All the Pretty Horses Pg. 263- 301

Characters:

~The captain- He is taken hostage by John Cole when he comes back to retrieve his horses. Did not play a big role and he was eventually freed from Cole by a few local men.

~The Judge- He played a very influential role in John Cole’s life. After granting John the right to keep Blevin’s horse, John seeks the judge for some advice and moral support. John confesses that he doesn’t believe he is a very good person because he killed a boy in jail and he held the captain hostage. However the judge tells him that he did the right thing considering his situation. The judge advises John that not everyone in the world is good. It is a shame, but the belief that everyone is truly good and kind is the farthest thin from the truth. There are bad people and they deserve to be punished.

~Reverend Jimmy Blevins- A hard working preacher whom Cole sought out to ask if he had any relations with little Blevins. Unfortunately there was no connection and instead the reverend extended a helping hand and offered John a nice, hearty dinner. His radio show is broad-casted all over the world and he and his wife both feel blessed to have so many people listening to the word of Christ for the first time. Blevin’s wife did say that it was very exhausting for him because many people get carried away with blessings from him.

Plot:

Shorty after being parted from Alejandra, John goes to find his horse. He akes the captain hostage and eventually gets his horse along with Blevin’s horse and Rawlin’s Redbo. However it was not easy getting the horses and he was shot in the leg by pursuers who followed him as he rode away. John Cole shows more of his strength as he tries to heal his wound. He was in tremendous pain but still moved on forward. He crosses the border on Thanksgiving day and he was also sent to court for trial of Blevin’s horse. In the end, the considerate judge rewarded him with the horse. John spends several months looking for the real owner of the horse and even contacts Reverend Blevins but has no luck. He eventually goes back home where he attends his abuela’s funeral. In the end John Grady Cole realizes that there is nothing left for him at home and he ventures out to a new destination.

Quotes:

“… in his sleep he dreamt of horses… where no rain could erase it.” Page 280

~In comparison to his previous dreams, this one is much darker. The horses are no longer running freely through endless fields of flowers and grass. Instead the picture that is painted is very gray and gloomy. In his dream the horses moved so gravely because the goodness of the world seemed to be washed away. It is like looking over something that was destroyed and feeling the frustration associated with the vision. The world was not what John had pictured in his mind before and all that is left are memories and recollections of what was “suppose” to be. However at the end of the passage, John dreamt that “the order in the horse’s heart was more durable for it was written in a place where no rain could erase it.” Although reality and the world around him is evil, gray and devastating, John still believes in the goodness that is still etched in his heart and nothing can ever erase it. He will never let his personality be altered by society.

 ”He stood at the window of the empty cafe and watched the activities in the square and he said that it was good that God kept the truths of life from the young as they were starting out or else they’d have no heart to start at all.”

~As a mature adult, John has finally realized the darkness of the world itself. This quotes represents the coming of age theme. He is no longer the young, naive teenage boy and in fact, in the quote he refers to himself as the older wiser man being thankful that “the truths of life” are hidden from the “young”. Even though reality is what it is, children and teenagers still need to trust that their dreams can come true. John believes that the tough and dark world needs young, positive idealists to enter and perhaps change society little by little.

“I think from what you told me you done real well to get out of there with a whole hide. Maybe the best thing to do might be just to go on and put it behind you. My daddy used to tell me not to chew on something that was eating you.” Page 291

~The judge gave John some words of wisdom when John doubted himself after his whole ordeal in Mexico. John seemed to be trying to blame himself for his misfortune down in Mexico when really it was just a bad hand of cards for him. The judge was convincing him not to be so hard on himself because he was just a good guy trying to make a life for himself. Furthermore, the judge advised him to put the past behind him and try to make a better life for himself. There is no point in stressing over the past when you can start fresh from this point forward. For John, in order for him to move forward he needs to take the pain and suffering he experienced in Mexico and turn it into mental strength. He needs to forget about the losses of loved ones and trust that he can find happiness alone.

Other Elements:

~Ideas of Transcendentalism- The belief that man is innately good and society creates the evil. Both Alfonsa and John believe that children are all fresh and intelligent and not until they get older do they see the true picture of the world. In fact they both experienced this first hand. Alfonsa, along with her friends Francisco and Gustavo were idealists and kind hearted people. However after Alfonsa was banned from seeing Gustavo and after the brothers were publicly tortured, she had come to her senses about what the world is really like. John Cole is also a perfect example. In the beginning he dreamt and envisioned an idyllic world with freedom and without responsibility. However he got a rude awakening when he reached Mexico. They both realize how dark and uncontrollable society is and how humans can turn violent oppressive.

~Contrast- The author has clearly painted an awful picture of society and reality. However, not everyone is as evil as Alfonsa described earlier in the chapter. When John left the jail, there were many kind strangers that greeted him and John seemed surprised by this. The judge and the Blevins couple were really helpful and supportive as well. It goes to show that not all hope is lost when it comes to good morals.

~Motif/Subject: The same subject that John’s home is really not the place for him is illustrated here in the end of the book. He left his hometown in the first place because he felt that there was nothing there that suited him. When he came back there was even less than before he left. His father had died, the ranch was sold, his mother was still long gone and now his abuela, who has been taking care of him and his family for many years has passed away. In addition, his relationship with his best friend Rawlins seems distant and they have grown apart from each other. To John his hometown was nothing and he felt that he would never feel comfortable there.

~Motif/Subject: Change- Throughout this whole novel it seems as if John always had a plan and a direction and a destination. In the beginning he wanted to go to Mexico and become a cowboy. Then after going to jail he travelled to find Alejandra. After both journeys were painful and unsuccessful, he was determined to go get his horses back and eventually headed back home trying to find the real owner of Blevin’s horse. However as the story ends, we see that now John really has no plan and no destination anymore. He knows he doesn’t belong in his hometown but he doesn’t know yet where he belongs. In the end he is just riding off into the sunset and no one knows where he is really headed towards.

~There is also change in John’s attitude and personality. Throughout the book John has always been portrayed as the strong leader. Through all the pain and anguish, he never left anyone see his emotions. He always tried to stay brave and strong. However towards the end of the book when he realizes his father is dead, we see the first signs of his human characteristics. He no longer cared about being the “tough guy” anymore. He had gone through so much and it was time for him to let out his emotions.

~Tone- The last paragraph of the story shows a grave tone from the author that is similar to the first page of this novel when the grandfather died. The picture that is painted is of “blood” and red. All the blood and suffering John experienced has made him the man he is right now. He sacrificed his blood and so much more for his dreams and now all that is left of him is a man without direction. The author writes that his shadow and the shadow of his horse become one single being which illustrates the love and strong connection between John and his horse. The ending is a picture of the two of them fading into the darkness. I think this symbolizes John Cole’s fate in the world. He has gone through so much and I don’t think there is anything left for him to give. He just just going to fade into the “darkening land, the world to come.”

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