All the Pretty Horses

An example of a literary device in Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses is the use of metaphor and simile. For instance, Rawlins and John Grady are metaphorically described as riding "among" the...

The specific responsibility connected to this quotation is capturing wild horses for the purpose of taming them. More generally, it refers to the cowboys’s need to understand the souls of men and...

John Grady Cole's mother wants to sell the family ranch. His father is no help, as he is detached and does not want to deal with his wife. John looks for a way to save the ranch and engages in...

The phrase "ten thousand worlds for the choosing" refers to the limitless opportunities and potential that young men like John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins perceive as they embark on their journey....

In All the Pretty Horses, horses symbolize manhood, identity, and power. They represent a measure of a man's skills, reputation, and the quest for maturity. John Grady's journey highlights this...

John Grady expects to gain insight into his mother's world and values by watching her perform on stage, hoping to understand how the world works through the drama. However, he finds nothing...

The phrase "tenantless night" in All the Pretty Horses emphasizes the emptiness in which John Grady and Rawlins find themselves. The night has no tenants, meaning that there is nobody living in it;...

Faith testing is a major theme as characters grapple with belief and doubt. John Grady's journey parallels his spiritual coming-of-age, questioning his Christian upbringing. Discussions with Rawlins...

Upon seeing his grandfather in the casket, John Grady Cole realizes the death symbolizes not just a personal loss but also the end of the Old West era. His grandfather's passing marks the decline of...