Hello, and welcome back to my blog! As I have read further into Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, an interesting thing I’ve noticed is the way that he develops his characters. One of the things that makes McCarthy’s character development unique is the first person limited narration that confines are knowledge of the world to the conscious of the narrator. All we learn of him, as well as his son is through his eyes, and due to the book’s format as a more stream of consciousness than a direct address to the reader, a great deal of the information we learn about the son is out of context. Here’s what I have been able to deduce about the narrator so far.
First and foremost, we understand that the father is a deeply sentimental man, a trait defined by his descriptions of the world around him, and his pondering of the natural world. An example is one of his trains of thought wherein he ponders, “They are gone and I am left and they have taken with them the world. Query: how does the never to be differ from what never was,” (32). This deeply philosophical reflection shows us not only a profound understanding of his place in the world, but a conscious curiosity concerning two different states of absence on Earth. Consistently throughout the book, the narrator ponders his place in this odd society and questions old philosophies in this barren world, establishing his intelligence and continued want to understand the world around him. Additionally we are shown that he has a complex relationship with a Godly power, and sense an altered understanding of God’s presence especially in relation to his son. The narrator says of the world, “Barren, silent, godless,” (2) but furthermore states of his son, “If he is not the word of God God never spoke,” (3). The narrator establishes a paradoxical relationship with the presence of God by often describing the land as Godless, or even expressing an anger towards God, while also describing his son as the will of God.
While we are not entirely certain of the narrator’s former occupation it is suggested that he may have been in the medical field. In a confrontation with a stranger he threatens “To hear [the bullet] you will need a frontal lobe and things with names like colliculus and temporal gyrus and you won't have them anymore,” (67). Upon the stranger asking him if he is a doctor he retorts “I’m not anything,” (67). McCarthy also establishes the narrators estranged relationship with his wife, even before her passing, in the reflection describing the birth of his son he notes “Her cries meant nothing to him,” (61). But he is not devoid of emotion, the one thing we understand undoubtedly about the narrator is his devoted love for his son. Something I noticed when starting the novel is that the first mention of color is in relation to his son. After a lengthy description of the cold, black/gray land surrounding them the narrator says “He pulled the blue plastic tarp off of [the boy],” (3) and this contrast of the son as a bright light within the gray bleakness of the world is consistent throughout the work. The narrator’s musings about his son also establish the complex father-son relationship they have, as dictated by this dystopian world. While their relationship is more painful than it should have to be, it is still comprised of love, “This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man’s brains out of his hair. That is my job,” (77). The narrator’s acceptance of the morphed tasks of fatherhood in this fallen world show a wholly devotion to his son, no matter what. But the narrator also expresses that he does not know if he can adapt to doing the drastic things this world demands of him. He asks, “Can you do it? When the time comes...Could you crush that beloved skull with a rock? Is there a being within you of which you know nothing? Can there be,” (120), questioning his own limits as a human being.
Due to the limited point of view, what we learn of the son is conveyed through a mix of the father’s musings, the dialogue and the actions of the son. We learn that the son was born into this dystopian world and his never known anything outside of this chaos. Because the son has never known anything outside the tragedy of this world he reacts surprisingly well to seemingly horrific events most of the time. Upon learning of his mother’s death he is not shocked, his father describing, “Always so deliberate, hardly surprised by the most outlandish events. A creation perfectly evolved to meet its own end,” (60). Despite not knowing much of morality or the old world, the son still seems to have a moral code, and often worries about turning into the bad people that he and his father flee. More than once he asks his father “Are we still the good guys?” (81). The boy also seeks truth rather than comfort. Despite his father’s attempts to shield him from the horrors of the world, he becomes frustrated when his father tries to hide things from him.
“Why do you think we’re going to die?
I don’t know.
Stop saying I don’t know,” (106) Despite the harsh realities of this world, the son does not want to be protected from this knowledge, but rather wants to know everything. He asks his father difficult questions, often concerning death and morality. These hard hitting questions reveal to us the expedited maturation that is a product of the horrific dystopian American in McCarthy’s novel.
I have really enjoyed piecing together the stories of these characters throughout the novel, and I am looking forward to learning more about them and their relationships to each other as I continue on. Thank you guys for tuning back in, and I will be back again soon!
First and foremost, we understand that the father is a deeply sentimental man, a trait defined by his descriptions of the world around him, and his pondering of the natural world. An example is one of his trains of thought wherein he ponders, “They are gone and I am left and they have taken with them the world. Query: how does the never to be differ from what never was,” (32). This deeply philosophical reflection shows us not only a profound understanding of his place in the world, but a conscious curiosity concerning two different states of absence on Earth. Consistently throughout the book, the narrator ponders his place in this odd society and questions old philosophies in this barren world, establishing his intelligence and continued want to understand the world around him. Additionally we are shown that he has a complex relationship with a Godly power, and sense an altered understanding of God’s presence especially in relation to his son. The narrator says of the world, “Barren, silent, godless,” (2) but furthermore states of his son, “If he is not the word of God God never spoke,” (3). The narrator establishes a paradoxical relationship with the presence of God by often describing the land as Godless, or even expressing an anger towards God, while also describing his son as the will of God.
While we are not entirely certain of the narrator’s former occupation it is suggested that he may have been in the medical field. In a confrontation with a stranger he threatens “To hear [the bullet] you will need a frontal lobe and things with names like colliculus and temporal gyrus and you won't have them anymore,” (67). Upon the stranger asking him if he is a doctor he retorts “I’m not anything,” (67). McCarthy also establishes the narrators estranged relationship with his wife, even before her passing, in the reflection describing the birth of his son he notes “Her cries meant nothing to him,” (61). But he is not devoid of emotion, the one thing we understand undoubtedly about the narrator is his devoted love for his son. Something I noticed when starting the novel is that the first mention of color is in relation to his son. After a lengthy description of the cold, black/gray land surrounding them the narrator says “He pulled the blue plastic tarp off of [the boy],” (3) and this contrast of the son as a bright light within the gray bleakness of the world is consistent throughout the work. The narrator’s musings about his son also establish the complex father-son relationship they have, as dictated by this dystopian world. While their relationship is more painful than it should have to be, it is still comprised of love, “This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man’s brains out of his hair. That is my job,” (77). The narrator’s acceptance of the morphed tasks of fatherhood in this fallen world show a wholly devotion to his son, no matter what. But the narrator also expresses that he does not know if he can adapt to doing the drastic things this world demands of him. He asks, “Can you do it? When the time comes...Could you crush that beloved skull with a rock? Is there a being within you of which you know nothing? Can there be,” (120), questioning his own limits as a human being.
Due to the limited point of view, what we learn of the son is conveyed through a mix of the father’s musings, the dialogue and the actions of the son. We learn that the son was born into this dystopian world and his never known anything outside of this chaos. Because the son has never known anything outside the tragedy of this world he reacts surprisingly well to seemingly horrific events most of the time. Upon learning of his mother’s death he is not shocked, his father describing, “Always so deliberate, hardly surprised by the most outlandish events. A creation perfectly evolved to meet its own end,” (60). Despite not knowing much of morality or the old world, the son still seems to have a moral code, and often worries about turning into the bad people that he and his father flee. More than once he asks his father “Are we still the good guys?” (81). The boy also seeks truth rather than comfort. Despite his father’s attempts to shield him from the horrors of the world, he becomes frustrated when his father tries to hide things from him.
“Why do you think we’re going to die?
I don’t know.
Stop saying I don’t know,” (106) Despite the harsh realities of this world, the son does not want to be protected from this knowledge, but rather wants to know everything. He asks his father difficult questions, often concerning death and morality. These hard hitting questions reveal to us the expedited maturation that is a product of the horrific dystopian American in McCarthy’s novel.
I have really enjoyed piecing together the stories of these characters throughout the novel, and I am looking forward to learning more about them and their relationships to each other as I continue on. Thank you guys for tuning back in, and I will be back again soon!
Sanne,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I really enjoyed your analysis of characters. Specifically, I found your analysis of the man's relationship with "a godly power" very insightful and detailed.
You discussed further into your blog about how the son was born into the chaotic post-apocalyptic world of the novel and how that impacts him as a character and his relationship with his father. How do you think their relationship and the son's development as a character would be different had he been born before the catastrophe??
-Charlie
I am almost feel as if the father and son wouldn't have been as close if his son was born into the normal world. It is clear that the father loves him and is wholly devoted to him, but there is also the sense that his son is his last connection to the world of the past, and to the world of real human connection. I think it's one of those situations where you don't realize how important something is until you are at a constant risk of losing it. I believe he would have still loved his son in the real world, but due to not being faced with the constant reality of death may not have realized how much he really loves him.
DeleteGood discussion of characters and use of the book to support your insights. Paragraphing might help with my eyes and the appearance of the blog itself. : )
ReplyDeleteYeah, I definitely need to work on seperating out my paragraphs! I noticed that too, I will make sure to space things out more in my next post!
Delete