FRQ 3

In the novel blood meridian, Cormac McCarthy uses scenes of violence in order to convey how brutal life can be, ultimately illustrating that the brutality of life leads to the loss of innocence

First, McCarthy uses violence to show how bad the west was back in the 1800’s through the war with Indian tribes and also through people in power

For example the main character the kid is as the name implies just a kid and he's thrown into this world of war between the Indians and Americans, also sees the worst that people had to offer with scalp hunters McCarthy just paints a really brutal setting and picture of what the west looked like back then. Because the kid is adapted to the world of blood meridian hes numb to the violence and activly  participates in violence because he is a product of the west consequently, the kid is not a good person because he had to adapt to a life of violence because it was the norm in the wild west therefore, Cormac shows how if people have violence around them, they must adapt to the violence and they eventually become numb to it showing how the brutality of life leads to the loss of innocence

McCarthy also uses violence to show how people back then operated.

For example the main antagonist of the novels is Judge Holden, he's the embodiment of evil he does horrific things throughout the novel and always is an imposing figure when reading or discussing the novel because of how much of a maniac he is. Because Judge Holden is a powerful man in his community  he is able to be evil and enact violence upon others since, Judge Holden does it for fun and this is what he sees as entertainment it shows how violence is a main driving factor in the west during the 1800s thus having a man like judge Holden be so in love with violence and be the main antagonist throughout the novel it shows that the west is a place that tries to break everyone that comes in contact with it by having people like Judge Holden be an obstacle for everyone in the west showing that the west was the land of brutality and its brutality would lead to the loss of innocence 

McCarthy continued to utilize scenes of violence in blood meridian to use as symbols for how unforgiving the world can be.

McCarthy utilizes violence and graphic scenes in order to show how life back then and even now can be brutal 

McCarthy has a gang of scalp hunters running around during the novel the gang hunts down people and collects a reward on their bodies, this is not common practice nowadays but there have been examples throughout history showing how things like this actually happened, and far worse, lynch mobs during the 1900’s the violence that has been perpetuated throughout history is horrible and McCarthy used his novel to show that violence in such a manner happened and might still be happening, Because the gang of scalp hunters roams free to do what they do it shows that their crimes go unpunished, consequently it makes violence in such a manner welcome and normal during this time therefore someone growing up during this time wouldn’t be affected by it showing how the brutality of life leads to the loss of innocence.

McCarthy also uses violence to induce stress on the reader

While reading through McCarthy's novels most of them induce stress on the reader from intense scenes of violence and brutality the reader has to read through it and absorb all of the information that is being thrown their way. Because McCarhty excels at painting a graphic and brutal picture it can be horrible to read consequently people might have negative reactions on parts of the book that are more violent, but McCarthy feels that it is necessary for readers to read about these scenarios because they are partially real thus, the reader sees throughout the novel how the brutality of life can lead to the loss of innocence.

McCarthy used his novels in order to convey a message that life can be brutal and unforgiving but violence is all around us, the internet shows acts of violence everyday especially right now, the news shows videos of bombings and things people have become accustomed to it, Cormac McCarthy showed through blood meridian that if violence surrounds you eventually someone will become accustomed to it, loss of innocence is something that McCarthy tackles during blood meridian but in a different way, the main character “The Kid” has become so accustomed to the violence that he actively participates  showing how being surrounded by something can lead people  down a path of negativity.

In the novel, The Road, Cormac McCarthy employs imagery, and choices in order to convey how the father in the story the road sacrifices everything to ensure his son’s safety, ultimately illustrating that sacrifice doesnt go unrewarded. 

McCarthy initially utilizes imagery in order to demonstrate how the father is sacrificing everything for his son.

For example The Road is a novel that takes place in a post apocalyptic world that sees a father and son trying to survive in this harsh world, the father is trying his hardest to make sure that his son will live to see another day everyday, but one example that shows how dedicated he is, is his sacrifice of food, he always makes sure that his son eats first even if that means that he doesn’t eat at all, he’s sacrificing his basic human need of food to make sure that his son stays alive, because, he is willing to sacrifice the food and give it to his son it shows how he has hope that his son can overcome the world that they inhabit, consequently he is leaving himself with no food but it shows how he values his sons life over his own which shows good morals, therefore, his sacrifice of food leaves him starving but it keeps his son alive and well which shows how sacrifice doesn’t go unrewarded.

McCarthy once again employs imagery in order to demonstrate how the father sacrifices everything for his son

For example the father and the boy sleep outside most of the time and its described as being super cold, the father sacrifices his warmth through blankets and other things and gives it to his son, because the father is willing to sacrifice his warmth and physical well being it shows how his sacrifice comes from a place of love and protectiveness for his son, consequently his sacrifice leaves him as being cold, tired, and wore down by the next morning but he keeps on pushing for his son. Thus showing how seeing his son alive is enough for him to keep going in the condition that he's in, showing how sacrifice doesn’t go unrewarded.

On a different note, Cormac McCarthy utilizes choices throughout the novel in order to show sacrifice aswell.

McCarthy also utilizes choice in order to convey how sacrifice isn’t just physical but also mental.

For example the father and son take shelter in a house, but find its inhabited by cannibals eventually whilst trying to survive the house a cannibal has a hold of the boy, and the father has to make a decision, he ends up shooting and killing the cannibal and they escape, because he killed a person it shows that he is willing to sacrifice his own morality for his son, consequently his son lives but they both have to deal with the trauma of experiencing the house, therefore, his sacrifice of his morality lead to his son being safe, and alive which shows how sacrifice doesn’t go unrewarded 

Once again McCarthy utilizes choices to show how throughout the novel his sacrifices have been immense and really show that he would do anything for his son.

For example all throughout the novel the father is sacrificing a little piece of himself to keep his son safe, whether it be his morals, his food, his warmth, his life, and his memories of the past to make sure that the future may have a chance. Because his father is willing to sacrifice all of this it shows that his values outweigh his life in this post apocalyptic landscape, since his son is the only thing that he has left he makes sure with his last bit of life that he is going to be safe, thus it his son surviving and giving hope to the future shows how no sacrifice goes unrewarded. 

Finally, Sacrifice plays a huge role in the road, its main character deals with tough situation and sacrifice all throughout to make sure that his son will be safe without him, the father knows that his son is the future so no matter what the outcome has to be his son must stay alive and be safe, the road is a complex novel that delves deep into what would happen after the world ends and it is gruesome and horrifying to think that life would go that way,but it is a possibility but Cormac McCarthy leaves hope in the novel by having the son be the key to having a better world because he is the future, all of the newest generation is the future, Sacrifice seems like a useless endeavor but in the fathers case it gives him the ultimate reward, his sons safety and securing the future of the world, showing how no sacrifice goes unrewarded.