Effective use of dialogue in All the Pretty Horses All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy, is, among other things, an exploration of its main character, John Grady Cole . The author chooses his words carefully and sparingly when creating dialogue for Cole. In doing so, McCarthy creates poetic effect and rich meaning from limited verbiage. This novelist allows his readers to get to know his main character largely through dialogue rather than direct description. In this way, readers find the techniques used by McCarthy similar to those used by Ernest Hemingway in many of his books and short stories. Like the dialogue of Hemingway's protagonists, Cole's speech is sparse, but it is indicative of much meaning. In Cole's short speech, wise readers can find many indicators of individuality that help us understand this stoic character. The first verbal exchange of this novel requires only 17 of Cole's words. The first twelve words tell us a lot considering the limited number of words used: I appreciate you lighting the candle, he said. How? The candle. Sailing. (4) In the first line of Cole's dialogue, he shows his appreciation for the kindness done for him. This act suggests a certain goodness in his character. This sentence is in English. The person speaking to Cole in this scene responds in Spanish, and we discover that our protagonist is at least bilingual in the next line when he responds to the other speaker in Spanish. The fact that Cole knows two different Spanish words for candle suggests a broader understanding of his second language. Readers will find that this is not the only example of indicators of individuality expressed in Cole's speech. McCarth......middle of paper......r He decides" (60). John Grady Cole clearly does not claim that the end of the world, or anything about the end of the world, will be effected by anything face. Cole's God is in charge. Some readers might judge from the word count that Cole doesn't say much in this novel, but that's not how Cormac McCarthy's protagonist, John Grady Cole, tells us a great thing about himself. himself through his dialogue. The author of this book, like many contemporary writers, expects a lot from his readers and rewards the insights of his work with deep insights into his characters. Cole helps the author talk a lot without having to bang on the head. the reader with obvious conclusions. "Evocative only for the intelligent: for the rest they need interpreters." - Pindar Motto, Olympic Odes, 2:85-6