Jack and the Beanstalk

There it stood. Towering over the house stood a huge green tunnel leading to the heavens. The empty sky was cloudy and emotionless. Vines and leaves engulfed the sculpture. Contorted around it's body. The boy rose from his bed. Remembering being sent there the previous night. A punishment for his worthless trade. The beans. Sprawling around it's cylindrical trunk lay the stems. He ran outside. Towards it. Admiring it's height and complexity. Fascinated. 
Placing his hand on it's branch he hauled himself up onto the vine. Crawling eagerly up to the clouds obscuring the view above. He paused. Stared down at the life he'd just left. He must have covered 2 miles by now. 


He was beginning to feel weary when he caught a glimpse of something through the mist. Turrets. A drawbridge. Fortified walls. Focussing his eyes harder on the shapes made obvious he had reached a castle. He stepped down from his ladder. Edged further towards the magnificent structure. He had no way of knowing what would be inside but he'd come too far to turn back now. After reaching the drawbridge he stood for a moment. Still. Calculating his next move. Three minutes passed. The boy was deep in thought. Then it lowered. He walked straight into the castle but was met by a figure.


She stood tall and proud. Dwarfing the boy. She must have been ten times his height. Eleven. Twelve. The boy's stomach rumbled.
Good morning, she said. Can I help you?
Where is this?
This castle belongs to me and my husband.
Could you spare any food?
The woman looked nervously behind her then back at the boy.
Yes, she said. If you're quiet.


She led the boy into a smaller room. She busied herself preparing something to vanquish the flames of hunger which plagued his stomach. Bread. Butter. Ham. Luxuries he didn't get back home with his widowed mother. He thought of her. Was this selfish of him to have left? His thoughts were disrupted. The sound of a deafening bellow. 
Fee. Fi. Fo. Fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman.

The Cellar (pg 116-117)

He started down the rough wooden steps. He ducked his head and then flicked the lighter and swung the flame out over darkness like an offering. Coldness and damp. An ungodly stench. The boy clutched at his coat. He could see part of a stone wall. Clay floor. An old mattress darkly stained. He crouched and stepped down again and held out the light. Huddled against the back wall were naked people, male and female, all trying to hide, shielding their faces with their hands. On the mattress lay a man with his legs gone to the hip and the stumps of them blackened and burnt. The smell was hideous. Jesus, he whispered. Then one by one they turned and blinked in the pitiful light. Help us, they whispered. Please help us. Christ, he said. Oh Christ. He turned and grabbed the boy. Hurry, he said. Hurry. He'd dropped the lighter. No time to look. He pushed the boy up the stairs. Please, he called. Please. Hurry. For God's sake hurry. He shoved the boy though the hatch and send him sprawling. He stood and got hold of the door and swung it over and let it slam down and he turned to grab the boy but the boy had gotten up and was doing his little dance of terror. 

The beginning of this extracts starts with short sentences because the man's eyes have not yet adjusted to the dark and to reflect this, McCarthy has mirrored what little the man can see with his limited descriptions, however as he spends longer in the blackness his description of what he can see becomes broader as his eyes have adjusted to the light. An advantage of describing things one by one near the beginning allows the reader to truly understand the morbid and bleak conditions of the cellar which they are in and allows them to picture the situation in deeper detail.


The sentences become longer during the middle as they reflect the rushed and urgent mentality of the man to try and escape and get to safety. Combined with the monosyllabic words, this increases the pace. He repeats words such as 'hurry' to emphasise their danger and his inability to properly punctuate sentences and deter from his usual shorter sentences reflects his worry and panic, causing him not to be able to speak properly because he is overwhelmed with fear. The long sentence near the end of the extract also reinforces his panic and builds tension because he keeps listing actions with the word 'and' rather than creating new sentences, showing he is unable to speak calmly and highlights their worries.


The people in the cellar speak to the man, saying "Help us, they whispered. Please help us". The words McCarthy has chosen create a soft sound which reflects how a whisper may be said. This use of sibilance stresses the vulnerability of the people in the cellar and makes them appear weak and small as the sound is very feminine and helpless. The way the man responds by leaving them alone creates a detachment from the characters for the reader because they are so inhumane and thoughtless. The entire event is described very detachedly and has no long term effect on the man and the boy, as these kind of events happen often to them, it is seen as an every day occurrence and nothing out of the ordinary, showing what kind of inhumane world they have been living in if this kind of treatment to people is just overlooked without a second thought.


The passage reminds me of a play script and it feels as if there is a narrator present as it is told in third person. The only actions they have which are described are those which seem necessary to understand the story, much like stage directions are in a script to help the director place the people, for example "the boy clutched at his coat" sounds like an instruction for an actor rather than a piece of literature because the statement is so concise.

Theft of Their Belongings

This episode evokes a sense of panic in the reader because everything which they have been working towards has just been stolen away from them again, just as you are beginning to think there is a chance there could be hope.
The idea of what is 'good' or 'bad' is highlighted again in this episode, as the boy asks the man "are we going to kill them?" to which he replies "I don't know", showing that because they are a threat to their way of life, they may have to be the 'bad guys' again to kill them to ensure their survival, or it will be them who get killed.
The way the man responds to meeting the thief is very chilling and frightening, as he threatens him with "I'm going to blow your brains out", showing that he is serious about getting their items back because they have worked so hard to get this far.
The boy pleads to the man "please don't kill the man", evoking sympathy and showing his naivety again as he does not yet see how dangerous another human being could possibly be to them. The man forcing the thief to take his clothes off is somewhat sadistic as he feels the need to punish the man for stealing their things, however the man has taken things from other people and places before, such as food and gas, so he is somewhat hypocritical because in the same situation the man would probably have acted the same way.
He tries to teach the thief a lesson by comparing what he has done to him to what the thief had done to them, taking all their possessions, showing that in the world they now live in, you really do have to fend for yourself and not care about anybody else.
I think this is a key episode because it reinforces how the theme of good and bad is not set in stone, because the thief was bad for stealing their things but the man responded in an equally as bad way, where he previously claimed that they were the good guys. It shows how the man is able to be extremely harsh if the situation arose, whereas the boy is still affected by the horror of it all and seems amazed that he is able to do such a cruel thing to the thief.
The last line of the episode is spoken by the boy in relation to the question he asked earlier about whether they would kill him or not, the boy claims "but we did kill him", showing that their actions have indirectly impacted on the man's life, because without his clothes and possessions he has no way of surviving, making their actions selfish as they have now murdered a human being, showing that all of their morals have gone out the window in their desperation to stay alive.

Getting to the Shore

This episode provides some hope for the reader as the entire duration of the book is spent trying to get closer and reach the coast, however when they eventually get there it is a bit of a let down as there is no exciting climax when they arrive, much like the rest of the book. I think McCarthy is doing this to portray how bleak their situation is that not even the sign of the coast can give them hope and motivation anymore. The fact that there is no stopping on their journey and even after they have got to the coast could present the road as a metaphor for their journey through life, because it never stops and can be unexpected and surprising. 
The episode gives us a sense of time passing without their actions being documented, with the use of shorter paragraphs and phrases such as 'long days' and 'two days later', showing a long time has passed in a few pages. It is unnecessary to document what they are doing during this time as everything they do is repetitive and monotonous so the only parts described are those of importance.
The man and the boy barely speak during this time, but the man apologises for the disappointment on the boys face when he sees the ocean is not blue, showing he feels responsible for what he thinks he should have seen and blames himself for everything where the boy is involved, feeling guilty for all the strain their relationship has held.
The way McCarthy describes their actions is list-like and very precise, he also continues to not use punctuation and other grammatical structures. By doing this, the text is stripped of anything it has, very much like how the boy and the man are alone without any of their possessions and makes it simpler to read.
This is a key episode because the novel is centred around getting to the coast and this is the event where they actually get there. Everything they have been working towards is now within their reach.

The Baby on the Spit

This episode was particularly unsettling because of how inhumane and unexpected it was. After the people are described previously, the fact there is a pregnant woman could symbolise how people are still trying to be good and create new life and fix the world, but the baby roasting on the spit discovery is so cruel and distressing. To make it so unusual, the author has presented it in a very matter of fact way and has not approached the situation as unusual, so when the reader reads it, they are not expecting it to be something of such cruelty and heartlessness as cooking an infant. 
The lengths that the people will go to for survival - getting pregnant, purely to eat your own young for one meal - shows the desperation and difficulty to survive that they will literally try anything to heighten their chances of survival. 
The relationship between the man and boy here is somewhat improving, as the man shows emotion towards the boy when he sees the dead baby, saying "I'm sorry, he whispered. I'm sorry", showing great remorse for the fact that the boy has had to see what he's seen. The fact that he whispers shows a softness in his voice and gives a affectionate, paternal feel to their relationship and shows that he really does care about the boy, he just has a peculiar way of showing it. 
During this episode they come across a man sat on a porch, dead for years. This tells the reader that the way the world is has been like that for years, as before we don't really get a clear indication of time passing or how long it has been this way. I think this episode is a key episode and it particularly stood out for me in the book because of the sheer brutality and violence of it, it is not until now that we really see how far people are willing to go, even sacrificing family, for survival.

Finding the Cellar

This episode was disturbing because you are put into a false sense of security when they find the house and assume that they will find food because that is what usually happens, however when the door is opened and the discover the naked and mutilated people it is a huge shock because it is so unexpected. To make it so surprising, McCarthy doesn't expose this discovery until the man is inside the cellar, making the reader worry about whether they are dangerous or not and how he could escape.
A sense of urgency is created with the really short sentences, for example "Hurry, he said. Hurry." which increases the pace in which the reader reads and highlights how terrified they must be. McCarthy writes "He'd dropped the lighter. No time to look." showing that they have lost one of their most valuable possessions but the man values his and the boy's life more so is more interested in getting themselves out safely than saving their material items essential for survival.
We are exposed to the even harsher reality of what some people are living through in this episode. The way the man and the boy have to survive, taking each day at a time, appears bad but these people have been mutilated and trapped in there, highlighting the even worser off people who were caught in an unfortunate situation.
The man and boy leave the people in the cellar to die, showing that they cannot afford to help them, similar to the way they left the man struck by lighting because he would eventually die anyway. They are able to do this because they feel so little emotion anymore because of their desolate situation.

Shooting The "Roadrat"

The episode of shooting the man in the truck is both shocking and expected as the man has no other choice because it is a matter of survival and he can't afford to value anybody else's lives. The calm conversation shared between them before the shooting about food and where they are going is quickly interrupted by his description of the bullet, saying "the bullet travels faster than sound. It will be in your brain before you can hear it..." is chilling because his detailed description shows his knowledge of guns which hints that he will shoot the man if he really has to. The short, one sentence structure of their sentences ends when the man describes in great detail the shooting of the man, almost showing the reader that the man has a sense of pride in what he has just done by the level of description.
The use of the road rat in the novel provides the reader with doubts over if they actually are the 'good guys' as he was able to kill him just as easily as they are able to to him. The man is surely a 'bad guy' as well for killing another 'bad guy' although he does this to protect his son, showing that although their relationship is seen as distant, he is willing to go to great lengths to ensure he is safe.
This is a key episode in the book because again, they are meeting someone new throughout a novel where is is largely just based on two people. They interact with other humans warily and cautiously, suggesting that they trust nobody anymore because everyone is so desperate to survive their morals have completely disappeared.
When the man is killed, the boy's face is described as having 'no expression at all', this could be because he feels nothing towards people anymore after being so detatched from the world he has previously known or because he feels no remorse for a man who has attempted to kill him himself. The fact that none of this is surprising to him shows that the way in which they behave now has just become a way of life and if you don't protect yourself, somebody else will kill you to save themselves.

Man struck by lightning

This episode features the boy and the man coming across the man who has been struck by lighting and is nearing death. The boy is eager to help the man struck by lightning because he is naive in comparison to the man who understands that they can't even help themselves, let alone anybody else suffering. It is an important episode as it summarises the sense of helplessness constantly present in the novel and how they have to completely detatch themselves from situations because there is nothing they can do for anybody.
The man begins to lay his identifiable belongings on the ground, such as his credit cards and photos of his wife, signifiying that he wants to escape from the person he once was and become somebody else who does not hold these painful memories of his past, because they will never be coming back so he has to move on. He then walks away, similar to how he is walking away from the person he used to be.
This scene stands out amongst many as it features a third human being whereas the novel mostly surrounds the boy and the man alone.
The mood is sombre and helpless as we are shown the fact that they can't do anything for him because he will die anyway. Their ability to just walk away and leave him shows their emotionless feelings, but the boy is clearly affected by this as he cries, showing he is not quite as aware as the man of their desperate situation. The man is also affected but more discreetly as the act of removing his personal possessions shows he dislikes the person he is becoming and does not want to be associated with who he once was.
The episode features no speech marks or proper sentence structure, with random phrases without clauses are strung together to form paragraphs. This emphasises their helplessness and exhaustion and also shows them as expressionless as they can not express their emotions with correct punctuation.

Quotations

This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair. That is my job.

This quote suggests that the novel centres around the theme of death as morbid words such as 'dead man' and 'brains' are used to symbolise mortality, hinting that death is a regular occurrence and not unusual shown by the flat, unsurprised tone used. The relationship between the child and the parent seems strained as he refers to him as 'my child' rather than his actual name, suggesting they don't get on well  because not using his name sounds impersonal. Looking after a child should be seen as a natural thing but referring to washing his hair as a 'job' shows it is something he has to do, not a choice as a father. The story is told from an outsider's viewpoint with reported speech, however speech marks and punctuation is rarely used, possibly to symbolise how the road is an endless journey and punctuating the text would give it endings.

Yes I am, he said. I am the one.

The tone in which the man speaks is expressionless and cold, reflecting the way he feels towards the likelihood of their survival. The novel appears to be very emotionless and segregates the man from any other people as he is 'the one' and nobody else. The theme of isolation is present throughout this quote and the short syllables used are short and on their own, reflecting the idea of loneliness. A sense of blame is also felt throughout this sentence as if he is admitting to something because of the flat and depressing tone in his voice.

Tomatoes, peaches, beans, apricots. Canned hams. Corned beef.

The use of lists throughout this sentence emphasise the important of food to them, suggesting they have been without it for some time to be excited over such random foods. The use of commas and full stops here express their wonder and awe at the different foods as they are amazed to find any, hinting that trying to survive is a common problem they often face. The type of food is strange and does not really fit together, showing their poverty as they have to eat what they can find and not be fussy. The fact that the ham is canned (and all the other food is also likely to be canned) hints that something major has happened to reduce the amount of readily available food if only canned food is what they have access to.

Are we still the good guys, he said.

This question features the word 'still', suggesting that when they once were the good guys, something negative has happened to alter the speaker's opinion on themselves and place doubt into his mind. The lack of a question mark in the sentence presents the idea that he is not really expecting an answer, showing that the speaker and the listener do not have the strongest of relationships if their conversation is very limited. The phrase 'good guys' suggests that there are only two types of people in the world, the good guys and the bad, there is no middle ground. This sense of finality suggests that the speaker does not believe that people can do bad and good things without being categorized into either section, showing that he has strict morals and ideas of right or wrong.

We should go, Papa, he said. Yes, the man said. But he didn't.

The boy saying 'we should go' hints that there is a strong element of danger if he is suggesting they leave, and the man agreeing echoes this worry further. Their relationship is not very trusting as the man does not listen to the boys concerns and dismisses them in favour of what he would prefer to do. The short sentences suggest impatience between each of them and again reflects the fear and isolation they are experiencing. Danger is a very evident theme presented by this quote but bravery is also shown as the man feels they are able to face whatever is causing the boy to worry by not leaving.

The snow fell nor did it cease to fall.

This sentences features no punctuation in the middle of it, reflecting how the snow did not pause or stop for anything. The snow could symbolise their bad luck or misfortune as it never ends and is constantly pushing them further to their limits in order to survive. The fact that snow is cold reflects the coldness in their relationship and throughout the novel as a whole.

Okay? Okay.

Again, the short sentences used reflect how the relationship between the man and the boy is short and direct, there is not much room for unnecessary conversation. The short words also symbolise how little energy they have from travelling constantly and having so little to eat, suggesting that the situation is really taking it's toll on the characters as they can only manage minimal conversation.

They sat on the edge of the tub and pulled their shoes on and them he handed the boy the pan and soap and he took the stove and the little bottle of gas and the pistol and wrapped in their blankets and they went back across the yard to the bunker.

This sentence features no punctuation, describing their actions as they do them to depict exactly how it felt to be in their situation. They have to carry a pistol with them, emphasising the theme of constant danger and how they are always kept in the unknown as to what is around the corner. The way the pan is described as 'the' pan, rather than 'a' pan describes their extreme poverty as they can only afford one cooking utensil, this is echoed with the majority of their items which shows the reader how there is literally nothing left in this desolate place.

Tolling in the silence the minutes of the earth.

The Earth as we know it is never silent, so using that word to describe how it is now creates an eerie and creepy atmosphere because if the world is silent, there is literally nothing else except them, no humans or creatures. We are forced to empathise with the loneliness the characters must be feeling and the sentence uses soft words and sounds which highlight the quietness of the world.

She was gone and the coldness of it was her final gift.

This sentence describes how the boy's mother left them, describing her departure as a 'gift', suggesting her leaving was a good thing because she was no longer a burden to them anymore. The coldness being the gift suggests that she is responsible for the expressionless and harsh relationship the boy and the man share as between them she probably kept them together as a family but now they are alone. The sentence sounds very final and matter of fact, with the phrase 'she was gone' telling it how it is. This shows the reader that the man is under no illusions to how the world is and understands that he has lost many things important to him.