All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

All the Pretty Horsesby Cormac McCarthy

•John Grady is going to a funeral.

•We can tell that John Grady is very truthful.

•Is John Grady pessimistic or optimistic ?

•There is a scene of a train going by on the railroad tracks.

•Then there was a woman in the kitchen Then there was a woman in the kitchen making food, but is it his mother or someone making food, but is it his mother or someone else?else?

•After that there was a funeral After that there was a funeral where John Grady saw his father. where John Grady saw his father.

•The woman was a housekeeper. The woman was a housekeeper. Grady’s mother left him and his Grady’s mother left him and his father, and Grady was trying to see father, and Grady was trying to see her but she changed her name. her but she changed her name.

• McCarthy frequently uses the phrases “blood” and “red.”- Does this foreshadow violence in the book?• There is vivid imagery of the Comanches, and how they

had to fight. “They were armed for war which was their life.”

- After the funeral of his grandfather, why was John Grady thinking about the Comanches?

• At the bottom of the page, McCarthy writes “He turned south along the old war trail and he rode out to the crest of a low rise and dismounted and dropped the reins and walked out and stood like a man come to the end of something.”

- This foreshadows the end of the ranch, but does it also foreshadow other possible endings?

• John Grady and his father aren't close. John Grady's father smokes and john doesn’t like that. He also calls his mother she instead of mom which leads me to believe they are not close. His mother ran off to San Antonio.

• What is his mother doing in San Antonio?

• What happened between him and his father?

• John and his father are out eating steak and gravy, potatoes, beans, and rolls.

• His father didn’t eat much, and when he was finished, he lit up a cigarette and wanted more coffee.

• Why don’t John and his father have a close relationship?

• You can make the connection that the relationship between John and his father is not all that great.

• Throughout the book, there is a lot of coffee drinking and smoking that goes on.

• John Grady doesn’t want to talk about

his girlfriend. He doesn’t want to talk about her at all. He knows that he is better off without her. John Grady also goes and just sits in his grandfathers office and just sits in his chair looking at everything that’s in there.

• Why is he so upset about his ex?• When Rawlins ask John Grady what

he plans to do, does he have something really on his mind?

• Does he go and sit in his grandfather’s office often?

• Coffee is referred to on many different pages like page 12 and 25. Also, his mother is talked about also with the picture on his grandfather’s desk. She is talked about plenty of times throughout the book.

•Grady is very unsociable with his father no matter what topic they are talking about.•This page of the book sets a dark and depressing mood for the beginning of the book.•Grady sits in his grandfather’s room viewing the room in silence as if he is never going to see it again.•Why is Grady so interested if his father would buy back the oil field?•What happened in the past between Grady and his father for them to seem so far apart from each other?•It seems that every time someone relaxes in this book drinking coffee or smoking is involved.

Page 11

All The Pretty Horses Page 13

On this page John Grady and his dad are talking to each other. Here we learned that it was believed that John’s dad was dead but his Grandpa did not give up the thought that he was alive and that he believed that when John’s dad came back him and John’s mother would get back together.

After they reach the lobby, it is now that you learn the time period by reading what John’s father says. “How can Shirley Temple be getting divorced?” Here you also get the sense that the father is depressed on how he talks.

John’s dad gives him his keys and tells him that he has something for him in the closer. What is it?

Is there any significance to John Grady naming his

horse Redbo and will we find out about this

later?

John Grady seems to be in hotels rather often once

with his dad and once with his mom and he stayed in

one for himself. He seems to respect his

father more than his mother because he

refers to her as “she” instead of “mom” but

he calls his father “sir” saying thing like “yes

sir” and “no sir.”

His father also obviously cares

about him because he bought him an expensive saddle.

The cowboy theme is very obvious.

The idea that he respects his father more than his mother shows how unusual his childhood was. He respects a man who has a gambling problem only

because he was better to him than his mother who essentially abandoned him. Most people have a hard

time respecting people with gambling problems.

Page 14

By: Shevon Weeks

They are at a café.

John Grady wants his mother to lease him the ranch

They are talking about the ranch.

She won’t lease the ranch to John Grady.

Will She eventually

lease the ra

nch to

him?

I wonder what will happen if he doesn’t get the ranch? Will he be really mad?

Mezzanine

All The Pretty Horses: Page 16

Questions:

•Why does Franklin have a “conflit of interest” with Grady?•How does Grady know Franklin?•Does Franklin end up helping Grady at all?

Franklin

Characters:•Franklin•John Grady Cole•Franklin’s Secretary

All the Pretty Horses

The boy (John Grady Cole) went to talk to Franklin, his mothers lawyer.

John’s mother had a lawyer, his father did not.

Mother and father are divorced.

Divorce was final 3 weeks before John found out.

John found out from the lawyer that it was final .

Connections:

The parents never told John.

The father loved the mother so he signed everything she asked him to.

The father was like whatever he didn’t want to fight her.

John and the lawyer were talking about the mother wanting a more social life since she is just 36yrs old.

How long was the Father away at war?

All The Pretty Horses: Page #19

First Observation: This page continues what happened on page 18, where John Grady leaves his home to start his journey. Also, John Grady is characterized on this page as “being quiet” or “doesn’t talk much”, which connects him and his personality throughout the novel

Second Observation: John Grady gets picked up by 2 drivers. The first driver points out a heater in his car, which indicates that it is wintertime. This “wintertime” theme is used throughout the rest of the page and is a connection between both the drivers.

Questions:1. The first driver

gives John Grady directions to Brady, TX, but will these be the right directions?

2. Will the weather conditions worsen or subside?

3. Will John ever see his family again after leaving home?

Why would he get in the car with random people?

Where did he get his horse from when all he had was his satchel from is grandpa?

Why is he trying to get away so bad?

This ends up leading him on his quest.

He ends up meeting up with Rawlins and Blevins.

He travels around looking for shows.

He meets up with these two other guys and they are all doing the something and that is just ridding and trying to get to that one spot, and they don’t know till they get to that spot.

Page 20

• John Grady is in San Angelo, Texas because his mother is in a play and he’s there to see it. • On this page he is in a café and has coffee which is a motif • The story jumps to him sitting in the lobby of the hotel that his mother is staying at. • His mother walks threw the lobby on the arm of a well dressed man and they went out and left in a cab as John watched. • He waits awhile before asking the hotel clerk if they have a Mrs. Cole registered and the clerk said no they did not.• This is the first indication that she has really left her old life behind and already changed her name right after their divorce.• Why didn’t John Grady say anything to his mother when she walked right buy him in the lobby• After this the story jumps abruptly again to the last time John Grady and his father rode horses. Cormac McCarthy gives us a very vivid picture of the beautiful landscape.• This page has a very bitter sweet feeling as John seems to be reminiscing and leaving his old life behind.

• On this page John Grady Cole is

eating lunch with his father after their “last ride” because his father is dying

• During the meal the father begins to tell his son that he and his mother were separated and the only reason she came back was for John Grady

• There is a depressing feeling to the conversation that the father and son are having

• The father and the son are drinking coffee which is a motif

• It is clear that John Grady respects his father but it is also clear that they do not speak openly about many topics and the conversations are short

• John Grady is a lot like his father, they both notice the two horseman passing outside and they both speak the same way to each other

• What was the meaning of the horsemen passing by?

• Will this be the last time John Grady and his father see each other?

• If this is the last time they see each other before John Grady’s father dies, how will John Grady react?

All The Pretty Horses

• John Grady’s parents were married ten years before the war.

• His mother was gone from the time John was six months old till the time he was three.

• While his mother was gone Luisa looked after him.

• John’s father describes how if it wasn’t for having john he probably wouldn't of made it through war.

• Why didn’t’ Johns father go to California to see his wife?

• Why do you think that the commanches are talked about in the book so much?

• John Grady and Rawlins lay on the blacktop watching the stars.

• Coyote howls in the distance.

• The two boys hear a door slam and hear a voice call out.

• Rawlins’ father ran off when he was 15 years old.

• Who called out and slammed the door?

• Why did Rawlins’ dad run off?

• Will John Grady’s mom and Rawlins’ dad meet up in the future?

• Since Rawlins’ dad and John Grady’s mom ran off when they both were young, they could meet up and have an impact on the ending.

What does this mean?Mentally, John Grady has already left Texas. He has gotten out of all negative

aspects that relate to being in Texas.

Important Quote- “If I don’t go, will

you go anyways?” In reply to

Rawlins, Grady says, “I’m already

gone.”

Rawlins and Grady lay watching the stars while discussing if they’re going to leave Texas and travel through Mexico.

27

•What does this exchange indicate about John Grady's attitude towards speech?

•What else do you know from this novel about John Grady's habits of speech and silence?

•What do his attitudes and habits imply about his personality?

•The conversation between John Grady Cole and his ex-girlfriend is an uncomfortable conversation. He is embarrassed and upset.

•She proposes that they be friends. While she seems to be somewhat guilt ridden, she may just want him to still be attached, or for him to be “wrapped around her finger.”

• On page 28, John Grady runs into his ex-girlfriend Mary Catherine

• Grady tells Mary that he is leaving San Angelo

• On the bottom half of the page, John Grady is at Rawlins house so that they can leave San Angelo together

• John Grady avoids deep conversation with Mary Catherine. You can infer that he still has feelings for her

• He believes that Mary Catherine is only talking to him to make herself feel better about their relationship.

• On this page, the two sections have no transition

• Do you think John Grady will run into Mary Catherine again in the future?

All The Pretty Horses page 30

John Grady and Rawlins saddle their horses. It is 4 a.m. in the morning. It is very dark and mysterious out.

Someone in Rawlins's house turns on a light. They refer to the person as “he.” Who is he?

“You’ll be late for your own funeral” says John to Rawlins after the light is turned on.

They finally leave for their journey and ride on an open pasture.

They ride on their horses 40 miles by noon.

Javelina- a mammal found in the

southwest in North America. Catspaw- a small version of a crowbar.

31“’How the hell do they expect a man to ride a

horse in this country?’ said Rawlins.”

Observation- This statement refers to the invention of barbed wire. Barbed wire put an end to the open range and an end to the freedom of cowboys. It is obvious though that that John Grady and Rawlins are in denial of the ending of this era.

“They rode the sun up and ate the sandwiches John Grady had brought from

the house…”Observation- The boys seem to be eating on every page. Even though John Grady, Rawlins, and Blevins are poor and without a home, they have managed to always have enough food to satisfy them.

“Can you hit anything with it?”

“No.”Observation- When Rawlins asks John Grady if he is able to shoot anything with his gun, Grady replies “No.” This response is sarcastic and shows John Grady’s new cowboy personality: cocky and confident.

32

“I aint leadin’ my horse down that highway in the

dark.”Observation- It seems ironic that these boys are living an adventurous and precarious life, but will not lead their horses down a highway at night.

-On this page, John Grady and Rawlins wake up and start heading to a café. Food is mentioned on what seems like every page of All the Pretty Horses.

Hmm….

Are the boys afraid of the

highway because they could get

hit by a car? I just don’t

understand.

Hmm….What I want to know is how John Grady knows Spanish so well? Is it because of the workers at his house? Why doesn’t Rawlins know it?

•Grady & Rawlins are on there way to Grady & Rawlins are on there way to Mexico. They are by the highway and Mexico. They are by the highway and they decide to stop for the night instead of they decide to stop for the night instead of keep going to the next city. keep going to the next city.

•They wake up in the morning and go They wake up in the morning and go to a local café and use the bathroom. to a local café and use the bathroom.

•I wonder how long it has been since I wonder how long it has been since they showered?they showered?

•Where is their Eldorado?Where is their Eldorado?

33

“You pay attention to your old dad now,” Rawlins said. “I’ll show you how to deal with a unruly breakfast.”

Observation- It is obvious that Rawlins is being sarcastic when he says that he is John Grady’s dad. This comment shows the macho personality of Rawlins. He shows John Grady that he can eat a big breakfast and even want more.

Besides the country setting, my favorite part of All the

Pretty Horses are the scenes where the boys eat. I am a

lover of food, and this book has even inspired me to go

out and eat at Don Lucho’s in Allegany, New York. -On many pages throughout the book,

the macho character of John Grady and

Rawlins is shown. There personalities

seem to develop this way because they

become cowboys.

Hmmm…I wonder if their confidence will get them in trouble?

34

John Grady and Rawlins are looking at a map and see nothing where Mexico is supposed to be .

John Grady and Rawlins encounter a Mexican man and they tell the man that they have robbed a bank. However, the man does not believe them. They also tell the man that they are traveling to Mexico and ask the him if he has ever been there. The Mexican man jokingly tells Grady and Rawlins that he has never been to Mexico. The whole conversation is spoken in a joking manner.

What does it mean that there is nothing where Mexico should be?

The map is a symbol.

The boys are on a journey to a place that can’t be mapped.

The boys aren’t really sure of where they are going so it is ironic that there is nothing on the map.

Do you think that the map image is an important factor for something to come in the book?

35John Grady and Rawlins continue on traveling. Eventually they settle down and camp out for the night and Rawlins kills a rabbit for food.

Rawlins states that he could get used to this life.

Do you think the boys don’t really know what to expect on this trip?

It seems like John Grady and Rawlins think their “adventure” is going too easily.

Do you think John Grady and Rawlins thought about what they would do for food and water?

• John Grady and Rawlins enter a small village in Mexico after riding for several days.

• They look rough, dirty and unshaven, like desperados.

• They buy a lot of food, stay the night and leave in the morning.

• Rawlins wonders what everyone is doing back home – he misses them.

• Are they in Mexico yet?

• How do they know where they are going?

• Rawlins seems to be getting nervous

about them going away. When Rawlins is singing that song it kind of shows that he may be wondering about his family back home and what they’re thinking about. The scenery of where they are at is explained beautifully. They stopped somewhere it seems like they are just going to camp out with the stars.

• Why does Rawlins seem so tense?• Why doesn’t John Grady every seem

to really express his emotions?

• Many other times before Rawlins will ask question and John Grady will just say “I don’t know” like on pages 31, 51, and 24.

• John Grady realizes that somebody is following them on horseback.

• They decide the keep riding and see if the person following them shows up or not.

• Eventually they decide to wait for him in the woods.

• Who is following them?

• Where are they going?

Q:Who is the approaching

rider and what is his significance?

Bajada-alluvial plain formed at the base of a mountain by the coalescing of several alluvial fans

C: Grady is always admiring horses (hence the title). This page mentions him complimenting the strangers horse

O: Rawlins and Grady seem always worried about being followed. Was violence a common occurrence during this time period and at this setting?

• The boy, Blevins, could have a connection with Grady’s mom or Rawlins’ dad or maybe even both.

•The boy will come back and almost get John and Rawlins killed because he’s young and immature.

• Where did the boy come from?

• Who really is this boy?

• Why do people want to shoot the boy’s horse?

• Rawlins and Grady meet a young boy with a horse.

• Rawlins and John flip a coin to see who gets to shoot the horse. (Joking around)

• Rawlins doesn’t like the boy.

• John and Rawlins ride off but they know that the boy will follow them.

Page #43

All the Pretty Horses

Throughout this book there is a lot of spitting, on this page both John Grady and Rawlins spit. There is also a lot of smoking, on this page Rawlins is smoking. There is also a lot of eating, both of the boys are eating on this page.

The gunsel is the same kid who was following them earlier in the book. Rawlins dislikes the gunsel more than John Grady does based on the fact that when Rawlins talks about him he swears whereas John Grady doesn’t.

Will John Grady and Rawlins run off the gunsel?

Why is the gunsel following them?Do the boys end up crossing the shoal?

They first see Blevins.

Rawlins points his gun at him. John stops him.

Blevins introduces himself.

This will lead them to more trouble in the future.

Rawlins already doesn’t like Blevins.

What things will Blevins do that make him a major

part of the story?

John and Rawlins ask Blevins why he follows them.

Blevins wants to go with them.

They cross the river to Mexico

This is what they have been waiting for.

They look back and think about America and what they are leaving behind. But then they ride on faster into Mexico.

They are excited to move on.

Why did John hear Blevins’s name on the

radio?

A blivet is 10 pounds of shit in a five pound sac!

C: Earlier (page 43) Rawlins mentions how uneasy the young boy makes him so he behaves negative toward him, like comparing his name to a sac of waste.

Q: Why does Rawlins find Jimmy Blevins so off-putting?

O: Blevins never mentions where he is from. Perhaps there is history he doesn’t want discovered.

Q: Blevins claims he shot the gun before. Who or what do you think he has shot and were his intentions ill or not?

32-20 colt- the kind of gun the Blevin’s boy has in his overalls.

C: The men seemed skeptic about being followed. Blevins having a gun may reinforce their fear.

O: Blevins is fairly young to have ownership of a gun. How did he come across it?

50Grady, Rawlins and Blevins ride into the town of Reforma, Mexico.

• As they entered, they stopped into a convenient store and drank cider.

• Rawlins paid with a dollar bill that had a hole at each end from Blevins shooting Rawlins’ wallet.

• The holey bill is key because this shows that Blevins actually does have good aim.What does Blevins’ good aim indicate?Where did Blevins get his target practice?

Reforma,

Mexico

1949

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

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