The Paradox of the Cowboy: Proven and Debunked
What makes a man to wander? That depends on whether the man is living in reality, or in the myth of a cowboy. In John Ford’s movie The Searchers, all the typical traits of the myth of the west are present. However, in All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, the typical cowboy ideal is less clear. McCarthy uses contradictory themes to simultaneously challenge and submit to the myth of the cowboy presented by Ford. The main characters John Grady and Ethan may seem similar at first glance, but they both have very different values. McCarthy questions and glorifies the ideas Ford presents through paradoxical use of violence, character priorities, and the definition of good and evil. The portrayal
What makes a man to wander? That depends on whether the man is living in reality, or in the myth of a cowboy. In John Ford’s movie The Searchers, all the typical traits of the myth of the west are present. However, in All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, the typical cowboy ideal is less clear. McCarthy uses contradictory themes to simultaneously challenge and submit to the myth of the cowboy presented by Ford. The main characters John Grady and Ethan may seem similar at first glance, but they both have very different values. McCarthy questions and glorifies the ideas Ford presents through paradoxical use of violence, character priorities, and the definition of good and evil. The portrayal