How does Cormac Mcarthy present the theme of hopein 'The Road'
How does Cormac McCarthy represent the theme of hope through ‘The Road’
Hope is a questionable concept in McCarthy’s novel ‘The Road’. Using a variety of techniques McCarthy consistently presents the theme of both hope and loss throughout the novel. Despite undisputedly being of post-apocalyptic genre however, the theme of loss is marginalised throughout the novel, oppressed continuously by the intrinsic theme of hope the boy represents.
Symbolism is used abundantly throughout the novel- the boy often symbolises the good and innocence within society ‘he’s scared papa… maybe we could give him something to eat’, whereas the man represents the foundation of loss- expressing cynicism from the introduction of the novel ‘Sensing the worst, the man fills his bathtub with water’ continuously throughout ‘We have to go… maybe you shouldn’t touch him’ symbolising not only the loss of faith and ever growing pain but the variation of human instinct- that of hope and faith (represented by the boy) and that of doubt and loss (represented by the man. The struggle between these two characters with regards to the decision they make in relation to the old man’s future, and the contrast between these two characters can be interpreted by critics as an extended metaphor continuously highlighting the struggle between ‘Good and hope’ and ‘ Evil and Hopelessness’. McCarthy ensures the man ‘gives in’ to the boy allowing them to feed and comfort the old man. This metaphor is used by McCarthy to demonstrate to the reader that despite the circumstance, the good and innocence of society as a natural instinct will inevitably transcend loss. This technique is continued throughout the novel as- as the novel culminates McCarthy chooses to injure the Man who subsequently dies. Although this could be interpreted as a severe loss of hope for both the boy and thus the reader, in reference to the extended metaphor, we can understand that the survival of the boy represents not only
Hope is a questionable concept in McCarthy’s novel ‘The Road’. Using a variety of techniques McCarthy consistently presents the theme of both hope and loss throughout the novel. Despite undisputedly being of post-apocalyptic genre however, the theme of loss is marginalised throughout the novel, oppressed continuously by the intrinsic theme of hope the boy represents.
Symbolism is used abundantly throughout the novel- the boy often symbolises the good and innocence within society ‘he’s scared papa… maybe we could give him something to eat’, whereas the man represents the foundation of loss- expressing cynicism from the introduction of the novel ‘Sensing the worst, the man fills his bathtub with water’ continuously throughout ‘We have to go… maybe you shouldn’t touch him’ symbolising not only the loss of faith and ever growing pain but the variation of human instinct- that of hope and faith (represented by the boy) and that of doubt and loss (represented by the man. The struggle between these two characters with regards to the decision they make in relation to the old man’s future, and the contrast between these two characters can be interpreted by critics as an extended metaphor continuously highlighting the struggle between ‘Good and hope’ and ‘ Evil and Hopelessness’. McCarthy ensures the man ‘gives in’ to the boy allowing them to feed and comfort the old man. This metaphor is used by McCarthy to demonstrate to the reader that despite the circumstance, the good and innocence of society as a natural instinct will inevitably transcend loss. This technique is continued throughout the novel as- as the novel culminates McCarthy chooses to injure the Man who subsequently dies. Although this could be interpreted as a severe loss of hope for both the boy and thus the reader, in reference to the extended metaphor, we can understand that the survival of the boy represents not only