A Rude Awakening
Our good ol' boy Chigurh is back at it in this passage. Then again, did he ever really stop being a psychotic killer? We learned a little bit more about him, as we now know his first name, Anton, from a man named Wells. This character may be the only character in the entire book's universe that knows any sort of information about Chigurh aside from his name, as he apparently has previous experience with him (139). The concept that Chigurh kills almost everyone he meets and everyone who knows anything about him is further pushed by Wells, when he talks about how even if Moss were to give him the money, he would still end up dead purely for "inconveniencing him"(150).
Moss is proving to be an incredibly wily character, in which he shows off an incredible cunning in multiple scenes. The first one being how he purchases multiple rooms at the first motel he stays at. Then, he decided to put the briefcase of money inside the vent in said room. Despite buying two rooms in the same motel, he decides that even all that still isn't enough, so he goes to another motel and (finally, after half the book) decides to look through the case of money for a tracking device. Obviously, he finds said device - personally, that would've been the first thing I look for. These are rather smart moves, however it makes me question if he has some sort of experience with these type of things. The ability to think outside of the box and think like a man-hunter is one thing, however to this degree is potentially a subtle cute of sorts?
By far, Wells is my favorite character in this novel. Personally, I really enjoy his patient ways; we first see this in how he sits next to Moss's hospital bed for (supposedly) an hour (150). Then, although it is very evident Wells is getting a bit short of patience, he maintains a polite and calm tone with Moss despite how vigorously stubborn he is. As someone of a similar nature, in that I tend to be patient to an almost comical level at times, I can really relate to Wells. This is where McCarthy's interesting writing style comes into play: I find myself relating to character that I barely know, at a level of appearance and mindset. I am able to get a lot out of character just by what they say and do, rather than needing to hear what they are thinking or what they look like.
At some point in my life, I'd like to marry a Carla Jean. Perhaps one who would worry more, but still a Carla Jean nonetheless. She is certainly placing a lot of faith in her husband, trusting that he won't get shot to bits like almost everyone else involved in the failed drug ordeal. Definitely hopeful, but maybe a tad naive? Regardless, she's an interesting character. She is one of the few characters who I feel needs more description outside of just what they do and say.
Overall, McCarthy does a great job with delivering a wealth of information with very few descriptors, however Carla Jean seems to be a simple yet complex character. Hopefully, sometime soon, we may get indulged with more detail of who she is and how she truly feels about this entire ordeal. Also, the story of how her and Moss met is nothing short of...strange, I suppose is the word. I'm not one to believe in the superstitious nature of dreams, but even so just her delivery of it was a bit interesting, to say the least.
Moss is proving to be an incredibly wily character, in which he shows off an incredible cunning in multiple scenes. The first one being how he purchases multiple rooms at the first motel he stays at. Then, he decided to put the briefcase of money inside the vent in said room. Despite buying two rooms in the same motel, he decides that even all that still isn't enough, so he goes to another motel and (finally, after half the book) decides to look through the case of money for a tracking device. Obviously, he finds said device - personally, that would've been the first thing I look for. These are rather smart moves, however it makes me question if he has some sort of experience with these type of things. The ability to think outside of the box and think like a man-hunter is one thing, however to this degree is potentially a subtle cute of sorts?
By far, Wells is my favorite character in this novel. Personally, I really enjoy his patient ways; we first see this in how he sits next to Moss's hospital bed for (supposedly) an hour (150). Then, although it is very evident Wells is getting a bit short of patience, he maintains a polite and calm tone with Moss despite how vigorously stubborn he is. As someone of a similar nature, in that I tend to be patient to an almost comical level at times, I can really relate to Wells. This is where McCarthy's interesting writing style comes into play: I find myself relating to character that I barely know, at a level of appearance and mindset. I am able to get a lot out of character just by what they say and do, rather than needing to hear what they are thinking or what they look like.
At some point in my life, I'd like to marry a Carla Jean. Perhaps one who would worry more, but still a Carla Jean nonetheless. She is certainly placing a lot of faith in her husband, trusting that he won't get shot to bits like almost everyone else involved in the failed drug ordeal. Definitely hopeful, but maybe a tad naive? Regardless, she's an interesting character. She is one of the few characters who I feel needs more description outside of just what they do and say.
Overall, McCarthy does a great job with delivering a wealth of information with very few descriptors, however Carla Jean seems to be a simple yet complex character. Hopefully, sometime soon, we may get indulged with more detail of who she is and how she truly feels about this entire ordeal. Also, the story of how her and Moss met is nothing short of...strange, I suppose is the word. I'm not one to believe in the superstitious nature of dreams, but even so just her delivery of it was a bit interesting, to say the least.
As you may already know I chose to primarily focus on McCarthy's writing style and use of literary devices in our most recent reading. Consequently, it was interesting reading your blog post that instead focused on the development of the book's characters because your analysis hit on character changes that I myself was far less conscious of. For instance, while I was certainly aware of Chigurh's mysterious past I had not considered how much the introduction of Wells' character improves the reader's understanding of Chigurh's personality and motivations.
ReplyDeleteOverall I appreciate the blend of analysis and personal commentary present in your blog writing. After all, whether its your statement that you'd like to "marry a Carla Jean" or your mention of the fact that you relate well to Wells' character you manage to provide insight into your personality and keep your writing entertaining for dedicated readers like myself.
Great post, Nico. As someone not super familiar with the story, I think you did a good job of balancing plot and context with personal reactions, thoughts, etc.
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