The Road : March 2015

Wednesday 18 March 2015

The Opening...

The opening...(Page 1-28)

Narrative Perspective	The narrative perspective is established as an omniscient third person narrator however is focused through the character of The Man as we see his thoughts, memories and perceptions. Although at moments, there is also a feeling of a cold detachment from the perspective which mitigates the tragedy of horrific moments, “A corpse in a doorway dried to leather.” It is a linear narrative, all chronological, which suggests the character of the man to be resourceful and with a motive to survive. Despite the fact that at points there is an indirect voice, at other moments, the narrative slows down and immerses the reader in the time and place for example (p7), “the shape of the city stood in the grayness like a charcoal drawing sketched across the waste. Nothing to see.”
Layout and Sentence Structure	The layout that McCarthy distinguishes at the beginning continually references chronologically. For example, within this first section of the book, (p15) “It took two days”, (p16) “In the morning they went on”, (p22) “by dusk of the following day”. There seems to be a flow of sequences that are unable to be escaped or broken, linking to the theme of a loss of control. The story begins in a media rez, “when he woke in the woods in the dark” which exemplifies the man and boys struggle to survive as it is the idea that they have endured this post-apocalyptic world for a long period of time. The sentence structures, as the commas fade within the beginning and the repetition of “and” not only display the never ending journey with everything all merging together, but also the disintegration and decay of society, “ ...he’d seen a running ledge of rock and they sat under the rock overhang and watched the gray sheets of rain...”. The short declarative sentences, although abrupt, pragmatically could reveal (as the narration is through The Man’s perspective) that he is trying to hide the true horrors from the boy and therefore he doesn't describe the full ruin of scenes and there is a lack of emotion, “the bones of a small animal, dismembered and placed in a pile”.
Tone	McCarthy portrays a tone with a distinct idea of representing the post-apocalyptic world as a wasteland and something lost and almost forgotten. The quote, “nights beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world,” creates an idea of a saturation of life. “Glaucoma”, an eye condition where sight is clouded, could link to the idea of the clouding of humanity and morality.
Characterisation and Relationship between the Man and the Boy	The father and the son seem to provide a paradox of characterisation, the man consistently detaches himself from humanity in order to survive, whilst the son symbolises the fundamental nature of humanity. The element of trust between these two characters as “each the others world entire” strains the insecurities that they both have towards their lack of control, “nameless dark come to enshroud them” and there is the idea they are being swallowed up by nature. Through the narrative, we see that the father’s character is driven towards protecting his son and regards him as his “warrant”; his only purpose in life. Although he is the stronger of the two within this first section, we see his inner vulnerability when they find his old house, he stops suddenly and there is a sudden familiarity and desperation to find someone there for him which relates to the phone call he makes to his father. When the son asks the father if they can go, the father agrees but “he didn’t” which implies that he suddenly feels the loss that he is experienced and there are no words to describe it The boy’s character is more direct in the sense of displaying vulnerability. As a child, he wants his father to “read him a story” yet there is also a sense of maturity and growing responsibility. When the father works, “the boy sat watching everything” perhaps he knows that he will have to take on this role one day and as “the father left the boy standing in the road holding a pistol” he understands the trust that the father has within him. The boy respects his father which is reflected in his language choice because earlier on in the novel the father says “take a look” which the son then repeats later when he is reassuring him. The theme of love is driven through these characters; the description at the beginning of the child sleeping harmoniously and the father watching over him immediately gives the idea of security and safety. The father also longs to see the boy happy and we see this within a lighter part of the novel, “the first time he’d seen the boy smile in a long time” and when he gives him the can of coke, there is a tragedy within this as the boy is in a state of realisation. He won’t ever get to drink another one. The memory the father refers to when talking of the day on his uncles farm and the relationship he describes on the perfect day they had where “neither of them had spoken a word” could reflect onto the relationship between the boy and the man as although few words are uttered, through their use of the words such as “okay” there is the emotional attachment that they hold.
Religious imagery	There is a Christian allegory within this of the child leading the father by the hand on a pilgrimage to his death; which could signify an interpretation to the journey that they are making. The religious reference to the boy, “if he is not the word of God God never spoke” conveys the father finds that his son is his only hope and guidance similar to the reference of how God sent Jesus to Earth to save human kind. This would mean that there is a purpose to protecting the boy and making it his motivation to survive. Although the father and the son seek their spirituality and some form of saviour, it is often ironic as their world is repeatedly being alluded to the perhaps inevitable that there is no God to save them. Often, the father doubts that they have any guidance, “are you there”, “dam you eternally have you a soul” as nothing will end his suffering and torture which implies the reason why he names many places as “godless” such as where they find the mutilated people. The reference to a past memory in his house of Christmas and “the pinholes from tacks that had held the stockings forty years ago” links to the idea of a religious celebration where everyone unites.
Imagery of Surroundings and Use of Language	The haunting imagery of something “without cease” on the road displays the control that nature holds over the vulnerable characters of the man and the boy. McCarthy's details on his setting imagery paint a realistic image that is somewhat harrowing and threatening and represents the idea of something decaying without importance. From the beginning, there is an element of uncertainty within the “murk”, “standing smoke” and “rolled away in the gritty fog” as if something is being concealed from the reader as we await the true horrors that lie on the road. The reference to “dead trees” visage a world without oxygen and resources to be able to breath and creates the idea of suffocation and death, “blackened lightpole whining thinly in the wind”. The word “barren” is frequently repeated within this first section, implying the isolation and the destruction society has caused through their demand for an artificial world. The sense of industrialisation within the post-modern world is conveyed when the father is telling the boy of how the dam was built to “generate electricity” and the “concrete” which implies something permanent and irremovable. Which he then relates to another past memory of a falcon falling to its death there, symbolising the destruction of nature. The word “tottering” described their lack of stability which leads to the lack of light and guidance that they have; they are constantly searching for a “sign of fire or a lamp” and to keep them close to hope, “the grey shape of the city vanished in the nights onset, like an apparition and he lit the little lamp and set it back out of the wind”. Carrying this light with them, there is an irony when they reach his old house as his mother used to like the light in the house as “yellow as they day” yet there is none now and when they sleep, “putting it between them” signifies how they are struggling in this word that is “cold and growing colder” in the devastation. The rhythm that builds up within the sentence, “carried forth and scattered and carried fourth again” displays their repetitive life within a world that is described as “dead to the root”. Within the language, there is also an element of foreshadowing, “ratty. Wisp of a tail” which may link to the roadrat and the idea of constantly being threatened; when the father describes the darkness as “impenetrable” it reiterates how they are unable to escape and their desperation to hide.
Themes and Genre	As a genre of horror, the description at the beginning of the “alabaster bones cast up in the shadows on the rocks behind it “ suggests a supernaturalistic and ambiguous style which contrasts to the previous description of the vulnerability of the two characters. The themes that are prominent within this section are; death, hope and danger. They are lost and always striving to find a sense of direction, “guiding the cart” but the father displays how they have no escape from anything as he is constantly watching the road behind them. This element of threat, impacts the hope that we rarely see from the characters which links to the pistol they use; their only source of protection. When the man talks of the conditions they will be able to survive in and if they change they will “probably die” the matter of fact behavior displayed epitomises the lack of concern for life within humanity. It is also interesting how, although death is a theme, it is almost given the status of a character as it carries a large amount of power and therefore threat (illness, murder, starvation...).
Dreams	There is a constant reference to the man’s dreams which he regards as a threat. The dreams are regarded as being his sense of weakness, containing memories and things he remembers of his past-world which he will never experience again. The quote, “and he dreams so rick in colour. How else would death call you? Could be interpreted as the dreams being something to lure him into death and once the “flowering wood” and the “phantom wood” become relatable, they are almost taunting him which means that he doesn’t sleep often as he doesn’t want to face them. However, these nightmares are referred to each other as dreams; the word dreams connotes something that wants to be attained and achieved. The father may want to achieve his dream of being relieved from living in this world however he cannot leave his son; his son becomes the one being who holds him in a state of security and stops him being driven insane from these dreams. We are left to question that when he dies, is he fulfilling his dream?
Time	There is a sense that time has been merged together as the characters seem to have no sense of day or month , “he thought it was October...wasn’t sure”, only day and night, “he woke up at dawn and watched the grey day break”. The language seems to change when considering time phases; at night, dawn or dusk the language seems to be more poetic and events have less clarity (McCarthy is significantly more descriptive in his imagery). By contrast, during the day, the narrative perspective appears to be practical and logically detailed. The idea that he cannot pinpoint a time in the past, “in that long ago” conveys that they have been without a sense of time and security for a long while and it has become natural to them. However, when the scenery is described as “motionless” it could give the image of everything frozen in time, which links to when the father “freezes the frame” we are unsure what is a dream and what becomes a reality.

Sunday 15 March 2015

Key Episode 6- The theft of the man and boy's belongings

Within this episode, the collision of the characters moralistic attitudes creates confusion for the reader as they are unsure on whose morality is justified. The father is beginning to see a development of maturity within his son; he asks him to stop watching him eat but the father didn’t which could mean that he is unable to let him go. When they discover that their things have been taken, the father immediately blames himself and there is a large indication of panic as he lists all of the objects almost in disbelief. He asks the boy to help, he is beginning to rely on him and when the boy finds a clue to where the thief has ventured, the father praises him “good work”. They work together to find it which contrasts to the previous episodes in the book as the father has always been the dominant one who works; we begin to see a development in the strength of the boy. Tragically, one part that stood out for me was how the father struggles to run and keeps on “leaning over and coughing”. The son can directly see the father’s weakness which strikes me as something shocking and would make the boy worry towards losing his father more however this is often hidden when focusing on moments of action instead. The relief of finding the trolley is abruptly cut short when McCarthy reinforces how the father has no trust towards anyone. The theme of good and bad becomes confused, as through the boys “wide-eyes” he cannot understand how his father a “good guy” could do this to someone and effectively kill them. The boy’s innocence is extenuated as he stands crying and even after they walk away he cannot reign in his emotions as he doesn’t understand why they can’t “just help him”. An insight towards the boy from the father when he says “ I am scared” is surprising as he is finally sharing his emotions to the son to try and make him understand that the father only wants the boy to survive and without their belongings, they would have died,“ Yes I am, he said. I am the one”.

The reader is left questioning whether the man’s actions are truly justifiable as surely when they have found others belongings, they have taken them in order to provide for their own survival. The father doesn't see anything else, other than the crime that the thief has committed of effectively sacrificing a little boys life for his own. The theme of threat invokes the man’s actions with the mention of a “boot print” which leads to the man picking up the “pistol” his only source of protection. The father becomes almost wild and the irregularity of the sentences reflects the irregularity of his thought process as he is overcome by anger. The dysphemistic expression of “blow your brains out” is horrific, the importance of the belongings is essential to their survival. When the boy questions, “Are we going to kill them?” there is an indication of tension between the man and the boy, the boy could even be afraid of his father. I feel that the reference to “near dark” could signify a death approaching which adds to the tension as we are unsure whether it will be theirs or the thieves and there is a strong sense of insecurity.

McCarthy’s use of the word “thief” implies that the father instantly brands this human as someone who has threatened them and committed a serious crime that would have lead to their deaths. When they approach the thief, he holds a “butchers knife” giving connotations of slaughter and there is a link back to the horror scene of finding the mutilated people as his hand is a “fleshy spatula”; he needs help. The description of the thief as “scrawny” with “stinking rags” is demeaning and animal-like which made me question whether McCarthy used this language to provoke the reader to feel sorry for the thief? He is the epitome of this post-apocalyptic world and if there is “no place for him” is there any place for anyone? The thief “looked at the boy” pleading for help yet he drops his weapon when “what he saw was very sobering to him”. I feel that when the thief saw the little life of the boy, he realised the boy deserved to live and that is why he didn't run; this is particularly tragic and when he is left alone, freezing I began to question whether he really was a bad character.

Key Episode 5- Getting to the shore

McCarthy captures the moment of devastation and disappointment for both the characters and the readers. They have just reached their final destination from their journey, which they have spent most of the novel trying to get to and when they arrive it is barren. The idea of the coast being a way forward for them to survive could purely be seen as the man’s fantasy which he shared with the boy from his previous memories. Instead of somewhere new and full of life, he presents his son with what has already been around him for his whole life. However, their companionship is defined in this episode as the boy accepts the atmosphere around him. Although there is a “disappointment in his face” which echoes that this was his only hope, he covers up this disappointment and simply answers “its okay”. The word “okay” is used constantly throughout the novel in moments where they both need each other’s reassurance and the fact the boy uses it here could link to the idea that he is trying to help his father be relieved of the guilt he feels. The father is portrayed as feeling guilty towards his son, “I’m sorry it’s not blue”; everything they have been working for and living for could have been in their reach finally but...in reality it doesn’t exist. I think that there is an underlying element of the father worrying; he thought there would be more resources here than there is and this episode also links to lingering presence of death. McCarthy may have chose to have the father’s death shortly after this scene as the shore is supposed to represent the end to the journey and the fathers journey was a pilgrimage to death which the boy had to take him on, hence why upon reaching the destination of the shore, he reaches his spiritual destination which is his relief of life. McCarthy throughout the novel provokes the reader into having the same mindset as the characters so upon reaching the shore, we have a slight expectation that something may naturally go wrong.

The description of their journey as they are travelling towards the coast implies the idea of something hanging over them as it is getting “darker daily” and the “long days” impact the way they think as their actions are described as lists (they purely act to survive). McCarthy explores different genres within different paragraphs, when he is describing the dead coming to life and how they “stained and rotted coffin floors” we see his interests to horror and gore. However within his next paragraph he methodically describes their mundane actions, “They stood in a grocery store...They’d tied a small length pipe to the can to sink it and they crouched over the tank like apes”. The reference of “ape” could link to the idea of evolution and how humanity has continued to evolve into monsters therefore leading to their own destruction. Time passes within a page as shown within the two sentences “they ate well” and “they ate sparingly” which displays their life is repetitive and is conveyed as monotonous. Although, overall , the shore may be seen as a place of nature, protecting them from the evil and inhumanity (this is questioned within the thief episode) the sinister tone McCarthy uses, leaves us wondering whether, as there is no life, even at the beach, “Cold. Desolate. Birdless” there is any beauty left in the world. Is the reference to the shore a symbol of their past life being washed away now they have reached here or a symbol to their last shreds of hope being taken away? The description as they approach the shore with the air changing and a feeling of “salt wind” creates an element of freedom within their grasp which contrasts to the reality of the “gray beach” and the “smog across the horizon”. The similes used, “like the desolation of some alien sea” implies that the dullness of the sea is foreign to him from the image of the sea that he held in his mind as beautiful and blue.

I found the anti-climax of this scene surprising as although the whole novel is centered on this episode, it is very unsatisfactory. We, as readers, find that there is truly no escape from this world unless through death. However, there still hangs an element of confusion as we are still left hoping something further would happen. We cling onto the last shred of hope like the characters do and through this simplistic and lighter chapter, we are allowed to reflect on their journey. Just before this, McCarthy’s sentence of, “He knew that he was placing hopes where he’d no reason to” impacts the reader as they begin to feel sympathy towards the father. He is relying on one place to make his son safe that may not even exist. The idea of the boy holding “pieces of map” portrays that their journey is never certain and is fragmented, reflecting on their hope of finding somewhere safe compared to the reality around them. I liked the reference to “driftwood” as I think is symbolises something lost, like them.

Key Episode 4- The Baby on the Spit

Within this episode, after the boy finds this horrific image, there is a certain maturity and detachment that the boy begins to convey. From the beginning we see that he is becoming more aware of his surroundings when he questions “why don’t we just wait” and he is also “wide with fear” which could convey that he still has a naturalistic response to seeing horrific and uncertain atmospheres, unlike his father who has become almost a figure of the “walking dead”. I think that, before the boy witnesses what humanity is capable of, we still see a vulnerable, cautious and hesitant appearance of him as he is asks, “Can I hold your hand” and he “clutches it”. However, there is a contrast, the boy almost loses the remains of his childhood sinlessness, and the man even questions whether the boy will speak again. McCarthy conveys an insight to the boys mind when the boy’s first words after the incident are “if we had that little baby” which means that this thought hasn't left his mind and perhaps will forever be in his memory. Also, as they are walking along there is a reference to how the boy used to pick up toys and items but, “he didn't do that anymore”. He may have lost hope to see the significance of the world around him. The father begins to fade within the narrative, implying that he is losing strength and will, and the boy becomes a more authoritative figure by advising him, “you drink some papa” and “I don’t want to. It’s okay”. The father could feel guilt towards his son for being responsible to this progressive change as he “sat staring into the coals”. I found that one of the most impacting sentences within this entire novel for me personally was the section within this episode of, “He stopped and stood watching, biting his lip.” The father watches his son run ahead and I feel that it captures the emotions he feels towards his little boy who has already been through so much and will inevitably be without him one day.

The description of the dark scene through abrupt short sentences portray a finality of life and there isn't a large build of tension or climax, just the imagery of something horrific which I feel is more shocking as it truly outlines the injustice. He baby is called a “thing” connoting that it is not even human and before they even approach it, “they could smell it” which is ironic as they are smelling their own flesh. The sickening expression of the baby as “headless, gutted and blackening," portrays that it was treated as an animal. McCarthy’s language choice of “charred human infant” impacts the reader into seeing the immorality of these actions and how it was just left like this. The mention of the word “rotation” may be invoking the thought of the rotation of the baby on the spit to provide rhythm to the structure of the sentences or it could also indicate to the circle that the son and father are trapped in. They cannot help others and others cannot help them. The juxtaposition within this of them afterwards sitting at the river, describes a simplicity of nature and the pathetic fallacy of “the leaves were crunchy, fell to powder” refers to how nothing is happening and they are drained from the life being sucked out of them. The negative imagery with the words “flat”, “motionless”, “plain”,” wasted”, “abandoned” and “trackless” paints a picture of somewhere without life and somewhere that is decaying with no hope of survival which runs throughout the novel.

The morality that has been destroyed is shocking and makes the reader question how far these humans would go to survive. They will find a last resort to their starvation and lead to the killing of their own kind purely to continue their own existence. Is survival worth it is a person has to become evil in order to achieve it? It is interesting how when the man and the boy approach the other people they run off as they saw they had a gun which could imply that they would have been seen as the bad people as they were the ones with the threatening weapon? The father and son are always searching for somewhere safe, “we have to keep going” to escape from all the evil around them but there is a high chance that the place they are searching for doesn't exist; their journey could be seen as hopeless as they are running from something that is consuming everything and everyone and there is nothing that they can do other than prolong it.

Key Episode 3- Finding the cellar of naked and mutilated people

The beginning of this episode when describing their surroundings is extremely detailed which could reflect how the man is reminiscing about the reality of the past that he was familiar with. For example the “yellow dental and “Fine Morris” are decorations and items that are now ruined and engulfed by the post-apocalyptic atmosphere. There is a sense of stagnancy as everything remains as though it is frozen in particular places and create a sense of suspicion for the reader. It also relates back to the idea of a decaying and abandoned world “peeling paint” and “ancient”. Even pure naturalistic elements such as snow are grey and contaminated, hence why the father may be trying to remember the past so vividly. The quotation from when the father is looking for something to open the cellar with, “he saw but did not see” could convey the irony of how we live all around nature and beautiful creations and see them every day but never stop and actually see their true beauty. My first impression of this house, created an air of uncertainty and danger, similar to a haunted house (relating to the B horror movies that McCarthy used). The repetition of commas and full stops creates an apprehension within the characters of the fear of the unknown as they approach the cellar but as they use the light and discover what is there, their sentences become longer and more complex.

Once again, the boy seeks reassurance from his father who appears to begin to feel a strain on distancing himself from the boy as it is evident that they are both becoming more aware that they may lose each other. McCarthy beings to make a frequent reference to the man holding the boys hand to display the bond that they have and the connection they hold on the brink of starvation. There is a contrast in the characters frames of mind when they are inspecting their surroundings, the boy is terrified and as he “whispered” it creates an air of something that is haunting them however the father is unaware of this and is thinking practically on what they will be able to take. It could be interpreted that as the boy is “almost in tears” he may know something that the father doesn't and be pleading to take him away and as the boy also questions and doubts why they are there is an air of uncertainty. Personally, I feel this extract is highly emotive as when the father and son find the bodies ironically although they call for help, the man and boy need help also. When the father is trying to teach the boy how to kill himself if they come for them, it captures the way human nature has evolved which is horrific yet it could be seen as a sign of compassion as their is only one bullet left and the father wants the son to use it so that he is free. The pistol is once again regarded as their safety and reassurance.

McCarthy, heavily influenced by American horror movies, creates a scene of something with a typical stereotype of what would appear within this genre. The clothes piled on the floor that they see before they go into the cellars, may relate to the WW2 holocaust and a sense of foreshadowing what they will find. By constantly referring to the senses, “ungodly stench” it could haunt the reader and create a disturbing, realistic image of the gore of mutilated people in front of the man and boys eyes. A reference to Christianity is also implied by “ungodly” as if they have been abandoned by God and his guidance. The man frequently appeals to God, “Oh Christ” which could be a reference to him appealing to save the boy from this horrific scene. Humanity has been destroyed and it is harrowing how far humans would go to be able to survive, perhaps they have a fear of death? There is a climax of tension once they are in the cellar as the man “hisses” too scared to speak which is portrayed through the pace of the long sentences at points and then the abrupt phrasing, “run, run.” When they are hiding away from the house, they are still unable to escape the “shrieks” which creates an atmosphere of torture and contrasts with the whispers that they heard when they were in the cellar of “help us”. Another element of foreshadowing is the mention of “chattels slaves” as it sets the scene for the mutilated people to convey that evil has never left the earth.

Key Episode 2 - The Shooting of the Roadrat

Key Episode 2- The Shooting of the Roadrat

This particular episode is significant as it introduces the key theme of the threat of others to the man and the boy. Until now, the role of the father has been displayed as being one of responsibility however the man becomes a symbolisation as how vulnerable the boy is as he is the source of his protection. The roadrat makes the fatal error of touching the boy and holding a knife to his throat in a threatening position, whether his intentions are to kill or kidnap the boy it isn't made certain.

When this section begins, McCarthy immediately changes the tone, “something woke them” which reinforces that they are never safe and the boy must constantly be protected by the man. We can connect this to the fact that the man as the “pistol in hand” which is their only form of comfort to hide themselves from the outside world. I think that there is a contrast between the small pistol that that the man holds and the “clubs” that the other people hold which connote that they are primitive and appear more threatening. The violence between the roadrat and the man provides us with an insight into why the man is s protective over his son and why he is constantly aware of their surroundings. When there is the interaction between the roadrat and the man, we see an alternative side to the man of being threatening “I told you not to look back there” and when the roadrat steps “between him and the child” perhaps hungry to kill, he has put the man in an ultimate position of fear and threat. The military style of how the man reacts to the roadrat grabbing his son, “he had already dropped to the ground and he swung with him and leveled the pistol and fired from a two-handed position balanced on both knees at a distance of six-feet” links to his knowledge when describing the impact the bullet will have, “ you will need a frontal lobe and thing with names like colliculus...” and bring together an image of a man who is willing to do anything to protect this child and lead him away from the destruction. It may also be interpreted that the man’s actions, through past experience,=are part of an instinct.

I feel that the relationship between the boy and the man due to this incident becomes even closer as the both discover the extent of their vulnerability within this dangerous world. The father is revealed to have more of a depth to his character as through his desperation to survive he commits a horrific crime which contradicts how one of his main motives is to maintain his son’s innocence. Some may question whether the boy actually is a warrant for all of the man’s actions and whether he is one of the “good guys” as he is killing and destroying life. The lack of identity from both the roadrat and the father is similar, “I mean I don’t know” and “I am not anything” displaying the idea that they both have no idea where they are going and the detachment that they hold from the world. However, the panic that McCarthy portrays within the father’s range of emotions makes it evident that he does everything within his power to escape with the boy as they are “gasping for breath” and suffocating within this air. Although previously the father took a direct and distant approach, when he repeats “it's all right” and “held the boy close” a more fatherly figure is revealed. There is only one bullet left in the gun, which i feel personally, creates the impression that the man will not leave the boy alone. He could choose to end his life and end the suffering but the boy is his life and this supports that he is a morally good person.

Before any tension begins to build, there is a moment of foreshadowing when the boy is playing with his truck ,” he made truck noises” which echoes the moment the father hears the vehicles, “ they could hear the diesel engine”. To build a foundation of tension, McCarthy describes in detail the “road-rat” and dangerous cannibals which dramatically contrast to the man and the boy. These, through the boy’s perspective, are the “bad guys” which is displayed through their appearance, “stained and filthy. Slouching along with their clubs in their hands, lengths of pipe. Coughing” The use of full stops could allow the audience to reflect on the vivid imagery of filth and disease. If further linking this to identify the name “road-rat”, rats are often associated with something plagued, they swarm and cause destruction which could be displayed here within this violent grey world. The use of the word “and” creates a pace and by listing how things are done in a sequence, there is no escape. The roadrat who attacks the boy represents the decay of humanity, “cups of grime and deeply sunk. Like an animal inside a skull looking out the eyeholes”. As he has no human features, the man describes and treats him as though he has morphed into an animal. The plot progression from this, would naturally be a paradox to the major incident and would slow down, allowing the reader and the character to reflect on the vulnerability, threat and consequences of the man’s actions.

Key Episode 1- Struck By Lightning

Within this episode, I was shocked in how this horrific scene is underplayed by McCarthy. As the man and the boy are walking, they come across a man who has been struck by lightning and is nearing death. The significance of this harsh reality symbolises the danger around the main characters and their struggle to survive. Personally, I found that this episode is particularly important as it introduces a third person into the story and contrasts with the main two characters that we become drawn to. This third figure, could be used by McCarthy to create the idea that through the father refusing to stop and help the man when worrying of their safety, all of human kind are driven by their own motives, rather than helping the greater good of nature.

The two different responses that the reader experiences from the Man and the boy to this devastation both contrast as we are able to see two self-justified motives. The theme of helplessness is constantly present within this novel and is particularly prominent within this episode as the man encourages his son to completely detach himself from others around him as there is truly nothing that they can do to help them as the are struggling to help themselves. The boy, both young and naive, is desperate to help the man and take him away from the torture that he is suffering as he pleads his father, “ Cant we help him papa” which perhaps symbolises the lack of innocence and humanity there is in this post-apocalyptic doomed world of violence. I feel that as the boy “hung onto his father’s coat” he is afraid of what he might see; he is inexperienced and it provokes the reader into feeling remorse for this young child who has to witness such a shocking disturbing image. The father has a paradox approach to the boy although cynical he is practical, with a pure motivation to protect his son. Although a prejudged character as on the surface he could be interpreted as selfish within his actions, the father’s subtle yet constant compassion towards his son portrays that his only motivation to live is to save his son’s existence.

The emotional distance between the father and son created by McCarthy, is perhaps because the father’s intentions are to give the boy the knowledge to be able to survive when he is no longer there to protect him. I felt there is also a rise in tension as they both disagree which potentially could strike fear into the character of the father as he is attached to his son and doesn't want to lose the trust that he has formed between them. The language of the father when stating horrific scenes without emotion, “he was struck by lightning” displays the truthful yet vague approach the father wants to give for the son to be able to discard scenes like this and focus on their key motivation; to survive.

This idea of the necessity to survive is further echoed when the man lays down his identifiable belongings on the ground as though he is discarding the person that he used to be and ridding himself of the painful memories of his past. They are described as “gaming cards” which could give the idea that he is gambling for their lives and that there is a small chance of survival. This includes the mother figure; she is no longer present and in order to provide full attention to his son, the father releases himself of carrying his past with her. The items, although once important to society are useless now. McCarthy, within this novel, takes low cultured things and coveys how the man and the boy cling onto them as their last shred of humanity. However, as the man discards these, it could be interpreted that he no longer values anything around him apart from a purpose to keep the boy alive.

The description of the man, who has been struck by lightning, brings forward the ultimate threat and control that nature holds over earth above all other beings. Beyond the physical damage that has been inflicted on the man, there is a metaphorical theme within his description such as the “burnt clothing” representing the ruin of the country and the repetition of “black” suggesting that they are suffocated. I think the symbolisation of the “road” could echo that it is a journey to hell and that there is no way escaping their fate. When the man says, “nothing can be done for him” it implies something more than the physical injuries and beyond this mans destruction. There is a decaying image to the human race and could mean that they are being haunted by their own ghosts; nobody will be able to avoid their ultimate destination. I found the description of the man when he had “fallen over and at that distance you couldn't even tell what it was” to be prominent as it made me feel as though the man was morphing into death and becoming part of the road. The structure with the lack of proper sentences ,”Charred bits of wood,” gives a constant rhythm to the book throughout and is almost as though it is personifying the rhythm of them walking.

Wednesday 11 March 2015

Quotations

This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair. That is my job.

This quotation extenuates the genre of a horror/thriller through the horrific image created. There is a strong contrast between the “dead man’s brains” and the “child” which conjures the idea that the father is washing away the innocence of the boy’s childhood and replacing it with a disturbing memory. The theme of death is prominent and symbolises the realisation of mortality that the father struggles to come to terms with. He cannot bear the thought of living without his son and therefore has a moral duty to protect him, however if he didn't have a child he would be able to end his own life and suffering. They have encountered a grim journey and a shocking experience which only draws the two characters closer together as they fear what else is waiting for them on their journey when they continue; there is still an air of tension through the idea of “death” looming around them. The personal, possessive pronoun used by the speaker, “my child” may suggest a certain responsibility and ownership that the father feels towards his son and therefore, he considers it as a “job” to protect his son rather than to be the image of a happy father. This further may link to the concept that they may not make it through to the next day together and if the father does die, his son will be able to carry on independently without a strong emotional attachment. However, the use of “my” could also suggest a companionship and friendship that they both have towards each other and the use of short sentences could also connote that many words are not shared between them and they have a bond through surviving together and trusting one another. McCarthy may not use speech marks to make his meaning un-convoluted and provoke the reader into focusing on the true horror of the image itself.

Yes I am, he said. I am the one.

The theme of responsibility is particularly represented in this quotation as although the father is protecting the boy from the evil in the world. The son is protecting his father from the fear of insanity. When the father reveals to the boy that he is the only one there for him by using the singular word “one” it is difficult to understand whether the son understands the responsibility that he carries and this exemplifies the innocence and fear of the unknown within the character. The “one” is not only an emotional sense of acting as a devoted son, but also a literal sense as everybody is dying out and there is nobody that they can trust. This isolation is prominent within the short syllables used. Also, it could connote that they are the only good people left and perhaps the son is the only one who is able to protect him and save him. The use of, “I” suggests the son is a special figure in the novel and is protected by his father; the father seems to appeal to God as if some power has selected his son to save him. This quotation may also create a further idea of companionship and the idea that they are dependent on only each other. The expressionless tone is cold and echoes a small message that they are beginning to recognise how close they are to death and the likelihood of their survival, hence the reassurance form the father to the boy.

Tomatoes, peaches, beans, apricots. Canned hams. Corned beef.

McCarthy uses this moment of the father and the son finding food on the verge of starvation to provide a slight tone of optimism and portray that they still have hope left although a small chance of survival. If we compare these items to how society views them, they are everyday essentials that are taken for granted, the use of the list emphasises that this food is necessary and a miracle to the characters and is something that they have been without for a long time. The use of commas and full stops expresses the relief and disbelief of finding these luxuries and as McCarthy consistently relates to the harsh life in reality they survive in, the food may represent the small amount of good that is left in the world and invariably difficult to find. Dramatic pauses between the short sentences could relate to how the father values this food as such a significant importance that it will save his sons life and a pace begins to build. On the other hand, within this section, we see as readers that the food is within grey, metal tins. These could imply the apocalyptic atmosphere that is trapping the goodness within it. Also, the father and son could be considered as being close to freedom and being free from this suffocating world by dying of the starvation that they would have endured if they had not found these contents. The food may provide a close to the pain, however in the long term, the “goodness” will only act as a poison and prologue their suffering in a trapped world.

Are we still the good guys, he said.

This quotation captures the innocence of the boy and how he is only a child who takes on a large amount of responsibility and understanding to horrors that no child morally should ever have to face. The father, in order to prepare his son, creates a good versus evil impression for the boy which McCarthy particularly focuses on for a realistic approach of how the son would be able to view everything around him. Almost in a fairytale dream style, the childish attitude could be enforced by the father who is trying to cling onto the boy’s final moments of an untouched and simple childhood. However, the son only has a basic understanding of right and wrong within a person and doesn’t understand the perplexities of human nature. For example, someone can be good but also do bad things which emphasises that they boy is set to a strict set of morals and ideas. As the son keeps seeking his father’s reassurance it reflects the theme of trust and how he must trust his father to justify that they are the good guys as he wants to be reassured that he is alive for a specific reason and has a purpose in this dying world . The father always repeating the term “good guys” links to the end of the novel where after his father has died, a man approaches the boy and emotionally the boy asks the man whether he is a “good guy” and he begins to follow in his father’s footsteps.

We should go, Papa, he said. Yes, the man said. But he didn't.

The reader recognises a further depth of the relationship between the struggling father and the innocent boy. Some may argue that this quotation represents how the father is struggling to continue and has lost all motivation and purpose, but it also reveals a spirit within the boy as he is the only source of his father’s sanity. Although the father struggles to carry on, the boy tries to create some authority over his father by becoming a voice of reason and McCarthy creates a role reversal as the man becomes the innocent and lost character. There is also an element of fear as the father’s act of recklessness or bravery seems to welcome danger as he is unable to move in a state of depression which is portrayed within the short sentences which connote how they must constantly be aware of their threatening surroundings. This signifies how the characters have little control over their fate and are driven by their surroundings towards the fear of the unknown. However, the father at this moment in time could be further distancing himself from his son to provoke him into taking on responsibility and becoming accustomed to taking control if they are separated.

The snow fell nor did it cease to fall.

The pathetic fallacy within the cold atmosphere not only brings a physical representation but also a metaphorical boundary towards their hope of survival. It could be suggested that it also symbolises the future cold world without life and as it never “ceases” it provokes the idea of something forever falling and a constant atmosphere for danger. The man and the boy have little control over their own fate which the reader sympathises with as life has frozen the humanity. The father detaches himself from the situation to maintain his sanity and this could convey an example of how they are unable to become attached to something beautiful or respect it as it will, naturally be taken away from them. In our society, snow is viewed as something beautiful within nature; however this apocalyptic world enforces a negative impression. By not using punctuation, it suggests that the snow will not stop and is constantly pushing them further towards danger and death, a paradox to the beautiful side of nature that we are familiar with. The archaic lexis of “nor” creates the impression of something that has an image of something from a horror film and something old and threatening.

Okay? Okay.

This repeated word on the surface appears to display a lack of emotion and communication within the relationship of the father and the son. It creates an un-naturalistic conversation and through their lack of energy leading to complete exhaustion it is significant because it is a sign of struggling. However, the short and direct tone of both characters, prominently displayed within the father’s language, pragmatically displays a hidden emotional connection. Both characters are registered to the fact that words have become meaningless; there is nothing that either could say to one another that would provide comfort or make their situation any different. Unknown to the boy, the father is unable to display any emotion as he wants the boy to feel an emotional detachment from him; which inevitably only partly works to its purpose because of the nature of the boy. They both only appreciate each other, nothing else around them and these words become words of reassurance. They are all each other have and there is a clear attachment between them, although hidden, as words do not have to be said, for the father and son to still have a bond between them of trust and hope.

They sat on the edge of the tub and pulled their shoes on and then he handed the boy the pan and soap and he took the stove and the little bottle of gas and the pistol and wrapped in their blankets and they went back across the yard to the bunker.

This simplistic but heavily elongated sentence is monotonous which portrays their life and actions as consisting of nothing but a routine; there is a certain blankness within their lives that they are unable to escape from. The repetition of the word “and” creates a pace displaying the constant flow of actions, they move without thought. Their behaviour relates to being purely from instinct, perhaps in the way that animals live and the way the father is able to find these resources implies that he has a strong knowledge of survival and therefore is trustworthy for his son to seek guidance in. The item of the blanket symbolises the small comfort and warmth the man and the boy have which contrasts to the pistol which is significant as it is their only weapon of defence. By combining the two and wrapping the pistol in the blanket, it could be because this is a precious place and somewhere where they know they can trust it being there and have comfort in the fact that they are protected from danger. The act of washing themselves, may indicate that they are trying to wash away something that has recently happened before this however ironically, they are unable to wash away their memories. The simplicity of these actions creates a sense of peace and rhythm throughout and a stronger sense of security towards the reader.

Tolling in the silence the minutes of the earth.

McCarthy, by using this quotation sets the tone of the novel to convey that it is written in a post-apocalyptic world where the earth that we know as full of life and lively is in a state of silence that is regarded as normality. The two characters, already signify a lack of control that that they have and appear disconnected from the rest of the world, sitting in silence and watching the world go by. The word “toll” could symbolise, “death toll” implying the loneliness and isolation that the two characters feel as they are unable to experience this life and can only wait to die and be freed from this suffocation. The “tolling” could also display signs of a decent into darkness and a destruction to life and noise; is there any room left for humanity? Nobody seems to be left to witness these surroundings which lead us to question whether there is anyone else alive accept these two characters? It also reveals the character of the father as having no power, only being able to reflect on moments of the past where he had familiarity to his surroundings; it highlights the uncommunicative relationship between the man and the boy and how the man’s pure purpose is to keep the boy alive.

She was gone and the coldness of it was her final gift.

There are contrasting opinions towards the mother within her suicidal escape out of life and perhaps responsibilities. Interestingly, although she left them isolated, at the same time she is personified as a “gift” to him. The selfish attitude the mother seemingly held would have created a reason for the father to hate her but also seems to be revealed as a blessing as if he had watched his wife die, then questionably he would never have been emotionally strong enough to provide protection to the boy. Her cruel way of departing reminds him of the person he used to be and the emotions that he held over her and their past memories plays a significant role in how the man does not comfort the boy physically but is supportive. The word “coldness” suggests that she took the life from the man however at the same time she saved him from loosing himself. The lack of punctuation within this lyrical sentence could convey the memories the man has of the mother to be romantic and soft but then destroyed by the “coldness” when she left.

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Statistical Information- Frequency of certain words

after (45) ago (17) back (252) before (45) beyond (45) blackened (19), blanket (193) could (189) down (244) fire (136) man (193) okay (195) rain (44) sorry (27) time (100) water (109)

The statistical information strengthens the idea that they are trapped in a timeless phase and unable to escape. This could be portrayed in the words “after” and “before” which are repeated the same amount of times. They are unable to move forwards or backwards and they are stuck on the path (the road) that has been laid out for them. This further relates to the constant reference to “time” as it is something that they are unable to control, similar to the word “could” being frequently repeated, they cannot say what they will do as they have no power over their own actions. The reference to the word, “back” which is the most frequent word, may infer that they always strive to be able to refer back to the past and the “reality” that they are familiar with. However, “down”, the second most frequent word, could link to the idea of a journey into hell of which they plunge into without choice. Water is also mentioned which is a significant symbolisation of something from their previous lives that was once clean and now, contaminated and difficult to gain. It is also, interestingly, something that our society takes for granted as a basic necessity which ironically is not often within their grasp. The word “blanket” is often said, an object that is also taken for granted within society, and personally, I feel that it conveys the lack of stability and comfort that the boy has. He is only able to cling onto blankets for a glimpse of warmth in a world that has been destroyed.

The communication between the man and the boy is often full of basic words that although normally would equate to a basic conversation, for instance, “okay”, display an understanding that they may one day be separated and that nothing can be said to make anything better. The man wants to teach the boy that he must accept things around him and the word “okay” almost becomes a term of reassurance and something that we become accustomed to in the dialogue between the two characters. In contrast, the word “sorry” is only said twenty-seven times and could reveal that, when it is said, the true meaning of the word is captured- the two characters value what they say towards each other and by taking this word that is often meaningless to today’s society, create a truthful bond. The reference to “man” could signify anybody and brings the purpose of this character into question as McCarthy may use the name to distance the reader and focus on the morals of the story and the relationship between the man and boy, rather than the personalities of the character. The reference to fire is said more frequently than rain and water, which strengthens the idea they are in a burning, almost satanic world and that it is suffocating (this also references to the small usage of the word ‘blackened’ which implies everything is dying). “Fire” also presents an idea of the post-apocalyptic world.

Friday 6 March 2015

Images- What The Novel Makes Me Think Of

Images- What the novel makes me think of...

Task One - Five Sentences

Task One

5 Sentences- What I have learnt so far.

Cormac McCarthy as a child, was heavily influenced by being a witness of The Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
This novel is written in American staple format, typically containing a journey (North to South)
In a post-modern style, it is a brickolage of contrasting genres.
The way society viewed low cultured things influenced McCarthy into using items such as a shopping trolley to portray how the Man and Boy are clinging on to their last shred of humanity.
McCarthy takes things that are discarded as unimportant which we don’t find interesting and uses them to reflect the collapse in society.