An Academic Paper: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

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All the Pretty Horses by Cormac Mccarthy
Cormac McCarthy's "All the Pretty Horses" is hailed as representing what America as a nation is all about. The values that the nation espouses, freedom, individualism and the pursuit of happiness. The novel looks at the America as a land of hope, where a man can find his fortune. Mexico to the south is regarded as the antithesis of America. The novel paints it as unruly, uncivilised and characterised by marauding bands of lawless men. The irony is that Mccarthy’s protagonists actively seeks out this desolate land and choose to leave behind the relative comfort of home. As the novel begins, we see John Grady choosing to live a home that is no longer home. In search of fortune and an idealised notion of what it means to live like a cowboy. The paper in its evaluation of "All the Pretty Horses" dissects Maia Rodriguez’ paper on "Relocating the Cowboy: American Privilege in "All the Pretty HorsesCITATION Rod14 \p ": pepperdine.edu" \l 1033 (Rodriguez: pepperdine.edu)."
One common theme in Maia's conceptualisation of the novel is the two-part dichotomy that characterises American thinking. The notion that there are two mirror opposing parts or forms in every facet of life. Central to this theme is the border crossing trilogy. Posing two nations as distinct seemingly sharing little in common and as different as states can be. America is put out to be a land of freedom. Where there is equal opportunity to all and especially the young people of the nation. Mexico is however put out to be a nation where only a lawless man can survive. The author notes that John Grady in the novel goes contrary to the expected behaviour, rather than seeking to remain in America where civilization abounds, he chooses to head south. He is in part led by his idealised notion of life as a cowboy. The seemingly ruthlessness of Mexico in climate and lack of an effective legislative and institutional framework to support the law allow for the cowboy lifestyle to thrive. John Grady notes that his desires would be impugned in a civilised cityCITATION Arn \p ": muse.jhu.edu" \l 1033 (Arnold and Luce: muse.jhu.edu).
It is essential to note that the story is set in the years following the American conquest of the Wild West. As such, Grady would have grown up hearing stories of cowboys and their lives of courage. However, the conquest means that Cowboys are no longer necessary in the national dispensation and social fabric. America is conquered while Mexico is not, thus heading south was the only option for the would-be cowboy. On a psychological level, the desire to be a cowboy could be to honour his father who owns a ranch at the time of his death by not letting go of the family legacy. He wishes also to punish his mother in a primal sense as she sells the ranch his only connection to his father and childhood and chooses the relative comfort of city lifeCITATION Bel92 \p ": nytimes.com" \l 1033 (Bell: nytimes.com).
The dichotomy can also be noted in Grady’s choice for a partner. Grady is honourable to a fault, responsible, just, skilful as evidenced in the manner he handles horses and values the solitude the life of a cowboy allows. Lacey Rawlins is th...