Over the weekend I had my fill of Cormac McCarthy, watching the Coen brother’s adaptation of his novel No Country for Old Men and reading his 1985 book Blood Meridian. Some of the themes and imagery have stuck with me and left me thinking over the past few days. As I woke this morning my stomach was uneasy thinking back to the imagery McCarthy’s stories have so clearly illustrated; in particular, I have been troubled and disheartened when thinking about his representation of the violence and savagery of mankind.
Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, a main character in the film No Country for Old Men, follows the destruction brought about by various parties in the pursuit of a case filled with money. It is clear from Bell’s first introduction that he is the wise, chiefly character. After viewing multiple homicides Bell participates in a discussion with a fellow law enforcement officer. During this conversation it can be determined why the title No Country for Old Men has been used. Bell tells a horrific story involving a serial killer who abducts and tortures the elderly. Upon conclusion of the story, Bell asks, “what is the world coming to?” The atrocities committed against the elderly and the indication of a changing world, one that is becoming more immoral, makes the viewer think, “things ain't like they used to be”. McCarthy and the Coen brothers’ use of the abduction of the aging citizens is no accident. It is symbolism, suggesting that Bell, at this point in the movie, believes that the elderly are not only aliens to this modern society but are victims of the immorality in which the society features.
The horrible and sadistic acts of the story’s villain (Anton Chigurh) throughout the course of the story seem at first to back up the notion of the deteriorating world. However, as we follow the sheriff throughout the course of the movie we see that his beliefs regarding the world may in fact be more closely linked to his own maturation than to civilization’s decomposition. Near the end of the film, and upon his retirement, Bell seems as though he has had time to evaluate his position on the state of society. In a story, told to him during a conversation with his elderly and ailing grandfather, immorality is displayed once again. The difference however is that the story Bell’s grandfather tells takes place in 1908. The story points out to the audience that things may not be changing as much as they were originally portrayed. At this point, it seems to me that the sheriff realizes that immorality is not a recent phenomenon and that the good ol’ days may have not been as good as he once thought.
No Country for Old Men unwinds in the 1980s, a setting that supports the theme previously discussed. The time frame is one that most viewers are still able to remember (those that pass the 18A discretion) and the imagery of things such as the vehicles and clothing effectively date the movie while at the same time induce a sense of familiarity and recollection in the audience. Many viewers may actually refer to this period of time (over a quarter-century ago) as the good ol’ days, a time where violence was less prominent and conservative values flourished. After watching the film however, one is less likely to remember the 80s in such a manner. The extreme violence, unwarranted murders, and sadist mentalities shown throughout the film, mixed with this good ol’ setting show the viewer that violence and psychopathic behaviour is not a 21st century invention. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell’s grandfather’s story is to Bell what the movie is to the viewer.
McCarthy’s novel, Blood Meridian, shows what Stephen Hawking might refer to as, “a brief history of violence”. The novel takes place in the popular media’s Wild West, the mid-19th century in the southern United States and Mexico, and describes the activities of a gang of outlaws. The main character, the kid, follows and is followed by, extreme violence constantly throughout the course of the story. As scalp hunters, the kid and his group commit brutal and savage acts upon anyone who crosses their path of destruction, murdering animals, men, women, and children alike. Their gruesome acts are committed with a lack of moral contemplation, and the imagery of these acts leaves the reader gut wrenched. It is through Cormac McCarthy’s elegant writing style and his proficient descriptions of the atrocities committed by the gang, that he is able to both mentality and morally exhaust the reader. Upon completion of the novel the reader feels almost violated by the extreme brutality that has been displayed. The content in the Blood Meridian and the novel’s historical setting both draw me towards this reoccurring theme of violence and its predominance in civilization.
Within Blood Meridian, the character Judge Holden fills a role similar to that of Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men. Both characters are sadist psychopaths who show a great deal of cunningness. Both characters also seem as though they may be indestructible forces. Similarly, as Llewelyn Moss is pursued by Anton Chigurh, “the judge” pursues the kid with intentions of violence and murder. Perhaps these pursuits reflect society’s pursuit to distance itself from violence in attempts to become more civilized, drawing attention to the notion that this violence often seems unyielding. I would argue that these stories of McCarthy’s are microcosms of the history of mankind.
I believe that both stories, although heavy throughout, successfully capture the essence of man. As McCarthy illustrates, man is cruel and unusual and he has been this way for a very long time. In the story of the world the human race is the villain; it is that destructive and violent force that we see in the characters Chigurh and Holden. Mankind’s violent manner is truly God’s unmovable rock; its existence is permanent and fixed as long as our species walk the earth. Through McCarthy’s work one is shown that society is not deteriorating but rather persisting. Perhaps Sheriff Ed Tom Bell’s views were right. Maybe this is no country for old men; however, what’s to say it has ever been?
By: Aaron Bawn
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