The Horses of Cormac McCarthy’s «All the Pretty Horses»: Rides and Rites of Passage

The horses in All the Pretty Horses are ubiquitous but rarely the center of attention. Their depiction is surprisingly authentic and without anthropomorphization. This book illustrates how an equicentric reading offers new insights into the novel’s spaces, characters, and relationships. It features comparisons with popular horse-narratives and an equicentric analysis of the novel’s gender relations. How does horsemanship redefine masculinity? What is the inherent connection between femininity and the equine? This book answers these questions from an equicentric perspective, while taking into account patterns of anthropocentrism and misogyny. In addition, the focus is on the narratees and on how the degree of equine experience they bring to the narrative may enhance the horses’ figurative significance.