Juliana Surratt -- Of Sexism Within All The Pretty Horses
   
   Your essay is very well-written and the strength of your convictions comes
   through in your forceful language.  I think there is a lot of truth in your analysis 
   of the ways the male characters in All the Pretty Horses display conventional (and, 
   you're right, unfortunately at times quite offensive) sexist attitudes and behaviors. But 
   I think we ought to at least ask why Cormac McCarthy chose to tell the story in those 
   ways. Could it be that he is aiming for a realistic portrayal of all the attitudes
   (including sexism) of people in a certain place and time (Texas and northern Mexico around 
   1950 and earlier) without condoning them or approving of all of them?   And if so, might 
   there still be worthwhile things to learn or experience by reading the book? The characters 
   end up degrading women in several ways, for sure.  But does that mean that the book
   as a whole degrades women? It seems as though that was true for you.  But we 
   (the CHQ faculty who chose the common readings) certainly did not intend this
   choice to offend anyone.  
   
   There are also a few places where I think you have taken things a bit too far:
   
   (1) Page 2:  "With the protagonist being portrayed as a strong, just individual in most
       cases, but a bystander in the case of women, the author sends a message to readers that 
       great people do not need to stand up for women."  I don't really see that -- I think
       McCarthy could just be making the point that John Grady is very inexperienced and doesn't really
       know what to think about those questions.
       
   (2) Page 3:  Your discussion of Alejandra's decision to reject John Grady is interesting.
       You're right that she is allowing herself to be controlled by her father and Alfonsa.
       But the "what are men?" questions you point out seem more like she's talking
       herself into going along with their plans for her by saying that she doesn't know 
       him well enough to make a commitment.  I don't really see how "sexism
       is rooted deeper than previously" as a result of that exchange.
   
   (3) Page 4:  "Further, the fact that Alfonsa doesn’t say `I forgive him' but rather 
       `I did not blame him'  implies she is entirely dismissing that Gustavo did something 
       wrong.  I don't really agree with you here.  I think both "I forgive him" and "I don't
       blame him" acknowledge that the other party did something wrong.  "I forgive him" means
       the speaker is willing to look past that.  "I don't blame him" could mean "he was wrong
       but I understand why he did it."   
       
   Content: A
   
   Mechanics: A