Friday, October 03, 2008

Truth and Lies in The Road by Cormac McCarthy


Maybe because of what I posted below, I just couldn't face this book to the end. It is a visual book... maybe sensual is the right word because it is so well written that I felt I could almost feel and smell the dust, destruction, decomposition and all the horrors of the apocalyptic society that McCarthy describes.
The book made me think. I was glad to get some input from Elisa that helped to direct my thinking. This book reminded me of Heart of Darkness and Lord of the Flies which were required reading when I was in school. I hated those books and have always felt that they were lies. People aren't that ugly, selfish or horrid... not all of them.
Think of 9/11 when NYC firefighters climbed flights of stairs they would never descend to save strangers they had never met. I see selfless acts of kindness in my neighborhood everyday. Simple kindness makes scenarios described in all of these books an impossibility... a lie.
But, maybe these books should be read as a cautionary tale. For if all kindness and selflessness is gone... the bleak scenes in all these books would surely become reality.
Thanks Elisa for a brave choice that made me think about not just this book, but many others.

4 comments:

Michelle said...

As always you put it better than I could. I argee completely!

Queen Elizabeth said...

Great perspective... I agree totally!

Elisa said...

Thanks for giving it a try. I really appreciated your honest effort!

E

SSWS said...

Well said Tiffany. I'm glad you bring HOPE back in the situation, and the analogy with 9/11 is a good one. Somebody needs to focus on the positive. Thank you!! I guess we need to see both sides of the issue, but I agree that cautionary is a good word to describe this book and put things into perspective.