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All The Pretty Horses Symbolism

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The color black in literature, has a strong connotation that involves intricate depths and brings the realization of significant details to the surface. In All the Pretty Horses by, Cormac McCarthy the color black symbolizes the mysteriousness, cruelty, and power of characters such as, Alejandra, the Captain, and Alfonsa. Within the context of the characters and the actions of each character the color black has different and layer meaning. McCarthy pulled this color and stretched all of its meaning, for not only a use of symbolization but also a use of characterization and tone. Alejandra is introduced in a fury of black details, “She wore a flatcrowned hat of black felt with a wide brim and her black hair was loose under it and fell halfway to …show more content…

Alejandra emerges right after the trials of this journey to Mexico and is a sight of exciting uncertainty. Her dominance is asserted when she asks to ride a not completely domesticated horse, “ I want to ride him. She regarded him levelly under the black hatbrim.” This reveals that she is not a meek girl, but a character that is fearless, dominant and authoritative. In this time period, these characteristics in a woman were rare. In spite of these positive characteristics within Alejandra that black symbolizes, it also signifies the cruelty not in who she is but in what she does. The guilt Alejandra has over action is immense, “She was crying. People were looking toward their table. She lowered her

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