"The irony of McCarthy's use of the title"In the novel All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, the author shows how important the roles of horses are in the story and how they relate to John Grady, the protagonist of the novel. The horse played an important role in the development of America. It was a form of transportation, easy muscles and companionship. In the Wild West, it was an essential resource for a cowboy to carry out his daily chores. McCarthy describes horses as spiritual and resembling the human soul; meaning that horses came in many different forms. Horses are beautiful, ugly, wild, domesticated, etc. In the story they have so many different descriptions and different personality types that they seem to resemble humans. In the story, John Grady is able to communicate with horses beyond the level at which normal people could communicate. He could look into a horse's eyes and be able to see into its heart; because of this distinct relationship Grady is able to compare the world of horses to the world of humans. Over the course of the novel he learns that what he thinks about men and his romantic idea of ​​living in the world is completely false and wrong. Therefore, McCarthy's title shows that life can be full of changes; and, at times, it can be cruel and ironic. Because of this, McCarthy's title shows how much perspective can change when a man goes on an adventure and experiences things he has never experienced before. This means that, McCarthy wanted readers to think before reading the book that life is good and easy, but after reading the book he wants readers to know that life is not always as it seems. John is a cowboy and like all cowboys, their lives all revolve around the horse. While he is at home with his grandfather...... middle of paper......Mexico teaches him that the world is completely different. The real world is full of difficulties and disappointments, not his idea of ​​simple innocence. John also discovers that the romance he finds in horses exists only in horses and cannot be applied to people like you and me. Her relationship with horses exists on so many levels: she uses them for friendship, comfort, transportation, and as spiritual mentors. Additionally, McCarthy describes horses with passion. John's distinct relationship with horses makes him believe that humans are like that. Yet, during his journey he learns that men do not have the same passion as horses but are instead violent creatures who make the world ugly, not pretty because of all the pain and death he faces on his long journey. Work cited McCarthy, Cormac. All the beautiful horses. New York: Vintage Books, 1992.