Cormac McCarthy Criticism
- Principal Works
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McCarthy, Cormac
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Introduction
(summary)
Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian is widely regarded as a critical reimagining of the American Western genre, representing one of McCarthy's most accomplished works. Although not his most famous novel, it is considered his finest literary achievement, renowned for its intricate narrative and vivid portrayal of the brutality that underpins the myth of the West. The novel is set against the historical backdrop of the Glanton Gang, a group of scalp hunters in the mid-19th century who devolved into a band of ruthless marauders across the Sonora Desert. Through this narrative, McCarthy challenges the romanticized depictions of Western expansion, presenting a stark, violent reality that examines themes of power, morality, and human nature.
The novel's protagonists, "the kid" and Judge Holden, embody the novel's exploration of violence and moral ambiguity. As noted by Jay Twomey, the relationship between the two characters evolves into a battle of wills, symbolizing the struggle between innocence and corruption. Holden's character has been analyzed as a metaphor for Satan, as John Emil Sepich suggests, and his influence over "the kid" reflects fundamental themes of existential conflict and the darker aspects of human nature.
Critical reception of Blood Meridian has highlighted its philosophical depth and historical accuracy. As analyzed by Bernard Schopen, McCarthy's narrative structure intricately fuses fact with fiction, offering a profound commentary on the nature of humanity. The novel's unflinching portrayal of violence challenges readers to confront the brutal realities of history, a theme echoed in Jonathan Pitts's analysis of the novel as a parable about the American vision of life.
The novel's stark representation of the natural world and human savagery, as explored by William Dow, further reinforces its critique of Western mythology. McCarthy's precise prose, described by critics as both life-giving and death-dealing, demands that readers engage with the text's moral complexities without offering definitive judgments. Ultimately, Blood Meridian stands as a pivotal work in McCarthy’s oeuvre, redefining the Western novel and offering a profound exploration of violence, history, and the human condition.
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The Wild Bunch
(summary)
In the following review, Hislop views Blood Meridian as more than a conventional Western, believing it to be a treatise on the interconnection of violence and culture.
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The Dance of History in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following essay, Sepich reviews the potential causes for Judge Holden's murder of the unnamed character “the kid,” through an examination of historical sources, as well as through an exploration of the moral universe as it exists in the novel.
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‘What Kind of Indians Was Them?’: Some Historical Sources in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following essay, Sepich documents the historical context of Blood Meridian, particularly relying on General Samuel Emery Chamberlain's memoir My Confession.
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A ‘Bloody Dark Pastryman’: Cormac McCarthy's Recipe for Gunpowder and Historical Fiction in Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following essay, Sepich argues that Blood Meridian's Judge Holden is in many ways a metaphor for Satan, and that the eventual death of “the kid” is the inevitable result of his association with Holden.
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‘They Rode On’: Blood Meridian and the Art of Narrative
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In the following essay, Schopen studies McCarthy's complexly integrated narrative structures in Blood Meridian, deeming that these elements fuse together to form a truthful assessment of the nature of humanity.
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Reading Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following essay, Donoghue presents several possible readings of Blood Meridian as he outlines several key themes, among them McCarthy's muted narrative response to endless violence and the relationship between Judge Holden and 'the kid.'
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‘Beyond Reckoning’: Cormac McCarthy's Version of the West in Blood Meridian, or, The Evening Redness in the West
(summary)
In the following essay, Campbell presents Blood Meridian as a re-creation of the traditional Western novel and its archetypal mythos.
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Writing On: Blood Meridian as Devisionary Western
(summary)
In the following essay, Pitts argues that Blood Meridian's encompassing of historical, cultural, and literary styles enhances its ability to serve as a parable for the American vision of life.
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‘Witness to the Uttermost Edge of the World’: Judge Holden's Textual Enterprise in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian.
(summary)
In the following essay, Masters views the ambiguous character of Judge Holden as a trailblazer of the Wild West who seeks to fill the moral vacuum of that space with his own brand of “amoral logos.”
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Tempting the Child: The Lyrical Madness of Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following essay, Twomey characterizes Blood Meridian as a battle between the madness of Judge Holden, who converts the Glanton Gang to his irrational mindset, and the resistant kid—a battle in which the judge finally triumphs.
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Topographical Strides of Thoreau: The Poet and Pioneer in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following essay, Dow examines Blood Meridian as a topographical study in the tradition of Henry David Thoreau's Walden.
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Louise Erdrich's Love Medicine, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, and the (De)Mythologizing of the American West
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In the following essay comparing Louise Erdrich's Love Medicine and Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, Mitchell argues that, despite the surface dissimilarities between the two books, they are both borne from the myths of the American West which they ultimately refute.
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The Sacred Hunter and the Eucharist of the Wilderness: Mythic Reconstructions in Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following essay, Spurgeon suggests that Blood Meridian attempts to bridge the difference between the mythic representations of the old West and the true natural world, particularly through its reworking of the traditional figure of the sacred hunter.
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The Flawed Design: American Imperialism in N. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn and Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian
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In the following essay, Douglas proposes that N. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn and Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian are borne from the need to critically examine the European-American foundational tenets upon which the Southwest was colonized.
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‘Everything a Hunter and Everything Hunted’: Schopenhauer and Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian
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In the following essay, Eddins uses the philosophical theories of Arthur Schopenhauer to examine the aesthetics of Blood Meridian.
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Introduction
(summary)
- McCarthy, Cormac (Vol. 4)
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McCarthy, Cormac (Vol. 101)
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Worlds Past and Future: A Christian and Several from the South
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Sullivan discusses The Orchard Keeper and the triumph of technology over man in the novel.
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Introduction
(summary)
Cormac McCarthy, born Charles McCarthy Jr. in 1933, is a prominent American novelist known for his contributions to the Southern Gothic tradition, akin to William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor. His works are celebrated for their powerful, descriptive prose and their exploration of themes such as violence, evil, and the human struggle against a merciless world. His characters often face significant adversities, and his style is marked by an intense realism that includes portraying morally complex characters in a sympathetic light, as noted in reviews by 'Daddy Quit', She Said.
McCarthy's early works, like The Orchard Keeper and Outer Dark, depict protagonists navigating hostile environments, often dealing with themes of murder, incest, and ignorance. In Child of God, McCarthy presents a deeply disturbing exploration of human depravity, which, alongside its lyrical prose, provokes both shock and praise. Guy Davenport highlights McCarthy's ability to render the 'outrageous and the macabre' with originality and skill.
His more celebrated later works, such as Blood Meridian and All the Pretty Horses, further explore the brutal American landscape. Bill Baines emphasizes the "cruelty" and "inhumanity" in Blood Meridian, where McCarthy reconstructs the West as a nightmarish stage echoing Shakespearean and biblical themes.
The critical reception of McCarthy's works reveals a divided view. While some critics find his themes repetitive or his prose overly florid, as mentioned by Richard Eder, others, like Vereen Bell, appreciate the depth and authenticity of his settings. The Crossing and All the Pretty Horses are noted for their vivid imagery and metaphysical themes, weaving tales that comment on man's capacity for evil and resilience.
Overall, McCarthy is recognized as a master stylist who, despite the often grim content, has a talent for immersing readers in richly detailed and emotionally compelling narratives, as observed by Richard B. Woodward.
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'Daddy Quit', She Said
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In the following essay, Broyard discusses McCarthy's writing, and his ability to make readers empathize with evil, immoral characters.
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Silurian Southern
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In the following review Davenport discusses the Southern influences in McCarthy's novels, and praises the novelist's originality and skill in rendering the 'outrageous and the macabre.'
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Tribal Views
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In the following excerpt, Crace discusses categorizing Suttree as a 'tribal' work, and faults the novel for lacking an 'overall social and allegorical context.'
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Suttree and the Metaphysics of Death
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In the following article, Longley Jr. provides an examination of the novel Suttree, discusses McCarthy's writing style, and comments on McCarthy's place in the literary world.
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Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West
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In the following review Nolan discusses the "gruesome pilgrimage" undertaken by the protagonist and the writing style of the author.
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Blood Meridian
(summary)
In the following review, Baines comments briefly on the "cruelty," "inhumanity," and "gore" present in Blood Meridian. Set in the Southwest of the mid-nineteenth century, Blood Meridian does not invite confusion with any romantic notion of the West prevalent in that century or this. Cormac McCarthy reconstructs that West as a Daliesque stage upon which characters and forces often resonant of Shakespeare and the Bible act out their roles. Loosely based upon, or more accurately, around the Yuma Crossing Massacre of 23 April, 1850, and some of its principals, the book rises from its beginning above the mean particulars of history to universal certainties and uncertainties, the stuff of serious fiction.
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Cowboys and Nothingness
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In the following review, O'Brien discusses Blood Meridian within the context of the Western genre, noting differences and similarities between the two.
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The Nuclear Winter of Cormac McCarthy
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In the following essay, Longley notes that every major episode in Blood Meridian is based on a real event in history. The critic comments upon the themes evident in every McCarthy novel: the 'pervasiveness of evil,' the 'usurpation of authority,' and the 'denial of responsibility.'
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Inner Dark: or, The Place of Cormac McCarthy
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In the following essay, Winchell maintains that the "pyrotechnical use of language that is McCarthy's distinctive signature as a writer" is the author's greatest achievement. Winchell also discusses the influence of Faulkner on McCarthy's work and comments at length on the "revulsion" and "horror" found in the novels.
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Suttree and Suicide
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In the following essay, Shelton comments upon the existential themes within Suttree, and focuses on the protagonist of the same name. Shelton provides an overview of the novel, and discusses the Myth of Sisyphus, suicide, and other topics in his treatment.
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From Voyeurism to Archaeology: Cormac McCarthy's Child of God
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In the following essay, Bartlett examines the novel Child of God, focusing on the various narrative perspectives within the book, most notably the voyeuristic perspective that is often employed.
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Cormac McCarthy's Venomous Fiction
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In the following essay, Woodward provides a rare glimpse into Cormac McCarthy's life and writing process, highlighting his reclusive nature, his themes of violent landscapes, and his distinctive prose style, while noting the critical acclaim he receives despite limited public recognition and personal distaste for literary conventions.
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The Man Who Understood Horses
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In the following review, Bell discusses the differences between All The Pretty Horses and McCarthy's previous novels, and calls the book the "most accessible" of his works.
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John's Passion
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In the following review, Eder discusses All the Pretty Horses, provides a plot synopsis, and comments on McCarthy's descriptive prose.
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A Sense of Incarnation
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In the following review, Malin discusses imagery, characterization, and the spiritual quest found in All the Pretty Horses. Malin comments on the language used in the novel, and on the 'juxtapositions of beauty and blood, 'prettiness' and terror.'
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Between the Wish and the Thing the World Lies Waiting
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In the following essay, Bell discusses the desires of McCarthy's characters to live in a world uncomplicated by the influences and demands the contemporary world places on them.
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Dream Work
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In the following review, Donoghue discusses All the Pretty Horses in relation to McCarthy's other novels, asserting that McCarthy is at his "best with what nature gives or imposes, rather than with the observations of culture."
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All the Pretty Horses
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In the following review, Ahearn provides a brief analysis of All the Pretty Horses, discusses the protagonist's quest, and calls the work 'a must read.'
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At the End of His Tether
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In the following review, Dirda comments on the broad scope of The Crossing, lauding the craftsmanship of McCarthy's writing but faulting the "heavy-handed" and "grandiloquent" aspects of the work.
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The Knock at the Door
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In the following review, Jaynes comments on McCarthy's reticent nature and the author's emergence as a recognized best-seller, and touches briefly on his life and career.
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Cormac McCarthy's Next Pilgrimage
(summary)
In the following review, Eder discusses The Crossing, lauding the descriptive passages but faulting both the portrayal of Mexico and the use of the Spanish language in the novel.
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Travels with a She-Wolf
(summary)
In the following review, Hass praises The Crossing as an 'American original.' This in-depth discussion of the novel focuses on description and craftsmanship, and Hass briefly examines McCarthy's play, The Stonemason, with respect to craft.
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Brightening Western Star
(summary)
In the following review, Jones lauds McCarthy as a "master prose stylist," and calls The Crossing "emotionally satisfying." A portion of the review is spent discussing McCarthy's emerging status as a prominent writer, and his growing fan following.
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Border Crossings, Real and Symbolic
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In the following negative review, Kakutani discusses the influence of Faulkner on McCarthy's writing and compares The Crossing to Faulkner's story, The Bear. Faulting The Crossing's 'self-importance' and 'pretentious prose,' Kakutani dismisses the novel as a 'loose variation' on the themes of All the Pretty Horses.
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The Land of the Wounded Men
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In the following favorable review, Allen praises the descriptive prose in The Crossing, and the "vividly rendered conflict" of The Stonemason. Comparing McCarthy to Melville and Faulkner, the critic lauds these two works, while acknowledging their frequent melodramatic passages.
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True West
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In the following review, Carr focuses on the deeper meanings within the bleak and desolate settings and occurrences in The Crossing. Acknowledging that there is purpose to the bloodshed and evil in McCarthy's novels, Carr comments on the themes of loss and the human condition in the works.
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The Lone Soul State
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In the following review, Birkerts notes similarities between The Crossing and All the Pretty Horses, and comments on the differences between these two works and previous novels.
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Blood and Grace: The Fiction of Cormac McCarthy
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In the following essay, Arnold provides an overview of McCarthy's works, discussing how the novels address the issues of contemporary society. Focusing on the religious themes of the works, Arnold examines McCarthy's sensibilities and the deeper messages within the novels.
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The Crossing
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In the following review, Richey comments on McCarthy's obsession with violence and evil in The Crossing, and lauds the author's great descriptive abilities.
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Worlds Past and Future: A Christian and Several from the South
(summary)
- Further Reading