Throughout the course of a novel, characters may face obstacles and endure many hardships, ultimately leading them towards a path to self- awareness. Both Miranda in John Fowles' The Collector, and John Grady Cole in Cormac McCarthy's All The Pretty Horses, encounter many unexpected struggles, which teach them important life lessons. Though Miranda's journey to self- recognition occurs solely in a dark basement, and John Grady's takes place on a trip throughout Mexico, they confront …showed first 75 words of 1449 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1449 total…fe in a different perspective. Grady, on the other hand, does not reach a sense of self- understanding by himself. Throughout his journey, people such as Alejandra, Emilio Perez and Don Hector help him to understand himself and the harsh reality of the world. Though their circumstances could not be more different from each other, Miranda and Grady's journeys teach them that the only thing that they can find in their lives is themselves.