The Development of John Grady Cole in Corman McCarthy's 'All the Pretty Horses'

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book The Development of John Grady Cole in Corman McCarthy's 'All the Pretty Horses' by Lydia Gaukler, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Lydia Gaukler ISBN: 9783638811507
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: April 9, 2007
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Lydia Gaukler
ISBN: 9783638811507
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: April 9, 2007
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, University of Mannheim, 14 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Cormac McCarthy is one of the most famous contemporary writers in America and is celebrated as one of the major American novelists of his time. However, this has not always been the case. Despite his earlier writings, it was for McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses that he finally became famous for. With the publication of this sixth novel, for which he won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award , he gained widespread recognition as an American writer. All the Pretty Horses was first published in 1992 and is the first part of his Border Trilogy. As Morrison notes most of McCarthy's novels [...] involve both metaphorical and literal journeys which bring their voyagers inevitably into a series of conflicts and confrontations with themselves as well as with the various communities intersected be their wanderings. And, in most of these novels, the central characters' journeys, however random in time and place they may be, are apparently rooted in dysfunctinal families and troubled filial relationships. This also applies to All The Pretty Horses. In this novel, Cormac McCarthy concerns himself with the development of his main protagonist, the 16-year-old John Grady Cole: At the beginning of the novel, McCarthy portrays John Grady as a boy in search for adventure, freedom and a home. During his journey to Mexico however, he soon has to grow up. He has to witness the execution of his compagnion; he is put in jail even though he is innocent; he has to fight with other convicts, and at last he is attacked by a hired killer. He thus has to learn that the world is a dangerous and violent place and that the world portrayed in All The Pretty Horses has nothing to do with an idyllic wild country as the novel's title might suggest. In the end, John Grady has hardened. He has killed a man, he has lost his innocence and he returns as a man and as a hero. In the following, I will first outline the plot of the novel. Then I shall want to concentrate on the development of its main character. Last, I like to discuss whether All the Pretty Horses may be read as a Bildungsroman. I will come to the conclusion that McCarthy's novel is partly a Bildungsroman and partly a Western for several reasons which I shall point out in due course.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, University of Mannheim, 14 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Cormac McCarthy is one of the most famous contemporary writers in America and is celebrated as one of the major American novelists of his time. However, this has not always been the case. Despite his earlier writings, it was for McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses that he finally became famous for. With the publication of this sixth novel, for which he won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award , he gained widespread recognition as an American writer. All the Pretty Horses was first published in 1992 and is the first part of his Border Trilogy. As Morrison notes most of McCarthy's novels [...] involve both metaphorical and literal journeys which bring their voyagers inevitably into a series of conflicts and confrontations with themselves as well as with the various communities intersected be their wanderings. And, in most of these novels, the central characters' journeys, however random in time and place they may be, are apparently rooted in dysfunctinal families and troubled filial relationships. This also applies to All The Pretty Horses. In this novel, Cormac McCarthy concerns himself with the development of his main protagonist, the 16-year-old John Grady Cole: At the beginning of the novel, McCarthy portrays John Grady as a boy in search for adventure, freedom and a home. During his journey to Mexico however, he soon has to grow up. He has to witness the execution of his compagnion; he is put in jail even though he is innocent; he has to fight with other convicts, and at last he is attacked by a hired killer. He thus has to learn that the world is a dangerous and violent place and that the world portrayed in All The Pretty Horses has nothing to do with an idyllic wild country as the novel's title might suggest. In the end, John Grady has hardened. He has killed a man, he has lost his innocence and he returns as a man and as a hero. In the following, I will first outline the plot of the novel. Then I shall want to concentrate on the development of its main character. Last, I like to discuss whether All the Pretty Horses may be read as a Bildungsroman. I will come to the conclusion that McCarthy's novel is partly a Bildungsroman and partly a Western for several reasons which I shall point out in due course.

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book Die Inuit. Eine Übersicht über die traditionelle Lebensweise und Anpassung an die Umwelt by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book IPv6 - Das neue Internetprotokoll by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book 'Willful Blindness' im Wirtschaftsstrafrecht und die Bedeutung für Compliance-Systeme by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Die Arbeitswelt im Wandel - Ein Beitrag zum historisch-genetischen Lernen in der Arbeitslehre by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Die Subprime-Krise 2007 und der neoliberale Wachstumszwang am Beispiel der USA by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Female Characters in 'Macbeth', 'Othello' and 'Hamlet' by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Max Slevogts Darstellungen seiner Ehefrau Antonie Helene by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Krebserkrankung in der Adoleszenz by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Factors Influencing Public Participation in Urban Planning Projects. A Case of Nairobi Central Ward by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Max Weber - Der Werturteilsstreit by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book John Rawls - Eine Theorie der Gerechtigkeit als Fairness by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book E-Learning in der betrieblichen Weiterbildung by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Product Placement Effectiveness. Implicit Recall and Brand Image at the Level of Modality by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Preismanagement, Kooperationen, Strategische Analysemethoden, Corporate Identity und Konsumentenverhalten by Lydia Gaukler
Cover of the book Zielkriterien im Smart Metering und die damit verbundenen Anforderungen an die Übertragungstechnologien by Lydia Gaukler
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy