Reckoning with the Wild: Ecocritical Readings of Nature, Identity, and Border Politics in Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses

Abstract

Ecocriticism, which examines the relationship between literature and the environment, provides a framework for understanding how McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses engages with ecological themes and reflects on the human-nature dynamic. This article delves into an ecocritical analysis of All the Pretty Horses, exploring the novel’s depiction of the natural landscape, its symbolic meanings, and the broader implications for understanding environmental concerns. Through a close reading of McCarthy’s vivid descriptions, character interactions with nature, and thematic concerns, this analysis highlights the novel’s contribution to ecological discourse.