Concetti Chiave
- The "Border Trilogy" by Cormac McCarthy includes three novels: "All the Pretty Horses", "The Crossing", and "Cities of the Plain".
- The trilogy explores the transition from adolescence to maturity, centered around protagonist John Grady Cole's journey.
- Set in the postwar period of 1949, the narrative evokes a nineteenth-century western epic with vast landscapes and silent expanses.
- McCarthy's world is Manichean, depicting a stark contrast between Good and Evil through characters like John and Billy.
- The geographical setting of Mexico symbolizes Evil, yet it is portrayed as a symbolic entity rather than a literal place.
"Border Trilogy" is a trilogy written by author Cormac McCarthy. It consists of three books: "All the Pretty Horses", "The Crossing" and "Cities of the Plain".
Main Themes
The main theme of the trilogy is certainly the crossing of that "shadow line" that separates adolescence from maturity in Radian terms.
The story is set in the immediate postwar period (1949), but it seems to be set in a nineteenth-century epic of western myths, where large spaces and infinite silences reign. The protagonist is the young John Grady Cole, who runs away from a world he no longer feels his own and, to pursue a dream, goes to Mexico where he comes into contact with love and death. John has to give up his love for the beautiful Alejandra and must suffer the absurd death of those around him. As in any self-respecting western, the hero remains alone to ride in the setting sun, but perhaps our John Grady is still looking for a world that no longer exists. Truly splendid and also the other two novels in the trilogy, the aforementioned "Beyond the border" and the other "City of the plain" are very beautiful.
Characters and Symbolism
McCarthy's universe is decidedly Manichean: Good and Evil are always at stake, without nuances and without ambiguity. John and Billy were not born to be champions of Good, but they are forced to become so for not wanting to accept the compromise of tolerating Evil. McCarthy chooses to place Evil geographically in Mexico, but it is clear that there is no chauvinistic intent in him, as Mexico is, even before being a geographical place, a symbolic entity
Domande da interrogazione
- What is the central theme of Cormac McCarthy's "Border Trilogy"?
- How does Cormac McCarthy portray the concepts of Good and Evil in the trilogy?
The central theme of the "Border Trilogy" is the transition from adolescence to maturity, depicted through the journey of the protagonist, John Grady Cole, who seeks a world that no longer exists, set against the backdrop of postwar and western myths.
McCarthy's universe is Manichean, presenting Good and Evil as clear-cut forces. Characters like John and Billy are compelled to champion Good, not by choice, but by their refusal to tolerate Evil, which is symbolically placed in Mexico.
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