All The Pretty Horses Analysis

In All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, the main protagonist, John Grady Cole, exiles himself to Mexico when his known and beloved way of life is threatened. This experience to him was both alienating and enriching. He gets to where he is going only to have everything he has worked for taken from his hands. He is left alone and sad, but full of new insights about the world around him. John’s relationship with and the death of Jimmy Blevins, his love for Alejandra and her abandoning him, and his lost position at the hacienda ranch are three main events that leave John alienated, but enriched with worldly ideas and understandings he would take to the grave. Jimmy Blevins, fatally shot, provided John with intuition about the importance of companionship. His death also provided knowledge of the consequences of the decisions a person makes. Although John had not known Blevins long, he felt a sort of responsibility for him, especially because he presumed he was younger than him by a couple of years. Even though their relationship was not a very close one, nobody wants to see anyone be executed for a mistake that was made at such a young age. This event saddened John, and made him feel about about, and even regret Blevins’ fate. From Blevins, John learned how important companionship can be. Blevins was extremely grateful that he had met John, and that is why he gave him the rest of his money before he was executed. John also was shown that the consequences of his actions