| Cormac McCarthy (1933-) is a newly-rising American writer. So far he has written eight novels, one five-act play and one filmed screenplay. His novels won him William Faulkner Award, Guggenheim Fellowship and various other awards. The so-called "Border Trilogy" (All the Pretty Horses (1992), The Crossing (1996), Cities of the Plain (1997)), as the events in the trilogy invariably happen around the America-Mexico border, has brought to him popularity throughout America. The first volume All the Pretty Horses proves to be his breakthrough novel in his literary career. It claimed both the National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award in 1992. By the end of 1993, it had sold 180,000 hardcover copies and more than 800,000 copies in paper back. It took the first place on the New York Times Bestseller List for 21 weeks. This thesis analyses the growth of John Grady, the hero of the novel, from the point of socialization, and points out that during the three phases of socialization, that is, primary socialization, secondary socialization and resocialization, Grady's failure to understand the irrevocable social developing trend and the factor of violence lead to his final tragedy. The whole thesis consists of five main chapters and the conclusion.Chapter One is a brief review of Cormac McCarthy, his literary achievements and the plot of the novel All the Pretty Horses. It also includes literature review, in which interpretations and studies of All the Pretty Horses by American scholars and critics so far are offered, as well as the significance of this thesis. Chapter Two introduces the theory of socialization and the tradition of violence in American literature. As a term belongs in the field of sociology, socialization refers to the process in which a natural or biological man grows into a qualified social member or a social man. It contains three phases: primary socialization, secondary socialization and resocialization. The U.S.A. has a long tradition of adoring violence; consequently, violence haunts the minds of many famous American writers and claims to be a conspicuous theme and means of expression in American literary works. McCarthy himself also shows great concern for the influence of violence on people. Chapter Three deals with Grady's primary socialization. In this phase he grasps skilful horsemanship and Spanish. He also forms his moral standards and aspires after a life on a pastoral ranch. Of course, violence exerts an indirect influence upon his fate. Chapter Four is concerned with secondary socialization. In this phase Grady attempts to adapt himself to the Mexican mode of life. His skills of taming and riding horses develop further and his knowledge of horses deepens as he comes to sense horses' common soul. Besides he falls in love with Alejandra, a luscious Mexican girl. Chapter Five analyzes Grady's resocialization. In this phase, his aspiration for a serene and pastoral life does not change, nor do his morality standards and his passion for Alejandra. What deserves our attention is that he gradually conceives violence as the most effective means to achieve one's goal and is ready to apply it at any time and place, which, though applicable in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, is obviously not the case in the modern civilized society and leads to his final tragedy. The thesis ends with the conclusion: Grady's tragedy enlightens people that the grasp of necessary skills and knowledge needed in the modern society and adherence to social laws are indispensable. Only by adapting to the modern civilized society can people live better in it.
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