Romanticism In John Grady's All The Pretty Horses

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Romanticism in All the Pretty Horses To romanticize something is to make it seem better than it actually is and that is exactly what our protagonist John Grady Cole does through out the majority of the story, he romanticizes the cowboy way of life. As a result of this, he starts to see the cowboy life as a perfect means of escape from a his mundane life. John Grady is not the only person to have romantic views of the west. Many before him and after have added on to the cowboy mystique and allure. Even though John Grady tries to stay optimistic about life and hopeful that things will turn out better in the long run. He soon begins to realize that his view on the world has no real function in the real world. John Grady not only romanticizes …show more content…

Although cowboys played a large role in the western United States most of the stories surrounding them are heavily steeped in myth and lure which only added to the overall grandeur of their image. This and the code that John Grady tries to live by seems to indicate that John Grady was idolizing a single cowboy or a particular cowboy but the idea of a cowboy, “The cowboy in various guises is popularly accepted by Americans as a symbol, indicative of this stature as myth” (Savage 3). All of this together may have contributed to John Grady's decision so pursue a cowboy …show more content…

At this period in time Mexican society and law were still trying to find its foothold in the aftermath of the Mexican revolution that had ended only a few years earlier and though the country now had a new president in office the country was still in a state of political unrest. Alfonsa who actually has gone through almost the exact same situation that John Grady and Alejandra are going through has no sympathy for John Grady and only cares about Alejandra's well being and that includes making sure that she (Alejandra) has a suitable husband. Alfonsa does not think John Grady is good enough for her niece , partly because of his both lack of social status and lack of means to support Alejandra, and because of the Aunt's own personal experience with her past

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