Cormac McCarthy\u2019s post-apocalyptic 2006 novel The Road has received widespread acclaim, including the 2007 Pulitzer prize for distinguished fiction by an American author. It was also adapted into the eponymous film in 2009.<\/p>\n
The Road tells an imagined tale of a father and his young son\u2019s journey through dystopian American roads, in constant evasion from a group of cannibals. The story focuses on the plight and moral dilemmas of the main character\u2019s journey, leaving out specifics like the time, place, and cause of the apocalypse. Even more obscured is the pair\u2019s identity, with the father referred as \u201cthe man\u201d and the son as \u201cthe boy\u201d throughout the book.<\/p>\n
The characters\u2019 namelessness immerses readers in the pair\u2019s desolate situation. It is almost like a reminder of the apocalypse as a great equalizer that strips a man of any distinction or honors that he used to pride himself with. In one significant scene, the man and the boy scour a deserted supermarket and find a Coca-Cola from a soft drink machine. This poignant scene shows the contrast between the characters\u2019 anonymity and the soda drink\u2019s blatant branding and all that it symbolizes. Donnelly describes this as \u201cthe dramatic collision between the pre- and post- worlds,\u201d with the can of Coke \u201coffering a reprieve from a narrative dominated by a bitter struggle to survive\u201d (70).<\/p>\n
The anonymity given to the protagonists in the book is a subtle but powerful storytelling device. It allows readers to easily put themselves in the characters\u2019 shoes and resonate with their emotions, which is one of the main indicators of the book\u2019s success in its attempts to suspend disbelief in its readers.<\/p>\n
Works Cited<\/p>\n
Donnelly, Paul. \u201cCoke Is It!\u201d: Placing Coca-Cola in McCarthy\u2019s THE ROAD.\u201d The Explicator, vol. 6 no. 2, 08 July 2010, pp. 70-73, www.htandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/00144940903422990. Accessed 7 June 2018.
\nPauli, Michelle. \u201cRoad Takes McCarthy to Pulitzer.\u201d The Guardian, 17 April 2017, www.theguardian.com\/books\/2007\/apr\/17\/news.pulitzerprize. Accessed 7 June 2018.<\/p>\n
The effect of no names in the post-apocalyptic 2006 novel \u201cThe Road\u201d easily allows readers to place themselves in the characters\u2019 positions. Symbols in \u201cThe Road\u201d by Cormac McCarthy tell us about the inevitability of harmful effects for our planet and all humanity. The eponymous film based on this story confirms McCarthy\u2019s main idea. It sounds like a warning for present and future generations of what may happen.<\/p>\n
This essay on \u201cThe Road\u201d by Cormac McCarthy is an excellent example for students who want to succeed in the discipline of American literature. The uses of robust literary devices in \u201cThe Road\u201d by Cormac McCarthy help readers to get involved in the current event and compare the novel to reality.<\/p>\n
If you want to start your literature essay, look for various ideas on our service<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cormac McCarthy\u2019s post-apocalyptic 2006 novel The Road has received widespread acclaim, including the 2007 Pulitzer prize for distinguished fiction by an American author. It was also adapted into the eponymous film in 2009. The Road tells an imagined tale of a father and his young son\u2019s journey through dystopian American roads, in constant evasion from a group of cannibals. The story focuses on the plight and moral dilemmas of the main character\u2019s journey, leaving out specifics like the time, place,… <\/p>\n