Student Question
What is the significance of the dead hawk and Bell's conversation with his uncle Ellis in No Country For Old Men? How do these incidents reveal and affect Bell's outdated worldview?
Quick answer:
In No Country for Old Men, the dead hawk could symbolize the vulnerability of predators. Even criminals who prey on other people are susceptible to death or injury. Anton was a predator and was nearly killed by a Buick. As for Bell’s conversation with Ellis, that might reinforce how Bell privileges the past over the present. Bell’s lethargic and passive stance towards the violence happening now has lethal consequences for the people he’s supposed to protect.
The dead hawk could be significant in several ways. It could be a way to address the idea that even violent, predatory animals are mortal. Even creatures who prey on other creatures are vulnerable.
That line of thinking could link to the violence carried out by Anton, the various criminals trying to recover the money, and Llewelyn himself. All three act with a fair amount of bravado and confidence. It’s like they’re hawks. Llewelyn is confident he can outmaneuver Anton. The various drug dealers are relentless in their pursuit of the money. Of course, Anton doesn’t have confidence issues. Yet like the hawk, all three parties are susceptible to death or, in the case of Anton, a Buick that ran a stop sign.
You could also think about the dead hawk in the context of Sheriff Ed Tom Bell. Perhaps the dead hawk relates to Bell’s diminished capacity to quell...
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and combat violence. Maybe it links to his World War II experiences. The dead hawk symbolizes the soldiers who died in his squad.
As for Bell’s conversation with his uncle, the very existence of this conversation speaks to Bell’s out-of-touch, outdated perspective on life. There’s murder and mayhem all around him, and Bell is reminiscing and philosophizing with his uncle. It’s almost as if he’s disconnected from reality—or, more likely, just unable to confront it.
It feels like Bell is more comfortable in his uncle’s shack than in his position as sheriff. A lot of what his uncle is saying could be applied to Bell. His uncle tells him people “wear out.” His uncle also tells him he wouldn’t have done anything if the man who shot him was released from prison. You could argue that Bell has worn out. You could argue Bell isn’t doing much about the people who are shooting up his county.
The consequences for Bell’s outdated, somewhat nostalgic disposition are lethal. His lethargy allows for an array of violence and murder.