All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

1. All the Pretty Horsesby Cormac McCarthy

2. Page 3 John Grady is going to a funeral. We can tell that John Grady is very truthful. Is John Grady pessimistic or optimistic ?

3. All the Pretty Horses Page 4 • Then there was a woman in the kitchen making food, but is it his mother or someone else? There is a scene of a train going by on the railroad tracks. • After that there was a funeral where John Grady saw his father. • The woman was a housekeeper. Grady’s mother left him and his father, and Grady was trying to see her but she changed her name.

4. Page 5 • 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?

5. Page 8 • 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?

6. Question Observations • 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? Connections • 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. Page 9

7. Page 10 • 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.

8. 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

9. 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?

10. Page 14 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. Is there any significance to John Grady naming his horse Redbo and will we find out about this later? 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. By: Shevon Weeks

11. Page 15 They are talking about the ranch. They are at a café. John Grady wants his mother to lease him the ranch She won’t lease the ranch to John Grady. I wonder what will happen if he doesn’t get the ranch? Will he be really mad? Will She eventually lease the ranch to him?

12. All The Pretty Horses: Page 16 Mezzanine Franklin Questions: • Why does Franklin have a “conflit of interest” with Grady? • How does Grady know Franklin? • Does Franklin end up helping Grady at all? Characters: • Franklin • John Grady Cole • Franklin’s Secretary

13. Page 17 All the Pretty Horses • 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. • 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 . How long was the Father away at war? • John and the lawyer were talking about the mother wanting a more social life since she is just 36yrs old.

14. 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: • The first driver gives John Grady directions to Brady, TX, but will these be the right directions? • Will the weather conditions worsen or subside? • Will John ever see his family again after leaving home?

15. Page 20 Questions Connections Conventions Why would he get in the car with random people? This ends up leading him on his quest. 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. He ends up meeting up with Rawlins and Blevins. Where did he get his horse from when all he had was his satchel from is grandpa? He travels around looking for shows. Why is he trying to get away so bad?

16. Page 22 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.

17. 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? Page 24

18. 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? All The Pretty Horses Page 25

19. ALL THE PRETTY HORSES PAGE 26 Observations Connections Questions • 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. • John Grady and Rawlins lay on the blacktop watching the stars. • Who called out and slammed the door? • Coyote howls in the distance. • Why did Rawlins’ dad run off? • The two boys hear a door slam and hear a voice call out. • Will John Grady’s mom and Rawlins’ dad meet up in the future? • Rawlins’ father ran off when he was 15 years old.

20. 27 Rawlins and Grady lay watching the stars while discussing if they’re going to leave Texas and travel through Mexico. Important Quote- “If I don’t go, will you go anyways?” In reply to Rawlins, Grady says, “I’m already gone.” 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.

21. Page 28 • 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.” • 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?

22. Page 29 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?

23. 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.

24. 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. “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. “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. Javelina- a mammal found in the southwest in North America. Catspaw- a small version of a crowbar.

25. 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…. 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? Hmm…. Are the boys afraid of the highway because they could get hit by a car? I just don’t understand.

26. All the Pretty Horses Page 32 • Grady & Rawlins are on there way to Mexico. They are by the highway and they decide to stop for the night instead of keep going to the next city. • They wake up in the morning and go to a local café and use the bathroom. • I wonder how long it has been since they showered? • Where is their Eldorado?

27. 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?

28. 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. The map is a symbol. What does it mean that there is nothing where Mexico should be? The boys are on a journey to a place that can’t be mapped. Do you think that the map image is an important factor for something to come in the book? The boys aren’t really sure of where they are going so it is ironic that there is nothing on the map.

29. 35 John 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? Do you think John Grady and Rawlins thought about what they would do for food and water? It seems like John Grady and Rawlins think their “adventure” is going too easily.

30. All the Pretty Horses Page 36 • 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?

31. Page 37 • 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.

32. All the Pretty Horses Page 38 Observations Questions • 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?

33. Page 39 O: Rawlins and Gradyseem always worried about being followed. Was violence a common occurrence during this time period and at this setting? 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

34. Page 39 O: Rawlins and Gradyseem always worried about being followed. Was violence a common occurrence during this time period and at this setting? 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

35. ALL THE PRETTY HORSES PAGE 41 • 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. Observations • Where did the boy come from? • Who really is this boy? • Why do people want to shoot the boy’s horse? Questions • 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. Connections

36. 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?

37. All the Pretty Horses. Page 44 ??? Observations What things will Blevins do that make him a major part of the story? They first see Blevins. Rawlins points his gun at him. John stops him. Blevins introduces himself. Connections This will lead them to more trouble in the future. Rawlins already doesn’t like Blevins.

38. All the Pretty Horses. Page 45 ??? Observations Why did John hear Blevins’s name on the radio? 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. Connections

39. Page 46 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. 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.

40. Page 47 C: The men seemed skeptic about being followed. Blevins having a gun may reinforce their fear. Q: Blevins claims he shot the gun before. Who or what do you think he has shot and were his intentions ill or not? O: Blevins is fairly young to have ownership of a gun. How did he come across it? 32-20 colt- the kind of gun the Blevin’s boy has in his overalls.

41. Grady, 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? 50 Reforma, Mexico 1949