All The Pretty Horses

What would a story be without cultural and historical background? It would not be a very detailed story to read. Cultural and historical background information helps the reader to see why certain actions were made, the heritage of the characters and many other things. When understanding information about the cultural and historical background, it helps with interpreting what other literary devices mean as well. Without any background information to explain some reasons for certain events, the story would be confusing and the reader might not understand it to its full ability. Also, there would not be much personalization with the characters. In All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy the importance of cultural or historical aspects is utilized by conveying that it is rare “to live in some place that is not yet touched by the complication of the modern world, where it is possible to be one with the earth and to live in a genuine human communion.” (Bell 5)
There are many different literary devices that could arguably be the most important when it comes to interpreting a story. However, without historical information none of the other devices could even be understood. In the book All The Pretty Horses a lot of Spanish is used. Much of the dialogue that is used throughout the book is spoken in Spanish. Although this could make for a more difficult read for some readers there is always translators online and much of the Spanish that is used is simple and fairly easy to understand. People have customs and traditions that they follow that can only be explained by knowing about their culture. “The house was built in eighteen seventy-two. Seventy-seven years later his grandfather was still the first man to die in it.” (McCarthy 6) McCarthy is describing the ranch that has been in the family for decades. This passage gives a lot of information about not only the characters and the setting, but also the importance of historical context. As stated before, many people have customs that can only be explained by the history of their culture. This ranch has been in the family and without knowing the background information on the lives of these people.
According to Wikipedia culture as a noun is defined as, “The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.” In other words, culture is certain rules or customs that people choose to live by. In All The Pretty Horses, technology is evolving at a rapid rate and most of the characters in the book do not like it. They were raised to live how their ancestors did; off the land. Even though the characters are not necessarily affected by the developing technology, they don’t like that the rest of America is changing. “Looking over the country with those sunken eyes as if the world out there had been altered or made suspect by what he’d seen of it elsewhere. As if he might never see it right again. Or worse if he did see it right at last. See it as it had always been, would forever be.” (McCarthy 23) In that sentence of the book McCarthy is describing John Grady Cole’s feelings. That is why John Grady Cole, Lacey Rawlins, and Jimmy Blevins travel to Mexico. Wildlife and nature are becoming less important and that is what the characters in the book live for. Another reason why they go to Mexico is because that is where their ancestors came from.
There are many traditions that are followed in this book. Throughout the story, you see John Grady Cole and many of the other characters use skills that they learned from the elders and other family members. Many skills and traditions are used throughout the book. When John Grady Cole, Rawlins, and Blevins are on their own traveling to Mexico, you see their abilities to use what they learned for many different circumstances. It is possible to infer that they know this tricks and skills from learning them. Just like many other cultures, some actions are frowned upon. For example, not many people wanted John Grady Cole to go Mexico. However, he was not necessarily punished for doing so. In other cultures if a decision like that was made, it is possible that that person would have been in a lot of trouble. Culture is a very important aspect in the book. It is a way of life for many different groups of people. Horses are very much so valued in All The Pretty Horses. They are put above people and their needs. “A goodlookin horse is like a goodlookin woman, he said. They're always more trouble than what they're worth. What a man needs is just one that will get the job done.” (McCarthy 89)
In All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy the importance of historical and cultural aspects are used by displaying that it is unusual to live in this world with pure elements, without being disrupted by modern technology. The knowledge of culture and historical aspect can really help a ready interpret a book. Also, when an author is writing knowing about the culture of the people in the book is helpful because it makes the book more relatable. There are many different literary aspects that could arguably be the most important when it comes to analyzing literature. Although it was hard making a decision about with one to analyze, the cultural and historical aspect seemed the most important and with one that had the most detail. Without having any information about the culture in the book, many actions and many reasons for certain events could be difficult to understand for most literary analysts.