Over and Out

What is McCarthy trying to say by having Blevins die and Rawlins return home?

Blevins is portrayed as the ultimate cowboy throughout the whole novel, escaping from his home, being the best shot, rescuing his horse, running away from the police and the list goes on and on. While Blevins is this impressive, yet younger, figure, Rawlins pales in comparison. He's following John Grady, he's not exceptional at anything. He's the anti-Blevins. The irony is in how Blevins and Rawlins are left at the end of the novel, because Blevins, as the stereotypical cowboy, is supposed to go out in a hail of bullets or vanquish all evil doers while Rawlins expected end might be death, as a secondary, almost uninteresting (by comparison) character. However, through his choice to have Blevins shot so quietly, almost secretively, McCarthy comments on the superficiality of the western dream. The western myth is just that: a myth. It does not exist, and McCarthy uses Blevins' pathetic murder to illustrate this point. Rawlins returning home also exposes the western myth through his defeat, while the western myth usually ends in triumph.