It is widely accepted that people are flawed, but the extent of their ethical imperfections is discrepant. People have different opinions regarding what is right or wrong, and to what degree, and that fact is simply an inherent part of human existence. Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men and “The Sunset Limited” are connected by the idea of morality, in both society and one’s personal life, and both works are affected by characteristics that include apathy, greed and drug use, criminal justice and violence, as well as influences from his experience as a member of the United States Air Force, as well as elements of the Southern gothic literary movement.
Both “The Sunset Limited” and No Country for Old Men by McCarthy tackle the controversial
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topic of morality. “The Sunset Limited” portrays two characters: Black, a former convict and an evangelical Christian; and White, an atheist and professor. Black saves White from throwing himself in front of a train, and the two men debate topics like human suffering, the existence of God, and the morality of White’s attempted suicide. No Country for Old Men, however, deals with the issue of ethics by following the journeys of three different characters that are all embarking on unique moral excursions: Llewellyn Moss, a hunter who stumbles upon a drug deal gone awry; Anton Chigurh, a hitman; and Ed Tom Bell, a Texas sheriff. In these works, and especially the latter, McCarthy combines apathy, greed, drug use, criminal justice, and violence to allow his audience to draw their own conclusions about what is or is not morally correct. The idea of apathy is most apparent with Chigurh’s lack of emotion for anything. According to Benjamin Mangrum, “In his lifestyle oriented to becoming supra-human, Chigurh essentially strives to become other-than-human: he lacks ‘an essential quality distinguishing human life’ ” (Mangrum 127). That “essential quality” is concern for something other than himself, and it does not exist with Chigurh. To summarize what David R. Jarraway says in his “‘Becoming-Woman’: Masculine ‘Emergency’ Afer 9/11 in Cormac McCarthy,” it is not Chigurh’s status as a “psychopathic killer” that makes him dangerous, but his virtual invincibility (Jarraway 53). Chigurh has become so indifferent toward human life that he often determines whether someone will live or die simply by the toss of a coin, as was the case with the gas station owner (McCarthy, No Country 75-77). Fortunately, for that man, he won the coin toss and lived, but sadly, that was not the case with Moss’s wife, Carla Jean (McCarthy, No Country 258-260). This act demonstrates Chigurh’s shocking lack of sympathy for other people, regardless of whether their deaths may or may not be justified. Greed is at the center of No Country for Old Men, and acts as Chigurh’s primary motivation for hunting Moss.
When Chigurh discovers that Moss has the case of money, he makes it his mission to find him and recover the money, willing to kill almost anybody in the process. Raymond Malewitz writes that Chigurh “is if anything more skilled at severing objects from their sanctioned use value” (Malewitz 726). He often alters objects from their original state to fit a more appropriate function for him. At the same time, Moss is also somewhat guilty of greed. He is almost afraid of possessing the case of money, but at the same time, he does not want to give it away. Greed also takes a bit of an indirect role in “The Sunset Limited.” While Black and White are having their discussion, they talk about White’s father and his death. Black comments on the situation, saying, “Your daddy is layin on his deathbed dyin of cancer. Your mama settin there with him. Holding his hand. He in all kinds of pain. And they ask you to come see him one last time fore he dies and you tell em no. You aint comin. Please tell me I got some part of this wrong” (McCarthy, “The Sunset Limited” 17). White had claimed that he did not want to remember his father that way, but Black did not believe him, assuming, probably correctly, that White just did not want to go visit his dying father. The use and sale of drugs goes along with the idea of greed and is a vital element to No Country for Old Men. The …show more content…
case that everyone is so determined to achieve is a product of drug sales, and the scene in which Moss recovers the money was the result of a drug deal gone awry. Cooper describes the role of drugs in No Country for Old Men by saying it “creates a kernel from which discussions of regional, national, and universal penchants for violence are discussed” (Cooper 54). There were severe problems associated with drug trade during the time the book was set, and this helped develop a platform for the conversation of violence on a broader scale. Criminal justice plays a significant role in No Country for Old Men. In fact, it is what motivates Sheriff Bell to actively pursue Chigurh. Ashley Kunsa describes Sheriff Bell as someone “who struggles to comprehend what he views as the increased violence of the modern world” (Kunsa 149). Part of his determination to bring justice to Chigurh lays in the fact that he does not understand what inspires a psychopathic killer like him. Sheriff Bell talks about the friends he has lost, saying, “They dont have no respect for the law? That aint half of it. They dont even think about the law. It dont seem to even concern em” (McCarthy, No Country 216). As a law abider and enforcer, Bell does not seem understanding, or even sympathetic, to those who break the law. Violence is not only present but is prevalent in McCarthy’s novel. The story begins with the murder of the deputy at the hand of Anton Chigurh, and the violence persists throughout the rest of the novel with the murders of several people, including Llewelyn Moss and his wife. Lydia R. Cooper also writes about Sheriff Bell’s perspective on violence, saying “Bell recognizes the value of community and the tragedy of violence, and he also realizes that the only possible way in which a human being can retain an essential core identity despite external changes is to have an unrelenting commitment to being in relationship with other people” (Cooper 52). Chigurh isolates himself from external relationships, and that not only heightens his taste for violence, but also makes him apathetic to the surrounding world. Francisco Collado-Rodriguez claims that “the sheriff shows clear symptoms of suffering from PTSD, manifested both in his nostalgic sense of loss for a past that never existed . . . and in his melancholic lack of will to go on fighting for his beliefs” (Collado-Rodriguez 57). McCarthy served in the air force as a young adult, and though he attended college, he never completed his degree (“Acclaimed Author”).
However, he did live a somewhat disadvantaged lifestyle during the 1960s and 1970s due to mediocre sales of some of his earlier novels, so perhaps that somehow loosely inspired the idea of a case filled with over two million dollars in cash (“Acclaimed Author”). He served as a member of the United States Air Force, and during that time, he may have been inspired to create stories such as No Country for Old Men and “The Sunset Limited.” The military helps develop a sense of awareness in many people, and this was likely present in McCarthy as well. Perhaps this consciousness showed McCarthy that the human condition is flawed, and morals are subjective, since these ideas are dominant in many of his works, including “The Sunset Limited” and No Country for Old
Men. McCarthy is typically associated with the Southern Gothic movement, and his writing, including this novel, reflects that. This literary movement is associated with the morbid, social issues, violence, and of course, the American South, all of which are rampant in No Country for Old Men. Vincent Allan King writes about critical reception of the novel, saying “Michiko Kakutani also recognizes the novel's violence and cinematic qualities, but she thinks of it not as a crime novel but as a ‘new wave, hard-boiled Western’” (King 536). This seems to be an accurate description, and certainly appropriate for a novel that is connected to the Southern gothic movement. Cormac McCarthy manages to combine his personal experiences with aspects of Southern gothic literature to create works that undertake the topic of moral discrepancies. People make mistakes in ethics every day, whether it is in their personal life, their interactions with others, or both. Some of these mistakes are intentional, and others are accidental. Many people have their own ideas of which moral failures are worse than others, and these varying opinions can make fascinating stories, as McCarthy has proved.
Into the Wild by John Krakauer is a rare book in which its author freely admits his bias within the first few pages. “I won't claim to be an impartial biographer,” states Krakauer in the author’s note, and indeed he is not. Although it is not revealed in the author's note whether Krakauer's bias will be positive or negative, it can be easily inferred. Krakauer's explanation of his obsession with McCandless's story makes it evident that Into the Wild was written to persuade the reader to view him as the author does; as remarkably intelligent, driven, and spirited. This differs greatly from the opinion many people hold that McCandless was a simply a foolhardy kid in way over his head. Some even go as far as saying that his recklessness was due to an apparent death-wish. Krakauer uses a combination of ethos, logos and pathos throughout his rendition of McCandless’s story to dispute these negative outlooks while also giving readers new to this enigmatic adventure a proper introduction.
“And they stand still and watch the potatoes float by, listen to the screaming pigs being killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is a failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath” (Steinbeck 349). John Steinbeck, the author of The Grapes of Wrath, portrays the migrant’s resentment of the California land owners and their way of life and illustrates that the vagrants from Oklahoma are yearning for labor, provisions, and human decency. Similarly in To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee elucidates the concept that people should be treated with inclusive human dignity and be affected by good aspects rather than deleterious behavior. In addition to both novels, “Suffering with Them”, “Evil’s Fate”, and “To Hope” share the same concurrent theme. To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath and “Suffering with Them”, “Evil’s Fate”, and “To Hope” illustrate a synonymous, thematic message that evil’s inhumanity, during corrupt times, induces a perception of hopefulness for good to conquer immorality.
Morley Callaghan’s novel More Joy in Heaven follows the short life of notorious bank robber and gunman Kip Caley. Callaghan's novel is based off and follows Red Ryan's now forgotten story almost word for word. Red Ryan and the fictional Kip Caley both face the effects of a being an outsider in a forceful, high-class society. Individuals and organizations play a huge responsibility role to ex-convicts; readers of More Joy in Heaven unfortunately see the side effects when selfishness and thirst for glory play into this important, delicate role. Nonetheless that readers see what the wrong individuals will do to an ex-convict, readers will also see what kinder individuals can do to someone trying to reform. Yet what the public does and does not do is not to be blamed systematically; Red Ryan and Kip Caley crave societies attention and even begin to depend on it before their story is over. Their craving for attention makes them vulnerable to being abused by society. Both society and parolees want to live the upstanding lives, but neither takes into account what the others wants and needs are, so who’s fault is it when a parolee fails to meet societies precast expectations?
In the course of human history, man has managed to do some really dumb things. Whether it’s because we lack sufficient knowledge, make a mistake, or are just too stubborn to use sound judgement, dumb decisions are made every day by everyone. However, none have a greater level of stupidity than the choices made by the man in Jack London’s To Build a Fire. This is a story of pride, ignorance, and stupidity, which ultimately leads to the downfall of its main character. This short story is a caution against over confidence and unpreparedness, showing the harsh effects of both. Ultimately, it is an issue of man’s pride versus the harsh conditions of nature. It shows that one cannot simply overlook nature, because doing so can lead to the destruction
McCarthy’s novel is not about a boy trying to find his place in society, but about a boy trying to find himself and who he really is apart from society. John Grady begins the story with no answers, and at the end he still doesn’t have a clue. There is no resolution for him; there are only more questions, conflicts, and misunderstandings. I think that McCarthy’s point is that to live romantically is to live without cause, without real hope, and ultimately without love. Despite the author’s obvious compassion for John Grady and his idealism, he shows us through romantically descriptive writing that a romantic lifestyle cannot work in this world. The book ends with John Grady riding out into the sunset, having learned nothing, with no place to go. Until the character learns how to compromise with society and give up his romanticism, his life will have no purpose.
“Thin Between Love and Hate” is a popular 1970’s song that highlights the possibility of caring for someone one minute and suddenly disliking them the next minute because of an intense situation. This song relates to enjoyment and stupidity in life because a person can have the tendency to want to have fun but end up taking imprudent and hazardous steps in order to fulfill their amusement. “Death of an Innocent” written by Jon Krakauer features the unpredictable events that result from the radical acts of an individual named Chris McCandless. Chris McCandless’ wilderness expeditions transfigured him into an imbecile because he demonstrated signs of being overconfident, negligent, and stubborn.
One of the most argued topics throughout history is the conflict of law versus morality. It is hoped that law and morality would work together hand in hand. Unfortunately, there are many instances where law is corrupted and subdues morality. Even in the modern age injustices caused by the law seems like a common occurrence. Literary figures like John Steinbeck and Mark Twain believed that it was important to remain devoted to one's morality, or find new morals when law is corrupted. Through Twain and Steinbeck's most influential works Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Grapes of Wrath clearly show the authors' view on the significance of morality. Examples in the novels include the depiction of suffering caused by the law, the idea of
... middle of paper ... ... When people today hear McCarthy’s name, most automatically think ‘liar, he was crazy, he ruined peoples lives.’ Some people, however, would say that ‘yes, he may have been wrong on most of his points, but he knew what was happening and he had been desperately trying to warn the people about Communism.’
It has been stated that while doing what is right is not always easy, it is in fact doing what is right despite it being difficult that is quite the accomplishment. Justice one finds to be one of the major themes throughout “Barn Burning”. The notion of intuitive justice presents itself as a characteristic explored throughout William Faulkner’s literary masterpiece “Barn Burning” through the protagonist Colonel Sartoris Snopes, also referred to as Sarty throughout “Barn Burning”. Faulkner presents Sarty and demonstrates his sense of justice through literal actions and dramatic context.
'Young Goodman Brown,' by Hawthorne, and 'The Tell Tale Heart,' by Poe, offer readers the chance to embark on figurative and literal journeys, through our minds and our hearts. Hawthorne is interested in developing a sense of guilt in his story, an allegory warning against losing one's faith. The point of view and the shift in point of view are symbolic of the darkening, increasingly isolated heart of the main character, Goodman Brown, an everyman figure in an everyman tale. Poe, however, is concerned with capturing a sense of dread in his work, taking a look at the motivations behind the perverseness of human nature. Identifying and understanding the point of view is essential, since it affects a reader's relationship to the protagonist, but also offers perspective in situations where characters are blinded and deceived by their own faults. The main character of Poe?s story embarks on an emotional roller coaster, experiencing everything from terror to triumph. Both authors offer an interpretation of humans as sinful, through the use of foreshadowing, repetition, symbolism and, most importantly, point of view. Hawthorne teaches the reader an explicit moral lesson through the third person omniscient point of view, whereas Poe sidesteps morality in favor of thoroughly developing his characters in the first person point of view.
being a Communist, with the only source being a report on how his father reads a Serbian newspaper. (Clooney) Without genuine evidence from a credible source, an argument is as good as a blatant claim. McCarthy’s “evidence” is in fact unsubstantiated in itself. Therefore, his accusations contain no basis, and lack the foundation needed to provide solid and subs...
Human nature is a conglomerate perception which is the dominant liable expressed in the short story of “A Tell-Tale Heart”. Directly related, Edgar Allan Poe displays the ramifications of guilt and how it can consume oneself, as well as disclosing the nature of human defense mechanisms, all the while continuing on with displaying the labyrinth of passion and fears of humans which make a blind appearance throughout the story. A guilty conscience of one’s self is a pertinent facet of human nature that Edgar Allan Poe continually stresses throughout the story. The emotion that causes a person to choose right from wrong, good over bad is guilt, which consequently is one of the most ethically moral and methodically powerful emotion known to human nature. Throughout the story, Edgar Allan Poe displays the narrator to be rather complacent and pompous, however, the narrator establishes what one could define as apprehension and remorse after committing murder of an innocent man. It is to believe that the narrator will never confess but as his heightened senses blur the lines between real and ...
To start in absolutely the least likely place, we have here another version of family life in Ireland (moving East, and from here through The Snapper make a unit contrasting with the previous one), with another way of picturing what the Irish take to be their insularity and closedness, their ludicrous longing for union with the supposedly superior but alien culture of "the continent", and especially that confusion and torment about sexuality which derives so directly from the Irish church's inability to reconcile desire as sin and desire as life-affirming. A fact (at least according to a major recent survey): married Catholics have better sex than other married Americans. Why? It's been suggested that you can't preach so fully the analogy between the union of man and woman with the union of Christ and his church and indeed of man with God without giving a celebratory turn to married love. But this would be inconceivable to the Irish, whose church (despite its being the dominant influence on American Catholicism) focuses on the ascetic and the equation of sex with sin.
Within the 2007 film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel, No Country for Old Men, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell is attempting to help Moss, a man who stole money from a botched drug deal, evade the vengeance of a dangerous hitman, Chigurh, who was sent to retrieve the money for his employers. Bell throughout the story shares his viewpoint, but within the movie, those who pay attention to his thoughtful observations appear unaffected. The Coen brothers, who directed the film, acknowledge that the novel’s title is a representation of the sheriff’s perspective, but in contrast with the novel, the focus of the movie’s approach involves an emphasis on multiple characters’ viewpoint and actions. To further clarify, the novel also highlights the other characters’
Also, noted very plainly, the moral code of the American West did not exist as equal to today’s code. The characters in this novel existed in what they believed to be a moral society, but by today’s standards it was amoral, devoid of moral standards. Watson brings this idea to life when he writes through the narrator’s voice,...