All the Pretty Horses Setting & Symbolism

All the Pretty Horses Objects/Places

His grandfather's funeral

All the Pretty Horses begins with the funeral of John Grady Cole's grandfather. It is at his grandfather's funeral that Cole begins to leave childhood behind.

His grandfather's ranch

This is the only home John Grady Cole could remember. Inherited by his mother, after his grandfather's death, the ranch was sold. In 1948, Cole was sixteen and still a cowboy. Facing the maturation of a country recovering from War, he saw the traditional values were changing and ranching and horses were not staying the common or popular way of life. Leaving his beloved horses was never a consideration and after the sale of the ranch, Cole has nothing to stay for and sets out on horseback for parts unknown.

San Angelo, Texas

San Angelo, Texas is near the Texas and Mexico border. This is where this story begins and where this volume, Volume I, of the Border Trilogy ends for John Grady Cole. It is in...
(read more)