Cormac McCarthys No Country for Old Men Essay - 921 Words

Ignorant souls will probably tell you that No Country for Old Men is a film of thirst for blood, material wealth and a sheriffs investigation. Those that suggest this, however, are the same that tune in weekly for their dose of Big Brother: The Evictions and are swayed by the words of their local car salesman. The Coen brothers’ masterful 2005 adaption of Cormac McCarthys No Country for Old Men is a standout in recent cinema history, pushing aside this year’s spit-out of Transformers from explosion-junkie Michael Bay. Taking a different approach from their usual quirky, humour films littered with three word profanities (cue: Burn after Reading Osbourne Cox fans), the Coen’s have successfully stepped into a dark, deeply disquieting drama†¦show more content†¦In the relentlessly vindictive manner of McCarthy’s novel, Bell delivers a welcomed voice of sanity and justice to the human mind; his old-school morals and philosophical reminiscences offering a sanction in a world dominated by evil. But it is Vietnam Vet, Llewellyn Moss, who levels best with the audience. Playing the wild card of the three, Brolin delivers a human centre to the film; the man most identifiable with, even as the odds steepen against him. As the minutes fly by, unnerving notions about the determined yet futile attempts of humankind to guide their obdurate fate – that serves as an unwelcome side-dish to the sachet – becomes increasingly clear. The dominant hunter of the film, characterised by an out-of-place Mod beetle-cut, is the epitome of the Coens’ ability to point to biblical themes. Bardem plays the overpowering force that pervades the audience even when off-camera – his malevolent presence is constantly felt and the aftermath of his actions are unpardonably viewable. If the pneumatic hiss of Chigurh’s killing device isn’t enough to suggest his vindictive nature, then his sadistic taunting of his prey as he tightens his grip on their fate undoubtedly solidifies his role as the modern incarnation of the devil. This â€Å"living prophet of destruction† is watched from afar by disillusioned sheriff, Ed Tom Bell, who struggles to accept his damned world for the crumbli ng mess it has become. Bell,Show MoreRelatedThe Presentation of Women in ‘The Great Gatsby’, and in Cormac McCarthy’s ‘No Country for Old Men’1909 Words   |  8 Pagesgiven to really change? For Jordan this is an exciting transition but Tom will cling to the traditional past. When a threatening situation looms over them will they run and hide or confront the problem head on, the only way they know, as in ‘No Country for Old Men’? Both novels deal with times of women’s liberation and an introduction to a new era. In the ‘roaring twenties’, women were expected to be housewives and mothers before making careers for themselves, however Jordan Baker defies this imageRead MoreFemale Characters in ‘The Great Gatsby’ and Cormac McCarthy’s ‘No Country for Old Men’? 2004 Words   |  9 PagesFor Jordan this is an exciting transition but more traditional characters such as Tom cling to the past. When a threatening situation looms over them will they run and hide or confront the problem head on, the only way they know, as in ‘No Country for Old Men’? These contrasting reactions could be a result of Fitzgerald deliberately creating ‘no important women characters’. Both novels promote women’s liberation and introduce to a new era. In the ‘roaring twenties’, women were expected to beRead More The Three Generations Represented in No Country For Old Men Essay1256 Words   |  6 PagesCormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men follows three very different men in a tense cat and mouse chase through several border towns. It begins with a drug smuggling deal gone very wrong in the middle of the desert that leaves behind a truck bed full of cocaine and a sack with 1.4 million dollars left for someone to discover. When on a hunting endeavor, Llewelyn Moss discovers the scene and the million dollars. When he takes the money, he seals his fate with a brutal killer named Anton Chiguhr,Read MoreThe Evil Within No Country for Old Men Essay897 Words   |  4 Pagesevil. This is exceptionally true in the movie No Country for Old Men by the Coen brothers. The dominant theme in the Coen brother’s movie is evil. The movie No Country for Old Men is based on a book by Cormac McCarthy. According to Lan Buckwalter, â€Å"McCarthys bloody and beautiful novel comes to life under the Coens able touch† (1/1). The movie No Country for Old Men tells a tale of Sheriff Ed Tom Bell’s life as he tries to exonerate the country of the increasing evil in a region where his fatherRead MoreNo Country For Old Men By Cormac Mccarthy1986 Words   |  8 PagesHieu Nguyen English Writing 301 Professor Tittle 27 July 2015 Biographical Perspective of No Country for Old Men Upon reading the book, No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy, readers may be shocked to see the way it is written. Cormac McCarthy’s style of writing differentiates from other famous authors. He does not use correct punctuations such as apostrophes for contraction words and quotation marks around dialogues or use correct sentence forms. His rhetorical mode makes it difficult for theRead MoreContext, Violence and Leadership in Cormac McCarthys Blood Meridian1885 Words   |  8 PagesCormac McCarthy’s â€Å"Blood Meridian† does a marvelous job of highlighting the violent nature of mankind. The underlying cause of this violent nature can be analyzed from three perspectives, the first being where the occurrence of violence takes place, the second man’s need to be led and the way their leader leads them, and lastly whether violence is truly an innate and inherent characteristic in man. Cormac McCarthy once said, â€Å"I think the notion that the species can be improved in some way, thatRead More Development of Character in Cormac McCarthys All the Pretty Horses1357 Words   |  6 PagesDevelopment of Character in Cormac McCarthys All the Pretty Horses In a journey across the vast untamed country of Mexico, Cormac McCarthy introduces All the Pretty Horses, a bittersweet and profoundly moving tale of love, hate, disappointments, joy, and redemption. John Grady sets out on horseback to Mexico with his best friend Lacey Rawlins in search of the cowboy lifestyle. His journey leaves John wiser but saddened, yet out of this heartbreak comes the resilience of a man who has claimed hisRead MoreAnalysis Of `` No Country For Old Men ``1247 Words   |  5 PagesIn Cormac McCarthy’s â€Å"No Country For Old Men,† fate plays a significant role in the novel and is present in the lives of each of the characters he portrays. Fate, as defined in the dictionary, is â€Å"the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do.† The theme of fate is demonstrated in all of the characters in the novel, but most evidently in Llewellyn Moss, Ed Tom B ell, Carla Jean, Carson Wells, and Anton ChigurhRead MoreSuttree by Cormac Mccarthy: Critical Analysis and Review Essay1875 Words   |  8 Pagesembodied Cormac McCarthys fourth novel and personified the main character, Cornelius Suttree, who traveled through the wasteland of the Tennessee River valley as a fisher of men. Scholarship: D. S. Butterworths Scholarly Essay on Suttree In Pearls As Swine: Recentering the Marginal in Cormac McCarthys Suttree D. S. Butterworth argued that McCarthy treated the condemned characters of the Knoxville outcasts as geological and archaeological finds. According to Butterworth, McCarthys charactersRead MoreNo Country for Old Men Scene Comparison Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Scene Comparison: The Coin Toss The award winning film, No Country for Old Men, adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s 2007 novel, is a riveting tale of a brutal chain of events related to money, murder, and drugs, which rolls through West Texas in the 1980’s. Told through the perspective of the stories three main characters – a soulless killer, an old time sheriff, and an experienced country boy – both the novel and the film keep the audience anxiously waiting for the next gun fight or brutal killing