All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthyIn All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy reveals the limits of a romantic ideology in the real world. Through his protagonist, John Grady Cole, the author offers three main examples of a man's attempt to live a romantic life in the face of a hostile reality: a failed relationship with an inaccessible woman; a loving and outdated relationship with nature; and an idealistic decision to live like an old-fashioned cowboy in an increasingly modern world. In his compassionate description of John Grady, McCarthy seems to endorse these romantic ideals. At the same time, the author highlights the harsh reality and disappointments of John Grady's chosen lifestyle. When John Grady left Texas at the age of 16, he seemed to have a plan. He wants to become a cowboy and have a close relationship with nature. John Grady's character is hopelessly romantic; he acts without worrying about the repercussions. In All the Pretty Horses, John Grady falls in love with people or things that are incapable of loving him on the same level. Whether it's his relationship with Alejandra or his love for horses, he seems to be obsessed with these unattainable relationships. When John Grady meets Alejandra, he puts himself in a situation that causes conflict. This doesn't seem to bother him, since John Grady isn't content to live a risk-free life. John Grady may fall in love with Alejandra because of the potential conflict with her father, the powerful Don Hector. He finds conflict more attractive than harmony because it conforms to his ideal of a dangerous West. When John Grady tells his friend Rawlins about his first meeting with Alejandra, the author uses...... middle of paper .......McCarthy's novel is not about a boy trying to find his place in society, but about a boy trying to find himself and who he really is outside of society. John Grady begins the story without an answer, and by the end he still has no idea. There is no solution for him; there are only more questions, conflicts and misunderstandings. I think McCarthy's point is that to live romantically is to live without a cause, without real hope, and ultimately without love. Despite the author's obvious compassion for John Grady and his idealism, he shows us through descriptive and romantic writing that a romantic lifestyle cannot work in this world. The book ends with John Grady riding into the sunset, having learned nothing, with nowhere to go. Until the character learns to compromise with society and give up his romanticism, his life will have no purpose..