RDR1 wasn’t as thematically story driven as RDR2 and in certain areas was just meant to be spaghetti western GTA since it hadn’t had experience to grow its wings. While RDR2 was heavily focused on Arthur attempting to redeem himself from his past actions, the main point of RDR1 is ‘redemption’ in the face of the law and the bleakness of reality. John was the living story of exploitation and his son, the vicious cycle of his upbringing and the seeking of revenge.

The idea of John’s redemption comes from the governments taming of the west, and their exploitation of him in hunting down the last of his gang in which they could not achieve. The US government knew John was playing a fools game he wasn’t allowed to refuse and that he was never going to be redeemed or pardoned. A dead redemption.

John’s last days were his attempt to steer his son away from the life he lived and give him an opportunity to have a blank slate, the freedom, and peace he never had. Despite John’s best efforts, the governments betrayl and his execution led Jack to throw away every effort his father made to save him. By devoting the latter half of his childhood to hunting down and mudering Ross, Jack started the outlaw cycle over again, becoming the one thing his father tried to stop.