Symbolism In Blood Meridian

This story is full of literary elements. These literary elements are beneficial because the characters in the story do not show much emotions and through the elements we see the characters emotions. McCarthy’s literary element that has the greatest magnitude in Blood Meridian is symbolism. Through symbolism we see connections between the characters and the philosophical world (IC 3). This symbolism is a key part of Blood Meridian. McCarthy uses the Judge and devil symbol to put the Judge’s power in our perspective. Without this symbol and the symbolism used throughout the book one would be lost. McCarthy uses symbolism to help us as readers relate to the book but also to show character emotions and characteristics.
The symbols of the Judge
This is dangerous because when Manifest Destiny hit big it was more about better the individual rather than bettering humanity as a whole Boarder line Insanity 3). We see the Glanton’s gang straying away from what was right and when this happens McCarthy shifts from calling them a gang to calling them Americans (Boarder line Insanity 4). Through this statement why see the symbolic representations of how Americans were when the moved away from society. The people during this movement began to shift away from what was morally right and moving away from what was right (Boarder line insanity 4). The people began to make sacrifices solely to benefit them and not the state. The symbolic element of Manifest Destiny relates back to the symbolic element of the bear (D and S 2). The killing of the bear represents how death and personal sacrifice are necessary to thrive (D and S 2). Through Manifest Destiny there was much death and personal sacrifice and because of this it allowed the United States to thrive and
The Judge acts as a father to the Kid in the beginning of the novel, but when the kid makes the decision to never become like the Judge it upsets him (IC 5). In the beginning we see that the Judge is going to triumph over the son because of his power and his immortal stature (IC 5). The Kid’s destiny in the novel it attached to the Judge (SM 2). It is attached because the Kid shares similar views with the Judge even though he never admits it but instead he vows to never become like him (SM 3). He makes this vow because he knows that he possess greater morals (SM 3). The Kid has many opportunities to kill the Judge but passes up on them because in some odd way he admires him and his powerful nature (SM 3). The kid admires him because he can never be like him and possess his merciless nature (SM 3). When the kid resents the Judge’s merciless nature the Judge does not take it as the Kid trying to be a good person but as the Kid trying to one up the Judge (IC 6). This threat to the Judge’s does not sit well on him so in return the Judge knows that the Kid must go. In the beginning the reader got the idea that the Judge wanted the Kid to take over his role but as the book goes to we see that once the Kid tries to overthrow the Judge’s power that is when he begins to plot the Kid’s death (IC 1). The Judge and the Kid differ in personality but are also alike and because of this we see the formation of a hero