What is a theme for All the Pretty Horses by McCarthy?

Question

I want to know the universal meaning the author means to convey. Example: "Dignity is important, even in the lives of the impoverished." But something that has to do with this book. I know there might be many but any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Here below is the summary of the plot of All the Pretty Horses :

The novel tells of John Grady Cole, a sixteen year old cowboy who grew up on his grandfather's ranch in west Texas. The story begins soon after the death of John Grady's grandfather, and John Grady learns that the ranch is to be sold. Faced with the prospect of moving into town, John Grady instead chooses to leave, convincing his best friend, Lacey Rawlins, to accompany him. Traveling by horseback, the pair travel southward into Mexico, where they hope to find work as cowboys.

Shortly before they cross the Mexican border, they encounter a young man, about age 13, who says he is named Jimmy Blevins. Blevins' origins, and even if Blevins is his real name, are never made clear. Blevins is riding a huge bay horse that is far too fine a horse to be the property of a runaway boy, but Blevins insists it is his. As they travel south, Blevins loses his horse and pistol in a thunderstorm. They are found by a local Mexican.

Blevins convinces John Grady and Rawlins to go to the nearest town to find the person who took the horse and pistol. They find the horse, and Blevins steals it. As the three are running away from the town, they are pursued, and Blevins separates from Rawlins and John Grady. The pursuers follow Blevins, and Rawlins and Grady escape.

Rawlins and John Grady travel further south and find employment at a large ranch. There John Grady first encounters the ranch owner's beautiful daughter, Alejandra. As Rawlins pursues work with the ranch hands, John Grady catches the eye of the owner, who brings him into the ranch house and gives him greater duties. At this time John Grady begins his affair with Alejandra.

In the meantime, Blevins works for a short time and then returns to the village where he stole back his horse, this time to retrieve the Colt pistol that was also stolen from him. In the process of getting the pistol he shoots and kills someone. The Mexican authorities catch Blevins and then find Rawlins and John Grady at the other ranch. At first, the ranch owner protects the boys, but when he finds out about the affair with his daughter he turns them over to the authorities.

Blevins is executed by a group of rogue police led by a captain and then Rawlins and John Grady are placed in a Mexican prison. Alejandra finds out about the imprisonment and convinces her aunt to ransom the two boys in exchange for the promise that she will never see John Grady again. The boys are released. Rawlins goes back to the United States and John Grady tries to see Alejandra again. In the end, after a brief encounter, Alejandra decides that she must keep her promise to her family and refuses John Grady's marriage proposal. Grady, on his way back to the U.S.m kidnaps the capitan at gunpoint forces him to recover the stolen horses and guns, and flees across country. He considers killing the man, but lets him leave when they are waylaid by country folk. Grady eventually returns to the US, and attempts to find the original owner of Blevin's horse.

the general theme may be said as :  Love of freedom, growth, independence, work, dignity and courage.