The Anglo-American Protestant culture, described by Samuel Huntington, is built on two main ideas: individual responsibility and work ethic. Anglo-Protestants take more pride in their work and are able to be individually responsible for themselves. They are so motivated to work and try hard because if they do, they will be a good Christian. John Grady Cole, in All the Pretty Horses, is portrayed as a boy who has prematurely aged, who values intelligence, justice, responsibility, and skill. John Grady Cole represents a worldview that relates to the Anglo-Protestant cultural worldview described by Samuel Huntington by emphasizing individual responsibility throughout his journey.
John Grady Cole represents individual responsibility, like the Anglo-Protestants by migrating as a cowboy with only friends to the Mexican border, wanting to live the legacy of his grandfather. They face a lot of adversity and lose connection from one another, allowing Grady to show off his responsible nature. Grady is clearly more individually responsible than Blevins. Since Blevins was afraid of lightning, he hid in a ditch and couldn’t be individually responsible for his own horse and fear. When Rawlins and Grady were being tortured and interrogated, it was Rawlins who made the false confession– falsely turning themselves in to go to prison. While living in a very dangerous and violent prison, John Grady Cole was able to stand up against a wealthy prisoner asking to be bribed. He was just being individually responsible for his cowboy culture, refusing to ally him. This caused him to become a target and under attack. During the attack, he is able to physically fight for himself, coming out injured but victorious. He’s sent to the infirmary and then get’s let out of the prison before completely healing. He then has to be individually responsible for his health, his culture and problems. He is trying to win Alejandra over, so John Grady Cole’s maturity and individual responsibility illuminates throughout the journey, preparing for his future with a lady. He finds out that Alejandra can’t leave her family for him, so he keeps a strong connection with his own culture as a cowboy, retrieving his horses. He then crosses back into Texas, finding out that he does not have a home, a father, a ranch or friends.
The death of John Grady Cole’s grandfather ignited the journey for John which is a symbol for his maturity and individual responsibility. His mother wants to sell the ranch, so it is now his responsibility to keep the family culture alive. A lot of weight was put on his shoulders after his loss, and he handled it as an Anglo-Protestant would. He made many responsible decisions through difficult circumstances. He made individual decisions that he knew were justified and proper. When he didn’t, like when he confessed of killing a man, he was backed up and told that sometimes those sorts of things must be done. His journey made him grow exponentially as a responsible individual, highlighting one of the key aspects of Anglo-Protestant culture. He kept pursuing through adversity and watching out for himself– everything an Anglo-Protestant would want to be a good Christian.