Cities of the Plain

Why is the friendship between John Grady and Billy so strong? What is the friendship built upon?

To what extent is John Grady doomed to his fate? Can he be considered a tragic hero?

Midway through the novel, the cowboys hunt a pack of wild dogs. How does their hunt work as a metaphor for life on the plain? What do the decapitated dog and the rescued wild puppies add to the metaphor?

Magdalena has epilepsy. How does her illness affect her? How does it shape her character?

Eduardo and Tiburcio are both violent criminals. How are they similar, and how are they different?

The novel takes place in the eponymous plain. How does the vast, barren plain echo the emotional state of the characters?

Mac’s ranch is perpetually threatened to be bought by the military. How does the prospect of eminent domain symbolize the idea of encroaching modernity? How does the pervasive threat affect the emotional state of the cowboys?

John Grady renovates a cabin where he plans to live with Magdalena. Why was the remote cabin appealing to John Grady? How does the cabin evolve as a symbol of his hopes and dreams?