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On p. 52 in my version of the book, there is a quote that begins like this: "They stood on the far shore of the river..." Find this paragraph and explain what it means to you.
He fills the tub with water. She asks why he's taking a bath. He says he isn't...so what is it that he's doing here?
Why does the man play cards with the boy...or, rather, why is it so important that he does?
On p. 55 in my version of the book, there is a quote that begins like this: "No lists of things..." What are your thoughts on this paragraph?
She says there used to be three bullets, but now there are only two. What happened to that third bullet?
Why do "women dream of danger to those in their care and men of danger to themselves?
Why do you think her heart was ripped out of her the night her son was born? This goes against a mother's natural instincts...
Why do you think that the boy's reaction to her leaving was so emotionally cold?
Why won't the boy talk to him for a while in this section?
"Where you've nothing else construct ceremonies out of the air and breathe upon them." What is important about this?
When the man mentions that the guy he killed was the first person he had talked to in a year (besides his son), why does he refer to the man as "my brother at last?"
The snow presents practical problems, but what do you think it might symbolize?
What is quoits? Gotta look that one up...
40 comments:
The paragraph that begins, "No lists of things to be done," to me is just showing how the only thing the man and his son have to worry about is getting down south. They have no home to take care of, no job to go to, no worries. There is no sense of time because they have no schedule. They have nothing of material value, they only have each other. They are each other's pain, each other's joy, each other's everything.
I believe that the mother's heart was ripped out the night her son was born because of the desperate situation she was in. By this point, there was obvious dangers around her and by giving birth, she was exposing her son to these dangers as well. It might not seem like a very motherly reaction, but deep down, she was still trying to protect her son from the world. Before his birth, she had some hope inside of her, in the form of her unborn son. She hoped that he would somehow be saved from the world even though she couldn't protect him. When he was born, her hope was lost like his safety was.
Why won't the boy talk to him for a while in this section?
The boy won’t talk to him mainly because of what the boy has just gone through. Not only is he in physical shock from being in a traumatic situation. He also just saw his positive role model do something horrible. Even if the action saved the boy’s life, it was still a bad thing to do. In the boy’s eyes the man is the good guy, and typically “good” guys don’t shoot people. The boy is never really aggressive, and is kind of a pacifist. The boy is also very innocent and never wants to see anyone die, even if that person threatened his own life. So the boy is angry and the man for killing that attacker, even if it was only to defend the boy. The boy takes out this anger by giving the man the cold shoulder. This is the only way the boy knows how to react to what he is feeling.
I can only make an assumption as to why he fills the tub full of water and says that he is not taking a bath. He mentions something about seeing something that resembled a great flame in the distance, and I believe he was trying to save him and his wife. But how he possibly could have known or even successfully done that I still do not know. It leaves me baffled and I hope that it will be revealed later in the novel.
I think the boy's mother was distraught at giving birth because she knew what a desolate, difficult and cruel world he was being brought into. I suppose she couldn't handle the entire ordeal which is why she left.
The boy's reaction to her leaving was detached maybe because that was the only way he knew how to deal with it, maybe because he knew she was going to leave at some point... seems like he's pretty smart for being young, even though he doesn't say much. He knows he has to be strong and trudge on no matter the circumstances so that may have contributed to his silence/withdrawal.
Also, I'm glad the man didn't tell the boy about what he saw in the bottom of the trailer. It might seem obvious not to tell him but I think it would have hurt him a lot to know there are still dead bodies piled upon each other and will be for a long time.
And for some reason I really like the quote "Who is anybody?" on p 49 about seeing tracks in the snow on the road... how metaphorical.
The paragraph "no lists of things..." reminds me of time. How time in their world means pretty much nothing. In 2k11 time is important. We must be to school, work, events, etc on time. Because there are other people that rely on time, we rely on time. Without others, time wouldn't mean so much. We could do what we wanted when we wanted. Also it reminds me of when someone says has something they love and it means a lot to them, the revoking of it causes much grief -- how closely happiness and sadness are even though they are "opposites." And through all the hardships the man has been through he knows he is fighting for the boy, if the boy didn't exist he wouldn't exist.
Quoits: a (pretty) old game sort of like horseshoes that is made up of people throwing rings at spikes, originated in ancient Greece.
The way I interpreted the scene, the man starts to fill the bathtub with water to conserve it because of the nuclear blast. Right before he fills the tub, he looks out the window and spots a "dull rose glow", which is the blast itself. He knows it will only be a matter of time before the water stops running (because the electricity goes out because of the EMP) so he begins to fill the bathtub to save water for future use.
The man is filling the bath because he knows there is no other way he will be able to conserve the water when everything else goes out, (power etc).
At first, it seemed like the third bullet was used on the woman but then it goes to say she seemed to stab herself with something "sharper than steel, the edge an atom thick"....
The woman states that they're "the horror walking dead" or something along those lines, implying that she didn't want her son to experience that. Who were they kidding? < she seemed to think. She didn't want someone so precious to her to have to go through the hard life they were living at the time, it broke her heart.
The boy's reaction was probably so cold because he felt like she was being selfish. He probably didn't understand it at the time, so to him it looked like she just didn't care enough about him to say goodbye. However, in reality, she couldn't bare the pain.
After the murder of the man in the woods (happening right in front of this young boy's eyes), the boy would not talk to his father. This is probably because he has been so let down and disappointed by his dad in so many ways, who happens to be someone he looks up to and is a role model to him. And then he just watches his dad kill someone, pretty much the worst crime you can commit... you don't have to be old or even mature to understand that killing someone is so much more than wrong.
The snow, to me, kind of represents that maybe there is some hope and light, maybe they will get out of this situation....
The boy’s reaction to his mothers leaving really surprised me. He, to me, did not really seem phased, as if he knew it would happen it was only a matter of time. Just from reading her conversation between her and the man I could tell she was very lost within what was going on around her, and she was struggling with the world around her and just wanted a way out. I think the boy knew that and he knew it was only a matter of time before she left. He was prepared for that day for a long time, and when it finally came he was not surprised.
When she said that her heart was ripped out the day she had her son that was reason enough for me to believe she really wanted out of the world around her. She did not want to bring a child into that world. She even said she would take him with her if it were not for the man. She really wanted a way out. She couldn’t handle it anymore. The boy knew that.
Humans have a very difficult time just surviving life. They must live it. They must have some sort of meaning. We can't just eat, sleep, and poop. We have to also be clean, comfortable, entertained... McCarthy seems to be describing this tendency when he said "construct ceremonies out of the air and breathe upon them." The man likely knows that nothing will come from cleaning the blood and grime from the boy's hair. It has nothing to do with survival. It is simply a "ceremony" to keep them grounded to a reality not completely governed by chaos. Keeping clean just seems like a civilized and human thing to do. It has always been a human tendency to fall into habits that improve survival very little, even when survival seems like it should be the top priority. These little habits or “ceremonies” help us feel like we are something more than animals.
I think the man filled the bath-tub with water for another reason. I just thought maybe that was how he survived the blast. There is only said to be a few ways to survive on being in water, the refrigerator, mutations, ect. Plus, the water wouldn't come out forever unless it wasn't an electrical system. If that was the case then he was getting every last drop that he could to have for later. His reaction seemed very quick on his feet. It didn’t seem like he put much thought into what he was doing.
In this section, the boy refuses to talk to him because although he knew it was necessary, he had just witnessed his father comitting murder. The boy seems grown up, but in reality he is still just a small child. He doesn't realize in what a truly horrible situation him and his father are in. So, from the boy's point of view, his father, the person he looks up to most in the world, just killed someone.
In this section, the boy won't talk to the man for a while because of an incident in the woods. It happened like this: after waking to the sound of a diesel truck on the road, the man and the boy took for the woods for cover. As they hid in a ditch by an old road, one of the suspicious men from the truck started heading towards them. One quick-witted conversation (in which the man really shows his intelligence) and threat to the boy's life later, the stranger is dead and the man and the boy are continuing on their way. I think that the boy was so quiet for a while after that because, first of all, he was stunned at his dad's defensive display, and, secondly, he was terrified about the stranger taking him and threatening to kill him.
in filling the bathtubs, the man is showing his instinct for survival again. if you're in a situation where it may soon be hard to acquire water, the best idea is to go fill up the bathtubs in the house, so you will have stores of water for whenever you may need it.
the cards are important because they offer a distraction from the reality of their world, it provides maybe the only fun they'll have. and if you don't have distractions and fun, it's a lot easier to drive yourself insane.
they started off with three bullets in the gun, one for him, one for his wife, and one for his son. in case the world went to hell and they needed a quick way out, there was a quick death for each of them. but his wife already decided to use up her bullet, so now there's two people, and two bullets.
her heart was ripped out of her because they probably had enough trouble getting enough supplies for two people to survive, and now they'd need to get supplies for three. and as much as a mother loves her child, in desperate times her own survival can become more important to her. or it's just postpartum depression.
I think “her heart was ripped out of her the night her son was born” because of the situation the mother was in. She knew she was brining her son into a life were the world was going down under. Even though feeling the way she did does go against a mother’s natural instinct, she felt that no life at all was better than life in the world that she lived in. She felt that way because she thought that no life for her son was the best way she could protect him from the world she lived in.
The boy's reaction to his mother leaving was surprising to me. He didn't even mention it the next day. It made me a little frustrated that his mother left. I understand she was upset that he was born into such a cold and horrible world, but he was still her son. She should have stayed with them and at least attempt to fight through it. I also think the boy was so upset about the lightning struck man because it reminded him of the situation with his mother. The boy was alone and helpless and his mother just left him because helping him would result in her death such as helping the man would result in the man's and the boy's death.
"Women dream of danger to those in their care and men of danger to themselves?” I think its that way, because in times like that, a woman would give her life for her child, husband, mother/father, etc., A man doesn’t have the close connection to his child as the mother does, since they’ve had one before the baby was even born. Men, in my opinion would really only think about survival, not the actual survivors.
The mystery of what happened to the third bullet is really bugging me. I kept reading ahead in the story and tried to piece some theories together and I came up with a possible answer. I think that the man may have broken a promise with the boy. That’s why he keeps reminding his father to not break promises. I think the man may have shot the dog the boy saw when there were three bullets in the revolver. Later in the book, the man describes how he tried to make a noose to catch the dog. But unless you wanted the dog dead, why make a noose? The man probably wasn’t able to catch the dog and then shot it. That’s why the dog was gone soon after. His wife killed herself without using the gun in case the man wanted to save himself and the boy later if they were to get into trouble.
Why do you think that the boy's reaction to her leaving was so emotionally cold?
This question was one that I was also thinking about. The boy seems to have such a big heart, and cares for others although he is also in a bad situation. And when his own mother left them (assuming he knew she was going to die) he didn't ask any questions or try to find her, he just let her be. Maybe he knew that she couldn't go on any longer. Or maybe he just knew that she was hopeless..
I think the boy’s reaction to her leaving was so cold because she was never really attached to him like a mother should be. From the moment she gave birth to him she never showed the natural mother instincts. I think it is because of what had happened to the world and how they had to live. She knew that they were not going to live and in bringing a child into the world, it seemed wrong. She couldn’t attach herself to the boy because she felt they were all going to die anyway. So in turn the boy was never attached to her like he is with his father.
The man has deadly accuracy with a pistol apparently. He shot the guy in the head, while the guy was grabbing the kid, and while the man was dropping to his knees. He took one shot and it went through the guys forehead. Not even worried that he could hit the child. He must have known what he was doing, I doubt this was all on instinct. Could he have been in the military? He has a great sense of direction and survival, and has great accuracy with a pistol.
The man plays cards with his son for a couple practical reasons. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. Most card games require a bit of strategy and attention to detail. Some card games even include a bit of math. Other card games require you to be quick and watchful. Besides the lessons learned in card, the games are a distraction from the awful world around them. They’re a fun thing to do father-son wise.
If I had just watched my dad shoot somebody, I think I’d be pretty reluctant to speak to him, too. Especially in the cruel world the pair is living in. To the boy, his father is supposed to be a strong, quick thinker who can keep the two of them safe. Not a murder that shoots people down with their son full understanding of what’s happening.
The point of the bullets were for a quick way out if necessary. The wife used the third bullet. She didn't want to try and survive as the man and boy did.
On p. 55 I think the quote is the man coming to terms that he may die. That there are no lists of things to be done, that he's done all he can. That there is no later, because really if they don't find food they won't be able to survive for that much longer. Yet, the paragraph ends with he speaking to the boy (who is sleeping) saying "so... I have you." When he says this, I think he hasn't given up hope completely yet, wanting to fight and live for his boy as long as possible.
The boy doesn't talk to his father in this section mainly because I think he is in shock from what he just went through.
I think the wife used the third bullet to kill her self. She was hopeless and that's why I think the boys reaction was so cold. he was never actually close to his mother. The mother thought of her son as another person to take care of,to save food and water for. She couldn't actually be filled with joy of having a child because the timing was not right.
Along with Kelsey, Anne, and a few others, i too believe that the wife used the third bullet. The wife came off as a pathetic person to me. I feel like she would have taken the easy way out rather than fought to stay alive for her son. I understand that she was depressed about bringing a child into such a horrible world, but wouldn't it make more sense to dedicated yourself to help him rather then leave him even more alone? It made perfect sense to me that the son was so cold, his mother never acted like she wanted him.
Why do you think her heart was ripped out of her the night her son was born?
I think the answer to this question is because of the situation. The mother was probably thinking about how bad her life was. She was also thinking that it would be better to have no baby, than have one born into this life. Even though it goes against a mother’s natural instincts, I can sort of see her mindset. Once her son was born, the mother probably thought there was no way to protect her son from this life.
The quote "women dream of danger to those in their care and men of danger to themselves" is an attribute to human nature, specifically the difference between men and women. Women throughout history are known for their constant worrying about others and often neglect themselves as a result. On the other hand of this is that men often worry most about themselves before they go out of their way to help somebody else. Human nature and the way we behave is most of the time a stereotype. However, this stereotype is often dead on with what really happens.
“They say that women dream of danger to those in their care and men of danger to themselves.” This is a very interesting statement that could be taken several different ways. Here is my take on it:
Women have a maternal instinct. It is in their nature to give everything they have and more to protect their child or loved one. Mother Nature made them that way. So, it makes sense that women would dream of danger to those in their case. So, what about men? “They” say that men dream of danger to themselves. This strikes me in two different ways. First, that men dream of danger to themselves because they are selfish. Since they do not carry the child in a relationship, men do not need the maternal instinct of protection that women are given. So, they care only about protecting themselves. Perhaps that is the meaning, or perhaps not. Perhaps men dream of danger to themselves because they are afraid of being unable to take care of their loved ones. If a man was killed, then who would look after his wife? His children? His family and friends?
That’s how I see it, anyways.
I think that the mother meant by saying her heart had been ripped out was that she gave birth to a son when the world around them was falling apart. She knew her son was not going to have a good life, that the days of easy living were over. He was going to be born into a free-for-all world, in which she believes him to have very little chance of living.
i think the man played cards with the boy because he wanted to keep some part of the old world with them. It was also something to keep him from his thoughts
my guess as to why he was filling up the tub was to get as much water as he could while he still could. He saw fires in the distance and wanted to prepare. i think the woman didnt care for her son becuase she could only think of another mouth to feed and care for, there was nothing good about having a child when the world was falling apart.
The mothers heart was ripped out of her chest when her son was born because she knew that he would be born into a dangerous world from the beginning and there was nothing he or she could do about it. She knew he would be in danger and didn't want that for her son. Her heart was ripped out because she couldn't do anything to help his situation and knew of no other way to save him from the dangerous world than to take him back out of it.
The use of the third bullet is still a mystery to me. Yes, at first i thought well she obviously used it on herself. She didn't want to live anymore in a world of no hope. But as I read on, I began to wonder otherwise. There are so many instances in my eyes where it seems the father has used a bullet to save themselves. Also, when the father claims he'd taught her himself with something sharp, it makes me believe he is talking about a way of killing herself.
It is a motherly instinct to dream of danger to those in their care more than themselves. Men on the other hand, do not have that natural instinct to care and watch over someone as a mother does. The mother dreamed of danger to her son and that is another reason why her heart was ripped out the day he was born. Women would rather sacrifice themselves than have someone they are responsible to care for be the victim.
The snow seems to symbolize a clean slate and beauty in a country that is so desolate and destructive. Every time it falls in the novel it seems to clear the dark and ash filled world with its white color. Snow I think also represents innocence. It is funny how something so pure and innocent could still exist in a country filled with terror and hurt. Even after America had changed so much in the novel, one of the things that had been there when the country was normal was snow. The snow is a little glimmer of hope that the country might go back to normal, that things could change back to the way they once were.
The boy won't talk to the man because he just witnessed him shoot a man in the head, and then had blood and gore plastered on him. Any person, especially a child would be in shock from an event like this.
I think that the man plays cards with his son to keep something constant in their travels. It also helps to keep their minds occupied.
The paragraph that begins with "No lists of things to be done" is quite powerful. It shows that time is not important when every day is unscheduled. They have no plans, therefore no reason to worry about time. The second part of the paragraph shows just how much the man cares about the boy. It shows that the boy causes him pain, not necessarily in the physical sense, but through that pain he finds joy.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of snow is the word pure. Which in this book snow seems to symbolize a pureness and healing in this country that needs a pure and healing touch. Snow also symbolizes a calmness and peacefulness when it falls, in a way it is as if it lays a "blanket" over a darkened, gray colored country. Lastly, snow symbolizes hope and happiness. It shows another side to what the country could evolve into once again.
The mother saw her son being born into hell where she nor her husband could provide a safe living enviroment. Where the father was willing to push through the hard times the child and he would have, she decided to take her own life in order to escape a horrible future living in fear protecting her child.
I am a little puzzled on why women dream of danger to those in their care, maybe because they feel as if they are the ones to safe them and that's why they're dreaming about them to save them. Women are the more nurturing and loving and giving type, where as men feel as if they can take care of themselves in every situation brought to their attention. I agree with Lauren on saying the mother felt as if she was still trying to protect her son from the world, she had hope and faith inside of her and when she gave birth the hope was lost along with the safety.
The reaction that the boy had to his mother leaving didn't really surprise me. I think him not caring was a defense against the hurt that a child would ordinarily feel upon being deserted by a loved one. Because the mother "had her heart ripped out" when her son was born, I think she took pains to emotionally distance herself from her son. If we assume she had her heart ripped out because she either knew of the dangers ahead, or was worried about all the bad things that can happen to children, I think the mother distanced herself from her son in order to protect herself if she lost him or vice versa. So, I don't think the fact that the boy was very emotionless and apathetic to the fact that his mother apparently deserted him is surprising.
I think the mother said her heart was ripped out the day her son was born because of the world they're living in. This is no place for a child to live in and she knows that they're all going to die anyway.
The boy's reaction to the mother leaving was so emotionally cold because he understands the situation that they are in. He saw how much his mom was suffering and probably knew that this was going to happen soon enough.
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