In many great works, there is often a layer of thematic writing that the author placed for the more astute in their reading audience, and Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men is no exception. Throughout the novel, McCarthy succeeds in expertly lacing his compelling narrative with symbolic language, thematic tones, and a deeper meaning that those who wish to may uncover. Through the reading No Country, one is able to see such literary elements as the personification of evil, the permanence of sin, a corruption of the common theme of communion, and a strong connection between the setting or geography and the events of the story, oftentimes relating back to biblical and mythological foundations.
Often times, one can find symbolism and personification in the same sense
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This can be seen in several ways, from the time of day to their geographic location, McCarthy expertly laces the narrative with imagery and details that connect setting to story. Towards the end of the novel, for example, as Moss is shot and lands in the river, one is able to see the redeeming qualities of the water and its ability to cleanse those who bathe in it. While this was not an instance of “bathing,” the ability water historically holds to wash away filth or sin is easily visible in the scene. Because Moss lands in the water and essentially cleanses himself, he can be seen as washed clean of the mistakes made through the entirety of the novel, and the offering of a new start, which is often shown in No Country for Old Men as death. The ties to geography do not stop at Moss’ splash in the river, either. For instance when Moss returns from Mexico, crossing over the Rio Grande, McCarthy depicts him as an enlightened, Christ-like figure, who is much more at peace with his situation than he was previously, before he