Anton Chigurh's Moral Codes In No Country For Old Men

In contrast, Anton Chigurh represents those in society whose moral codes are influenced solely by their personal beliefs, actions, and experiences, not by commonly accepted standards such as law or religion. Where Ed Tom bases his moral code off of said socially accepted standards, and adjusts his beliefs slightly based on experience, Chigurh’s moral code has no resemblance to what is generally accepted in society. When Carson Wells describes Chigurh to Moss he explains, “He’s a peculiar man. You could even say that he has principles. Principles that transcend money or drugs or anything like that. He’s not like you. He’s not even like me” (Coen Brothers No Country). Chigurh’s peculiar moral code excuses criminal offenses such as murder,

While these moral codes can be manipulated by conventions dictated by religion or law, they can also be developed through personal ordeals and events (and the lessons that people learn from these occurrences). All of the moral codes in No Country For Old Men are relatable to human society to a certain extent, including Ed Tom’s strong belief in religion and law, Moss’ determination to keep his loved ones safe, and even Chigurh’s fierce dedication to his dignity and honor. On the other hand, these characters are also relatable because of their moral flaws, from Moss’ greed and overconfidence to Ed Tom’s selfishness in the end, when he decides to retire instead of dedicating himself to apprehending Chigurh. In this Neo-western film the traditional archetypes of the hero and the villain are skewed. The old western films’ solid black and white boundaries between good and evil characters are no longer relatable in a time where most members of society fall into the grey. The unique morality in No Country For Old Men is representative of the constant changes in modern day society and the adjustments in the moral standards of society that accompany those