McCarthy use's repetition in the first 28 pages, e.g. "ash" and "grey". This helps introduce the reader to the bleak post apocalyptic setting of the road. The repetition of such words also helps to create and semantic field of death and destruction further cementing the novels post apocalyptic setting. McCarthy uses repetition a lot in the road with certain words appearing in high frequency in the road. For example "black" appears 252 times in the novel and "fire" appears 136 times. McCarthy uses this to create a bleak and decaying setting for the road.
McCarthy also uses a dream sequence in the first 28 pages as a way to introduce characters and themes. In the dream the man is lead into a cave by the boy where they meet a horror movie like creature. "Crouching there pale naked and translucent". This not only sets up the horror movie features present throughout the novel but the relationship between the man and the boy. That the boy must lead the man to the death for which he longs. In this reading the spectral being in the cave can be thought of as death. This helps develop the mans character and the unusual relationship he has with his son.
McCarthy also uses analepsis to help progress the narrative of the road. two flash back are present in the first 28 pages. The first his the man thinking back to spending summers at a lake with his uncle. In this he describes an idealistic place, this mythologizing of the past is used by McCarthy to link back to a past life and makes their current surroundings seem more desolate. The secound flashback is when he reminisces of going to the theater with his wife. In which he can remember everything except "her scent". This is McCarthy's way of telling of the mans past life and the constant reminder of someone who he lost helps explain why he is so emotionally detached when talking to the boy; speaking mostly with okay.
Will, we are going to need to work on your ability to write a sufficient amount in the 30 minutes set aside for this style of question in the exam.
ReplyDeleteYou begin by attempting to establish the style and use many of the terminology required but you don't really establish a sense of what the story is in this section. You must reference the events (waking from a dream, scavenging, memories etc).
You must also endeavour to include many of the novels themes, look at your classmates responses to see how they link to religion (pilgrims, godless etc) and build their responses around key events.
Some sense of their quest for survival is also required, focus on the scavenging, the references to America/americana with cans of coke, glassed, road top etc
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