Free Will In Cormac Mccarthy's No Country For Old Men

In No Country for Old Men, fate is perceived as a dominant and inescapable force. Various characters exemplify this theme, and each action generates an uncontrollable chain of events, ultimately leading to many deaths. The main character, Anton Chigurh, embodies the idea of fate and becomes the moral of free will and fate in the novel. Cormac McCarthy’s use of setting and tone helps develop the overall moral of the story.

Paragraph 1: Tom Bell Set in West Texas alongside the U.S.-Mexican border in the late 1980s, the environment plays an important role in the drug trade and creates a perception of danger and seclusion. This connects with the novel's themes about the chaos in society, perceived through the view of Sheriff Bell who grapples

The border itself symbolizes the blurred lines indicating the themes of conflict, chaos, and morality connecting to the characters' internal conflicts in the novel. Mainly narrated through the eyes of Bell, a man who consistently struggles with his inner confidence to maintain outer peace and a steady and safe community. Unaware of the increase of danger, surrounding the face of great chaos. Specifically, a dangerous drug deal gone wrong, explaining the violence associated with the illegal drug trade across the border. Tom Bell, sheriff of Terrel County, Texas, and a World War II veteran. A man who values ethics, morality, and ethics, yet finds it difficult to maintain order in a world full of violence due to his struggle with guilt over his past actions in the war. This act drives him to join law enforcement to make up for what he did in the past. Early in the novel, “I believe that whatever you do in your life, it will get back to you. If you live long enough, it will. ” This quote analyzes the harsh trauma Sheriff Bell carries which limits him

From this moment on, the text provides evidence of the purpose of fate and free will, implying that everyone has a choice in the outcome of their own life. Each choice taken influences the path of their lives, but no matter what action is taken, death will always be the outcome. Antonne Chigurh embodies the theme of fate, representing the elements of luck and chance seen through various interactions with other characters in the story. An example of this is shown through Chigurh’s random killings of his victims, and the process of elimination taking place all falling into a 50/50 coin flip toss. The coin serves as the idea that each decision taken will decide one’s future, on the other hand, it also serves as a meaning of chance, the process of the nature of decision-making. It’s nineteen fifty-eight. It’s been twenty-two years to get here. And now it’s here! And I’m here to help. And I’ve got my hand on it. And it’s either heads or tails. And you have to say,. Call It” (pg 56) As the page goes on the gas station clerk calls heads and luckily the coins land in his favor. Although Chigurh savagely murders people throughout the book, he allows his victims to have the chance to either survive or die. He is an instrument of destiny, setting his philosophy on the principle of