Quotations and Explanations

Throughout my reading, I have highlighted certain passages or quotes that I liked or that I thought were important. I want to share a few of them and explain why I highlighted them. Once again, most of these qoutes are lacking punctuation and may be confusing out of context, but I will try to explain what it happening at the time of this quote.

“Some things in this world cant be helped.” Pg. 18
This quote was in the beginning of the book when John Grady is trying to find a way to convince his mom not to sell the ranch that has been in his family for decades. His family lawyer tells him there is nothing he can do for him; his mom wants to sell the land and she will. I think this quote is a big reason why John Grady decides to leave his family and home. There is no hope for him in Texas. He feels like there isn’t anything he can do to help his situation, so he leaves. I think it is important to realize that sometimes things are never going to change. We have to take things into our own hands and make hard decisions, like Grady did. I don’t think his running away makes him a coward; I think it makes him a hero. He is taking a huge risk, putting his life in his own hands, and growing up.

"Ever dumb thing I ever done in my life there was a decision I made before that got me into it. It was never the dumb thing. It was always some choice I'd made before it." Pg.79
Rawlins says this shortly after him and Grady have met Blevins. He is trying to convince Grady to leave Blevins behind, because he will cause them trouble later. Because he does end up causing them trouble, this makes Rawlins a very realistic character. He is looking out for himself, and he knows when to say when. Unfortunately, Grady is too kind to leave a man behind. This leads them to trouble later in the book, trouble that could have been avoided if Grady had listened to Rawlins. I also highlighted this quote because it is a good thing to know. Our decisions affect us greatly, and not always in the ways we would expect. You have to think hard about what you’re doing with you’re life, because you never know what might happen.

"Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real. The events that cause them can never be forgotten." Pg.135
Alfonsa, Alexandra’s (John’s lover) godmother says this to John Grady when she is advising him to stay away from Alexandra. She is explaining how hard it is for woman to keep their reputation and that they can never get it back once it is gone. She is telling him how she lost her fingers, in a shooting accident. She then asks about his scar on his cheek, which he got from a horse. Alfonsa wants John to know that you can’t take the past back. She is saying this because once he ruins Alexandra’s reputations, the ‘scars’ will be permanent. When horrible things happen, the scars or consequences make sure we never forget them. We need to be mindful of the consequences of our actions.

"There aint but one truth. The truth is what happened. It aint what come out of somebody's mouth." Pg.168
John Grady says this when he is being questioned by the men who want revenge on Blevins. They are trying to convince him to say they story they want to hear, but he refuses. He says they straight truth, and doesn’t twist it in way. People always say there are different sides to each story, but when it comes down to it, there is only one truth. It is important to realize that people will lie and the truth is hard to find. Unless you were there, you probably won’t have the story right. And that is just the way life is.

"Dying aint in people's plans, is it?" Pg. 210
Rawlins says this to John Grady about a man he met in the hospital room who died. I like this quote because it not only created a sense of danger, but it also makes you feel like you could die any minute. Nobody plans to die. It just happens. It is simple, and McCarthy makes it seem like it is just another thing that happens in our life. This quote creates urgency to live life fully, because death comes out of nowhere.

"I wouldnt be here if I wasnt supposed to be here." Pg.214
Rawlins say this to Grady in one of their few deep conversations throughout the book. This once again creates a feeling of simplicity. We merely exist in a world that has everything picked out for us. Our life is basically decided before we even have the chance. I like this quote, because it is saying everything happens for a reason. Don’t dwell on the past or what is to come, because wherever you are, you are supposed to be there.

Personal Reaction 1

I have read about two thirds of the book, and I thought it was a good time to give a personal response to the plot, characters, and writing of “All the Pretty Horses.”

John Grady Cole and Rawlins have left Texas and journeyed into Mexico. Along the way they meet a younger boy named Blevins, who joins them. They get into some trouble along the way when Blevins loses his horse and gun, and then tries to steal it back from the person who found them. The men they steal from begin to chase them, and Blevins has to split up from Grady and Rawlins. Without serious attachments to Blevins, Grady and Rawlins keep going, hoping to avoid trouble. They find a hacienda where they work with horses for a decent pay. While working at this ranch, Grady falls in love with his boss’s daughter. Although the boss likes Grady for his knowledge of horses, Rawlins thinks that Grady is going to get them kicked out for his affair with the boss’s daughter. Shortly after, Grady and Rawlins get kidnapped and taken back to the place where Blevins stole the horse. They are reunited with the boy and kept in captivity. They are unsure of what is going to happen and why they are being pulled into this mess with Blevins.

So far, most of the novel has been developing the setting and characters. Although it seems like I am about to get into some action, I have yet to see much. I found it annoying how much was skipped in this story. For example, there was not much said about the love affair between Grady and the Mexican woman. There has been more emphasis on description than on the events. Dialogue has been short and to the point, but it makes me think more since I am given less.

John Grady seems to be kind and innocent, unsure of who he is or what he is supposed to be. With family problems at home and no plan for his future, Grady is stuck with what he has in the present. He seems hopeful for a sixteen year old on his own. Rawlins is very different; he is unexpected, sarcastic, and more realistic. He never liked Blevins and always said he would bring them trouble. He is harsh and tries to see the truth in every situation. I like these traits in him, because they are so contrasting to the simple plot and characters developed so far. Blevins is mysterious. His age is unknown, but he is most likely thirteen or so. Why he is on his own at this age is unknown. He can shoot perfectly, and he has one of the best horses around. His courage is unbelievable for a young boy. I hope to find out more about where he came from, and why he is who he is.

I have gotten used to McCarthy’s writing at this point. I find it peaceful and inviting. I get lost in his never-ending sentences, but in a good way. I am able to put myself right with the characters, and I don’t even need quotation marks to know who is talking. I find myself relating to the plot and characters despite the major differences between my life and theirs. If you think about it, we are all on our own with endless choices to make our lives out of. Even though his situation is drastically different than mine, I feel like John Grady Cole and I can relate in that we are both struggling to define our lives.

At this point in the book, I have so many questions. It was hard to put the book down to write this personal response. Everything is getting exciting now, and after all this description, I am ready for some action. What is going to happen to Blevins? Will John Grady Cole try to save his life even if it means risking his own? Will Grady ever see his Mexican lover again? Will Grady’s family ever come looking for him? Or have they already? There are so many questions, and I can’t wait to find the answers. I will do another personal response once I have finished the book, hopefully with answers to all of these questions.

Setting/Imagery

“They'd ride out along the ciénaga road and along the verge of the marshes while the sun rose riding up flights of ducks out of the shallows or geese or mergansers that would beat away over the water scattering the haze and rising up would turn to birds of gold in a sun not yet visible from the bolsòn floor.” pg 128

McCarthy’s uses imagery everywhere. It can be very lengthy at times, taking up pages. But these long descriptions are worth the read, because they create such a beautiful setting. His story is simple so far, about two boys riding in the West in search for work. His vivid and constant imagery allow us to see that what is around them is all they have. This is all they see, and in a way, it is all that matters. I think McCarthy is putting a huge importance on nature and it’s beauty by dedicating much of his text to it.

Like I talked about earlier, you can see how there are no commas in this sentence. It is incorrectly written, but it is done purposely. It is very effective. It is as McCarthy is just taking it all in, and he wants us to feel the same. By stripping the sentence of punctuation, we are left with the bare description of what is there. It is so simple, yet so beautiful. His style makes his descriptions seem dreamy, almost unreal. Also, his lack of punctuation makes me feel like there is so much more, and he is trying to put as much as he can into this one sentence. But it won’t fit because nature is indefinite. You can tell McCarthy is very passionate about the setting, and knowing it is his home helps us understand why.

Rhetoric Study

“They rode out along the fenceline and across the open pasture-land. The leather creaked in the morning cold. They pushed the horses into a lope. The light fell away behind them. They rode out on the high prairie where they slowed the horses to a walk and the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness. They heard somewhere in that tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming stars so that they rode not under but among them and they rode at once jaunty and circumspect, like thieves newly loosed in that dark electric, like young thieves in a glowing orchard, loosely jacketed against the cold and ten thousand worlds for the choosing.” pg.30

This quote is towards the beginning of the book, right as John Grady and Rawlins are leaving their home, Texas, to find adventure elsewhere. They have no plan, and that is okay with them. All they know is that Texas has nothing left for them, and it is time to find something new. This passage basically introduces the book and what is to come.

This passage depicts McCarthy’s style perfectly. Lack of punctuation, simple sentences, and carefully chosen words are McCarthy’s specialties. However, they are used for a purpose. His sentences are often straight forward, with only a subject and verb. This helps create the feeling of simplicity within the story. These boys are leaving home, and they have no plan. But it doesn’t matter. They are not worried about the complications and problems they may encounter. Whatever happens, will happen. McCarthy’s short but not choppy sentences help create this almost carefree mood in a situation where you would expect the complete opposite.

Like I have talked about earlier, McCarthy’s lack of punctuation emphasizes the importance of the setting. However, this also makes you want to keep reading. His thought provoking description and dialogue leave you wanting more. In this passage, his imagery once again creates a scene the reader can picture. With the horses, the stars, and the never-ending land, one can’t help but feel like he/she is right there with Grady and Rawlins, riding into the unknown.

I think it is important to look at the words McCarthy uses to describe the setting and the characters. He chooses words as much for their sound as for their meaning. His words flow, even in his run-on sentences. “Jaunty” and “Circumspect” describe the mood perfectly. The boys are excited, but they are cautious as well. They have no idea what to expect. When McCarthy says, “they rode not under but among them” he is putting humans and nature [stars] on the same level. This once again is making life seem simple and beautiful. I also like when he says “and ten thousand worlds for the choosing.” These boys can go anywhere; their options are endless. It creates a sense of hope that they will find what they are looking for. I also like how he uses the word ‘thieves’ because it almost foreshadows the dangers they are going to encounter in their journey. He also implies they may not be ready for these dangers by saying they are “loosely jacketed against the cold.” McCarthy chooses his words carefully to make sure they not only mean but also sound perfect in context.

I want to talk about some other rhetoric devices McCarthy uses that are not necessarily used in this passage. Throughout the book McCarthy occasionally puts quotations in Spanish. This makes the reader feel like a stranger to the land, just as Grady and Rawlins are. It helps the reader connect with the characters. And although it may seem like it would be confusing, McCarthy has developed his characters so that the reader knows what they are saying, even if it is in Spanish. McCarthy also uses similes and metaphors, as he did in this passage, to better describe the setting and the characters. He does this because he knows how hard it is to fully imagine something you have never seen, and by comparing it to certain things, he makes this task a little easier.

Introduction/Background

I have just begun reading “All the Pretty Horses” by Cormac McCarthy and decided to do an entry with background information on the author and the book. Not only does McCarthy seem to have a different kind of writing, but it also takes place in a time and place I know nothing about. I thought it would be a good idea to know some facts about each before I continued with the book. Here is what I found:

Cormac McCarthy is considered one of America’s greatest living authors. Born in Rhode Island, McCarthy has traveled around the world and currently resides in Texas. He is known to use his experiences and knowledge to write his books. McCarthy is known for his simple writing and distinguished style. He is compared to Hemingway both in style and subject matter. He usually writes about adventures, but in a poetic manner. He uses little punctuation and writes quotations in Spanish occasionally in "All the Pretty Horses". Cormac McCarthy prefers to be left alone and is often characterized as his books are written: simple.

“All the Pretty Horses” takes place in Texas and Mexico around the 1950’s. Because McCarthy is currently living in Texas, he was able to create a beautiful setting that the reader can clearly envision. I have only read a couple pages, and I feel like I know exactly what Mexico looks like. Its important to note that even though Mexico is not all Indians and cowboys in the 1950’s, it is a savage land “where dreams are paid for in blood.”

I’m excited to get further into the book, because the reviews I have read are wonderful. However, his writing is going to take a while to get used to. Without quotation marks, it is hard to figure out who is talking sometimes. Plus, being in AP Language, I constantly want to correct his sentences - They are an English teacher’s nightmare. However, I have learned that people usually write for a reason, so I am interested to see how this kind of writing develops his story.