ready.