White Masculinity and Generational Anxiety - Essay Example

White Masculinity and Generational Anxiety Introduction Cormac McCarthy is the of the book The Road. The literature work seems to have been influenced by canons written by previous prolific writers such as Shakespeare. However, his work is not entirely similar to their canon, rather his approach is different, but the flow of ideas remains the same. McCarthy describes a universe in which the system of human social development has degraded nature. He tries to allude how the society is insensitive to the phenomena of the physical world collectively, which has consequently hampered the social development of human beings. McCarthy tries to persuade the society to take care of nature because human beings have depleted natural resources. He feels that the scramble for the already depleted resource will be the primary source of conflict in future (Egan, para.1). Supporting Arguments Anxiety is aroused during the time devastating destructions are, and more focus is shifted to the anonymous lead character and his son. The two escape a chaotic scene where life is unbearable, and people feed on others like carnivals. Amidst the adverse environmental conditions, their expectations for a better life are renewed when they come across abandoned food although it is not sufficient. The work tries to refer to the work of Ernest Heming’s Big Two-Hearted River. In the work, the highest point in the development of male chauvinism is s clearly brought out. McCarthy has a tendency to feature the concept of masculinity. Further, he tries to appeal to the imagination of readers by highlighting the surrounding environment in which male respond to in different ways. The father and the son are left to struggle with dead bodies for their survival. Although the two undergo many struggles, they portray maximum resilience that can only originate with men only (Egan, paras.2-3). Hemingway describes a perfect example how the universe diverts or modifies feelings of men by driving out evil spirits in them. According to his work, the most distinctive actions are brought under control by limiting the freedom of movement. Adam who is the main character returns to his war-torn town having been brutally injured. Unfortunately, he finds the town on its knees having been completely destructed. Property had been destroyed during the war, and there was no sign of life. Adam encounters some edible fish of the salmon family swimming in the river. Interestingly, they are similar to the ones he saw imagery in another book written by Hemingway. He becomes fascinated with their swimming pattern. The beautiful scenery change lifts his spirit. The fish symbolize to him a peaceful heaven that is free from chaos. The author narrates the sad events with a lack of hope for the future that is evidenced by his tone. The devastating war had brought the hometown to its knees, and he did not have even an iota of expectations of quick recovery for all that had been lost (Egan, paras.4-6). Coincidentally, the same events that surrounded the destruction of a town in Hemingway book also resurface in The Road. A catastrophic event destroys property and lives leaving only a few survives. The few survivors that are left faced serious challenges such as lack of food. Consequently, they become exposed to danger because they target each other in their scramble for the limited resources. The remnants were not sufficient to sustain all the survivors, and people had to fight to get food. There seemed to be no termination of the plight that people were experiencing. The author depicts this scenario literary in an attractive, gratifying format that affects the senses of readers rather than their intellect. He succeeds to arouse the curiosity of the readers in the way he develops the plot of the story succinctly. He narrates how a soft mineral is poured in the in major areas of the town randomly to control the movement of people since it is slippery. However, the perfectly described environment only exists in an ideal world. In reality, a perfect universe only exists in our imaginations and conscious. Initially, the protagonist had come across the river that seemed to lack signs of any life. Things had changed because previously he had witnessed the river was full of life and robustness having been habited by many fish. However, the unclean water had compromised the visibility of the fish, and they could only be traced when they positioned themselves properly to secure food. Their skin shined out rightly in a conspicuously giving a clear indication of the presence of life (Egan, para.7). The anonymous protagonist is an extrovert who uses his shrewdness and keen intelligence to survive the disastrous catastrophe. Immediately he sensed danger; he put water in his bathtub. The water was to be utilized by him and his son during the barbaric time that he felt will prolong. Animosity was so stiff that people became cannibals and stole from each other. The man’s sharp, natural propensity helped him, and his son overcome several threats that had been posed by their enemies. The circumstances forced them to escape swiftly in search of a better place where they could feel warm and comfortable. The author is an expert in developing and restoring events given that he mentions the twist of events and elicits memories of the work of Hemingway figuratively. In a certain instance, the character used his expertise amid a lot of tension to repair the wheel of a cart, and it was finally able to move properly (Egan, para.11-12). Given the man’s keenness and wit, it expected that he would manage to overcome the adverse situation successfully having overcome the most threatening threats along the road. However, in a twist of events the situation keeps on escalating with many new challenges coming on their way. The father was gradually losing his energy and had neglected his role as a guardian angel which he initially used o be for his son. He was deteriorating health wise and was on the verge of dying. His lungs had been severely damaged probably from the fire that had been lit. In the altered world, the skills that the protagonist used for survival are centered entirely on searching for and collecting from discarded waste for food survival of the pair. He also uses the skills to safeguard his son from any form of danger to demonstrate his affection for his son. The Road mainly highlights the theme of parental care which the author describes in a gentle and sympathetic manner (Egan, paras.21-22). Once, the boy fell ill, and the father was thrown into a panic mood. Given the frustration he had, the man was forced to wake up several times to watch the progress of the child. He monitored his heartbeat severally. Unfortunately, the situation was getting out of hand as his condition deteriorated as the man tried his best to improve it. He swore to use everything at his disposal to protect his child (Egan, paras.27-28). Questions may be asked regarding the status of the man. Had been the parent was a woman, she would have behaved in a sentimental manner which could have done little help to improve the situation of the child. McCarthy unfairly treats the mother of a child in a scenario where she comes to him in a flashback having chosen to commit suicide rather than face the challenges that they were facing. The mother sadly leaves his innocent child whereas the father decides to stay put and offer him the best care possible (Egan, paras.30-31). Apart from the theme of survival for the fittest and the humiliation people faced, the main challenge that is brought out clearly is about bringing up of children especially in a world that is chaotic. In addition, the society expects the boy child to behave differently by providing leadership. McCarthy is certain that men are leaders who can be called upon to provide a clear direction during difficult times. According to him, an ideal world does not exist. The society can only try to fit into through adopting survival tactics. Unfortunately, those who survive do it at the expense of other people. They exploit those are weak, and a lot of manhood is required to for one to defend himself. A clear example is when the father ignores to aid those casualties along the road but opts to use everything at his disposal to protect himself (McCarthy & Maloney, pp.12-17). The issue of morality is in the book. He draws a vision of Hemingway work with the intention of reversing it. He depicts the notion that the universe can offer shelter human beings after it has been destroyed by human activities. He suggests that when good behavior exists between a parent and a child, the relationship becomes very cordial. He openly states this when the child takes good care of his dying father. McCarthy feels that the child will receive his father’s blessings (Owens, p.45). The Road is a story with a hidden meaning. In its unearthed meaning, the book lays emphasis on the need for human beings to protect nature otherwise coming generations may suffer. Evidence exists on how human beings have participated in degrading the environment. They have significantly tampered with natural resources such as rivers and forest (McCarthy, pp.7-9).He uses bodies of dead people to symbolize trees that have been wiped away. The only two survivors become guilty conscious because they believe they had a hand in ruining nature that resulted in a catastrophic event. Having tried their best to overcome the difficult situation depicts a message that not all is in an attempt to restore the depleted environment. Prior to the passing of the man, he passes the baton to his only son and bestows him with the responsibility for improving the situation (McCarthy, pp.277-280). The devastating condition pushes the father and the son to the edge harder such that in some instances they face dying from starvation. They are forced to use the insufficient food that they come across sparingly. The simultaneous happening of events where people experienced harsh nights and theft of property worsens the emotions of the already dejected readers. When the father dies, the child is utterly devastated and remains confused for a while. The author uses a mild and less direct language to reduce the intensity of the unbearable life the child had faced. He describes the body of the father as cold and stiff in a mild way to show that he was sensitive to the plight of the child (McCarthy, p.129). Conclusion Conclusively, the boy manages to see the hope after he comes across a couple who offer to host him. In this instance, McCarthy alludes that human beings have been given another chance to demonstrate their care for nature. This comes as renewed hope for the entire human population. Conversely, the author has firm belief that capitalism has contributed to the destruction of nature. Capitalist are self-centered individuals who are by greed and malice, and they utilize everything at their disposal to shortchange others (McCarthy, p.285-288). Works Cited Egan, Jennifer. Men at Work: The Literary Masculinity of Cormac McCarthy.Web.19.12. 2012. McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. London: Picador, 2009. Print. McCarthy, Cormac, and Paul Maloney. The Road. Berlin: Cornelsen, 2011. Print. Owens, Barkley. Cormac Mccarthys Western Novels. Tucson, Ariz: Univ. of Arizona Press, 2000. Print. Read More