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The Road

The Gender Roles and Balance in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road

Many scholars have argued that Cormac McCarthy’s novels portray sexism and are

intended to portray women as an inferior gender. McCarthy’s novels have depicted both and

bright side of the male and female gender, and hence the argument that the novels are

misogynistic is misguided. Post-apocalyptic fiction involves works such as novels whose settings

are after the end of the world where the characters fight for their survival to start afresh. The

characters had limited control to the end of the world happening since it occurs due to natural

disasters, war, plague or other factors that could not be controlled. The setting of The Road is in

a post-apocalyptic America where a father and a son are on a journey several years after an

extinction event. The post-apocalyptic American setting is a land covered with ash, which

seemingly cannot support life and hence everyone is in the race for their survival. There have

been critical arguments from scholars such as Berit Astrom, that McCarthy’s works are

misogynistic and propel women marginalisation. The scholar argues that the mother is a non-

entity who has no impact in the lives of the son and the husband, and in the long run, the mother

ends up committing suicide (Åström, 2018, p.114). However, this chapter seeks to negate the

critical arguments through an illustration from the text and works of different scholars.

The death of the mother prepares the background and setting of the novel

During the time of the extinction event, the boy’s mother committed suicide while she

was pregnant. Suicide is not a sign of weakness since it could happen to every other individual

regardless of their gender. The mother expresses suicide as a lover who would give her what no

one else could “You can think of me as a faithless slut if you like. I've taken a new lover. He can

give me what you cannot.”. As a result, the author was not expressing a point of weakness of the

female gender but giving the order of events before the novel setting. The author was preparing

the readers to understand the extinction event, which wiped away the aspects of life. The best

way to express a world devoid of life is either through the expression of the death of children or

their mother (Bortz, 2011, p.29). In The Road, the author attempts to clear the quaternity image

ambiguity expressed in the No Country for Old Men. “The image foreshadowed the extinction

and possibly the likelihood that some individuals ought to be ready to integrate the unconscious

content” (Josyph, 2010, p.107).

McCarthy eradicates the feminine character from the picture and expresses the

fundamental problem and the question of what is left for humanity. Ideally, the masculine figures

in the text have been used to show inadequate humanity through the killings in the novel. The

author had to eradicate the feminine character to reveal the inhumane nature of the masculine

figures (Bortz, 2011, p.40). From the order of the events in the novel, the feminine character

restores sanity and was eradicated to ensure that the inhumane nature of the masculine characters

is revealed. As opposed to the feminist objective of the text, McCarthy’s the road is a

complementary text that seems to express the ideas in No Country for Old Men. The unnamed

father sees his son as a divine being who is ready to transform the world even after his death. The

father ensures that he introduces the son to life, and ensures that he is strong enough to exist in

the unfriendly world. The image of the son represents the development of the cultural myth

(Lofquist, 2015, p.4). McCarthy uses the image of the father and son to express the future. The

father is confident that the son is able to transform the world through the acknowledgement of

the consciousness, and the sacred responsibility of transforming and changing the post-

apocalyptic world. The role of the eradicated feminine figure had already been accomplished,

and the author did not see the value of making the feminine figure a major character in the text.

Ideally, the child was the most significant character in the novel to transform post-apocalyptic

America (Bortz, 2011, p.10). The father, who is a masculine character, has no hope of living and

dies just after his role is accomplished. In essence, the text does not show the misogynistic

character of McCarthy’s work but appear to be works that complement each other through the

expression of points and ensuring that ideas are expressed concisely with no ambiguity.

Gender roles’ expression of the community beliefs and gender constructs

The writing of every novel is based on a certain setting which has different views on

gender roles based on the community beliefs and approach. It is irrational to begin an analysis of

gender roles and the discrimination against women in the text without paying closer attention to

the gender roles alignment. It is significant to assess how the characters in the pre-apocalyptic

and apocalyptic America spent their lives. Gender roles refer to the ideal behaviours expected

from both genders. In the traditional world, men were considered as the stronger and tougher sex

and hence, some roles were primarily theirs, especially those that required individual effort. The

society expects that since men are the stronger sex, they have the mandate of ensuring that the

women, children and community is safe (Lofquist, 2015, p.3). Their physical abilities

complement the kind of work and roles that men are expected to handle. It was irrational for a

man to express his emotions since they were viewed as the instruments of protecting society, and

masculinity was an instrument that emphasised competitiveness and aggressiveness. On the

contrary, women were viewed as the weaker sex, whose role was caring for the people that

surround them.

The unnamed man in the novel, together with his wife and other adults in the society

were raised in the pre-apocalyptic and apocalyptic America. As a result, they are expected to

have knowledge of gender constructs and roles in society and practice them as they should. The

post-apocalyptic novel, therefore, is a definite representation of the perfect society that the

characters lived. The apocalyptic period did not erode the culture during the extinction process,

and hence, the individuals that were left in the community ought to practice what the culture

demands. It would be very unfortunate if the author presented the feminine gender as the

superior sex while in a real sense, the community and society, in general, did not value them as

so perceived ((Lofquist, 2015, p.3). Every novelist ought to ensure that the quality of their

content is in line with the cultural context to ensure that the readers are able to associate with the

novel. McCarthy wrote the text in the context of a community that valued men as the aggressive

sex and hence they were tasked with the role of impacting the community, through their strength

and ability (Åström, 2018, p.112). In the writing of any text, it is important to assess the

relevance of the text and its relation to the cultural context. McCarthy’s The Road is a significant

depiction of how society views the masculine and feminine gender. As opposed to the critical

views that the author is a sexist, it can be alternatively defined as a novel which suited the

context of the society which the characters lived. Gender roles are socially constructed in the

history and pre-apocalyptic culture, as opposed to the belief that the author has the control and

influence in the determination of the roles of the male and female characters in the novel.

The Mother’s commitment in McCarthy’s “The Road”

In as much as the mother’s suicide was not justifiable, she explains the reason for giving

up her stunt felinity and material role. Before committing suicide, she clearly expressed that even

though she had no reason for living for herself, she had at least a reason for dying for herself

(Lofquist, 2015, p.7). She further says that man should not expect weakness or sorry from her

since her heart was ripped out the night that the boy was born. After revealing the suicidal

feelings, she takes the position to cut her throat (Lofquist, 2015, p.6). The mother had seemingly

realised that the society had taken a harsh position on women and was not able to put up with the

situation. As opposed to the feeling of fear and weakness in the feminine characters, the act

seems courageous, though unjustifiable since it is the first instance that a woman takes a definite

position in their life. She had many things to care about including family and herself, but when

she realised that society had embraced different cultural and historical beliefs, she decided to

take a different path in life.

McCarthy in The Road uses the example of the main feminine character in the text to

possibly show the end of the feminine oppression that has existed in the past (McCarthy, 2006,

286). The divine child symbolised a new society and community and hence could be associated

with new developments in the generation that ought to arise (Bortz, 2011, p.40). Critical

arguments portray McCarthy as a sexist novelist who always expresses women as an inferior

race (Åström, 2018, p.120). Ben Astrom argues that “By simultaneously reinforcing traditional

stereotypes and embracing ‘new’ fatherhood that is predicated on the elision of mothers,

McCarthy and his critics present a futuristic world in which the only parent who is needed is the

father. The mother is thus effectively written out of the family” (2018, p.114). However, a

critical approach towards the same proves that the author expressed a new generation that ought

to have sanity in the approach of things. The older generation, including the father, died in the

end, and hence, it should be expected that the period after the novel setting will be characterised

by gender equality as opposed to the existing discrimination against women.

In every culture and context, the role of women is defined as the upbringing of the

society (children and husband) through ensuring that the minor issues are addressed. Among the

roles of women in society and family is acting as a healer or a spiritual leader (Kuhne, 2012,

p.22). According to Kuhne, the act of McCarthy’s elimination of the major woman character is

justifiable since the book covers the greater aspect of father-son relationship and the masculine

roles in difficult moments (p.24). Throughout the text, and before the mother commits suicide,

the husband and wife appear to be in a position of the same rank or the hierarchy, and there is no

defined superordinate-subordinate relationship between the two. In essence, McCarthy shows

that the relationship between the husband and wife is mutual, and there is no boundary between

the two. However, the role of the husband differs from the role of the wife. In the case of the

mother, she assumed the role of a spiritual leader in the family and was ready to sacrifice

anything, provided the family enjoyed. Her suicide makes her role that of a martyr who

sacrificed her life so that the son and the husband could enjoy and ultimately act as the beginning

of a new life (Lofquist, 2015, p.8). As a result, it would be irrational to argue that the author

expressed the mother as a weaker being as opposed to her courage in ensuring that she did what

she believed was right.

Post-apocalyptic change in the gender roles

The author prepares a change in society based on gender characteristics and preferences.

In contemporary society, children are expected to have some neutrality in gender roles since they

have no defined secondary sex characteristics. In society, students are expected to take the

character of their role models and have the masculinity and femininity after a certain stage of

development. The fact that the boy in McCarthy’s novel, The Road was born in post-apocalyptic

America makes him different from his parents. The boy did not have a chance to experience the

masculine-stressed environment, and hence, he did not have the pressure to behave in a certain

way to stress his masculine nature and character (McCarthy, 2006, 1). His behaviour, therefore,

ought not to assume any gender since the context of his growth and development taught him that

the role of the parents as opposed to the role of the mother and father. There was a time that his

father could do maternal roles since the mother was not present. In some instances, such as when

the father kills a stranger attacking the boy, he bathes his son to wash the blood of his body,

which is a defined role of women in the cultural context (Lofquist, 2015, 11). The boy grew

without the knowledge of the gender roles but the acknowledgement that parents are supposed to

help their children and protect them regardless of the conditions under their operation. The

masculine roles that the boy develops are neutralised by the feminine roles he learned from the

father and is gender neutral. The death of both parents whose upbringing was in the pre-

apocalyptic America is a symbolic death of the gender roles and discrimination against women.

The boy learns from the events that happen around him without paying attention to the pre-

apocalyptic America, and what he learns is permanent and ought to be relevant in society. At one

point in the novel, McCarthy outlines, “Just remember that the things you put into your head are

there forever (McCarthy. 2006, p.14.” The boy represents a generation or a society that

appreciates every being as equal and divides the role based on ability and capability as opposed

to the inferiority complex. The author symbolically leads to the extinction of the gender biases

and the sexist belief that the society had developed in pre-apocalyptic America.

McCarthy’s The Road is a story after an apocalypse, and hence it touches the end and the

beginning of times, generations or societies. The story deals with the contingencies of the

mythoi, masculinity and femininity, and social processed, and later gets to the sense of

beginnings. To express his point to the readers, McCarthy uses social constructs, differentiation

and myths to ensure that the readers identify with the issues handles in the novel. The

differentiation and other social constructs in the novel allow the readers to have different

interpretations and contingencies based on their understanding of the text. He forms complex

situations that give readers the basis of interpreting social systems and different scenes and

hence, effective communication. The author has a sense of passing information through creating

characters that assume different behaviours explaining the different historical constructs that

existed. In The Road, McCarthy uses one main feminine character to express the different views

on women in the pre-apocalyptic America. However, it should not be confused to the fact he was

establishing and defining the boundaries of two cultures, by portraying an end and a beginning.

Critical arguments about the author’s misogynistic works are opinions and different

interpretation of many scholars and authors, as opposed to the primary objective of Cormac

McCarthy.

Suttree

The role and expression of women in McCarthy’s Suttree

Many critics and scholars have argued that Cormac McCarthy uses a male-centred approach,

claiming that his works are misogynistic. Some scholars do not agree that McCarthy’s works are

misogynistic but argue that the works critique the male leadership skills through expressing the

dominance and in some instances, the failures alongside the domination. McCarthy’s works have

an interrelation, and in all the novels, he symbolically expresses different points or explains the

points that were seemingly ambiguous in the previous novels. As opposed to the idea that

McCarthy’s novels are misogynistic; his works are such that they appreciate the nature of the

society and the environment of the writing. As a result, he attempts to write as per the

environmental structure and not expressing his sexist beliefs. Suttree, McCarthy’s fourth novel,

whose setting is in the urban city of Knoxville, Tennessee. The setting of the novel is in the early

‘50s before the women liberation, and civil rights movements had political influences. The novel,

therefore, depicts a society with the stigmatisation of different groups such as gay, women and

people of colour. The author takes a stance in the identification with the marginalised and

stigmatised groups and hence records events that could happen in the context of the then

environment. The narrative of Cornelius Suttree, as fronted by Cormac McCarthy, introduces the

readers to his middle-class upbringing and the idea of embracing everyone who has been

extracted from the larger community context.

The mother is made an important character in Suttree

McCarthy’s Suttree is based on the protagonist’s identification with the mother as opposed to the

father. In the novel, Suttree and his mother have a deep and complex relationship showing the

relevance of the female parent in every family (Vagnes, 2012, p.5). Critical arguments have been

outlined that Cormac McCarthy’s works are sexist and misogynistic, but an analysis of the

mother-son relationship in McCarthy’s Suttree proves differently. Suttree moves to the realm of

her mother, a low-class background showing the impact that the mother had in his life. His

identity is sort through shifting to the realm of his mother (Knoxville). Symbolically, McCarthy

names the mother grace showing that the mother was Suttree’s ultimate salvation (Vagnes, 2012,

p.6). The role of the mother as a parent is felt when she helps Suttree identify himself with

gender and conquer the fear and anxiety revolving around homosexuality. “She gives Suttree

insight into his sexuality and gender identity which enables him to transgress the fear of

homosexuality and his anxieties of mother castration” (Vagnes, 2012, p.6). as opposed to the

beliefs that McCarthy’s works are misogynistic, the father image in Suttree is not what an ideal

misogynistic writer would represent. “He mentally persecutes the protagonist, threatening his

autonomy. He represents the voices which want to oppress and condemn, which is a

manifestation of the Law—the law of the society which ensures racism, sexism and homophobia.

(Vagnes, 2012, p.6)” While comparing gender roles, differences and biases in Suttree using the

father and the mother, it is clear that McCarthy was not misogynistic, but gave special attention

to the world views and the events that ought to happen in the society. The author expressed

different stereotypical representation of parents. He shows the different character of parents that

makes them act in the right way, especially towards their children.

McCarthy’s Suttree shows the significance of a mother to their son through the

expression of the protagonist character identifying with the mother as opposed to the general

expectations. Suttree is metaphorically made to fear losing his masculinity by being threatened

with castration. McCarthy expresses how Suttree repudiates his father, favouring a pre-oedipal

return to his mother. Vagnes explains the psychological distress that an individual undergoes

upon the separation with their mother (Vagnes, 2012, p.14). Vagnes uses Klein's theory to

explain how the bond between a mother and their son increases from infancy, and how the bond

with their father declines, especially if the father is not careful in the approach towards their

relationship. Emotional life and the attraction to either parent is object-oriented or attached

(Vagnes, 2012, p.14). The breast is a good object, and hence, the mother in Suttree was better

placed to attract the son than the father. Suttree cannot stand the abandonment of his mother

based on the prior object relationship. Suttree remembers the love between the mother and

himself, but thinks that he had abandoned her and needs to get along (Vagnes, 2012, p.15).

Cormac McCarthy symbolically uses the mother, the father and Suttree to show the gender roles

in a family and the affectionate relationship. His illustrative writing in the novels, in this case,

Suttree, gives the readers a symbolic and more practical meaning of how the family relationship

works. As opposed to the critical views of the misogynistic orientation of Cormac McCarthy’s

works, it is evident that the author uses illustrative expressions regardless of the gender to show

the practicality and the seriousness of an issue. Suttree is a novel that expresses the interests of

families and the significance of both parents in the family.

McCarthy’s Suttree is enlightenment on the importance of women in society

Suttree has to be read studied and analysed in a self-reflexive depiction of contemporary society

and the beliefs of the same society. The society embraces patriarchy in which every gender has

definite roles to play. McCarthy uses the paradox of the lack of women in the society, which

would result in chaos and uncontrollable events (Vagnes, 2012, 19). The lack of women is

symbolically represented through the absence of the mother in the life of Suttree. In the novel,

McCarthy tries to picture a society whose men search for a new identity through discarding the

oppressive father and reconnecting with the lost feminine characters and their roles (Vagnes,

2012, p.20). Vagnes explains that it is important to realise and embrace the context within which

the author bases their arguments and explanations. In as much as McCarthy appreciates that

hegemonic masculinity has overtaken the society, it is important to understand how he shows the

restoration of glory in the life of Suttree through the revelation of his mother.

McCarthy’s Critical aspect of the hegemonic masculinity

McCarthy critically expresses the male dominance in economic and social power through the

description of Suttree’s father. The protagonist’s father is an oppressive and conformist figure in

society. As a lawyer, he represents ancient patriarchy, which subjects’ women to marginalisation

in Knoxville (Vagnes, 2012, p.21). Suttree believes that the treatment that his father subjected his

mother was unfair. At one point while communicating with his uncle, he says, “John, she’s a

housekeeper. He has no real belief even in her goodness… He probably believes that only his

benevolent guidance kept her out of the whorehouse” (p.22). Suttree is uncomfortable in a

society that mistreats her mother through being governed by hegemonic masculine figures. He

inflicts himself to a low-class status society to identify with the mother after his father, a lawyer,

who should be pursuing gender roles sanity, embraces masculinity and oppression against the

women. Initially, Suttree had inherited the misogynistic character that had dominated the society,

and as a result, had alienated himself from his mother and lost connection and touch (Vagnes,

2012, p.22). McCarthy uses this scenario to show how, after the realisation of the oppression

against women, Suttree makes up his mind to look for his mother. The novel Suttree promotes

gender sensitivity and is a critic to sexism as opposed to the critical arguments from scholars

such as Berit Astrom, categorising McCarthy’s works as misogynistic and sexist.

Mc Carthy description on the role of the Family Institution

Cormac McCarthy describes Sutrree’s life in relation to the role of the family in society. One of

the clear aspects that is visible in the novel is on the sour relationship between him and the

father. In the description of the theme of the family and critique of the institution portrays the

male parent negatively and describes him to be a major cause of the various problems on Suttree.

The family institution has led to the wrong definition of the gender role and makes the wives as

domesticated property an aspect that is criticized by the protagonist in the novel. The Suttree

action of undermining the family that has glorified the victimization of the women in the society

shows the attitude of the author towards male dominance. Suttree states that he sees male

monarchs in every place he gets to something that he dreads and is directly opposed. During his

son's funeral, for instance, he observes the in-laws as they engage in gender-related talks as the

man seats like a king as it was in the traditional American culture. Instead of praising the action,

the author, through the protagonist, views it as an old fashioned action that should not be

encouraged. “The man is seated like a king and their posture looks old fashioned to Suttree. They

are frozen in time, fixed in old gender roles establishing the American culture as traditionally

governed by men such as his biological father” (Vagnes, 2012, p. 29). He relates the view of the

in laws to the oppression that was displayed by his biological father. Luce uses the term

‘fatherland' to show the oppressive nature of the men in American culture. The novel criticizes

the gender politics in the US and any action that promotes the male behaviour of oppression.

McCarthy Despise of the people that Belittles Women

Cormac McCarthy directly despises the life of the male characters of the people that are sexist.

Reese is advised not to engage in any activity with the women by the father. He is warned that he

should never allow a woman to get engaged in any of his business as they are doomed to fail in

life. He takes the advice and does not allow any woman to get close to him even as he goes out to

sell mussel pearls. The business fails massively and gets ridiculed as the pearls are considered

worthless. The disregard and the belittling of the women can be linked to the failure of his

business as he appears to be incompetent despite the ego he possesses as a man (Vagnes, 2012 p.

30). The author depicts that it is not always the men in the society that become successful,

especially when they keep off from the women. He is therefore not sexist as he disregards the

actions of the people that belittle the women in the society. The families that are controlled by

the father in the novels setting are considered not to be naturally developed, but a result of the

cultural beliefs and myths that should be dropped.

Qualities of the Suttree’s Daddy after leaving his Biological Father

Despite running away from his father, that was oppressive Suttree does not remain fatherless as

he encounters various respectable men that advise him whenever he has an issue. The depiction

of the women as respectable and not sexism as contrasted to his father is an indication of the

respect towards the women in the novel. It is an essential aspect that the author describes to show

the necessity for the men to remain respectful to the women for them to be accepted as fathers in

society. Some of the people that act as a father figure to Suttree are the Goat man, the Indian and

Abednego James. They converse of very serious issues in life, and at no time one of them

advises him to keep off from the women or to undertake an action that belittles the female

gender. The application of the term Daddy when Suttree refers to Watson is an indication of the

close relationship he had developed with him, even than his biological father. “They partake in

conversations about death, religion and the afterlife, issues that relate to Suttree’s anxieties,”

(Vagnes, 2012 p. 30). The use of the term also shows the affection that he had with him as

compared to his father. Suttress’s respect towards him more than to the birth father is mainly due

to the oppression portrayed by his biological father and his equals to the family. The attitude of

the male character is described to play a significant role for a person to be referred to as Daddy.

The representation of the Father Figure in the church

Cormac McCarthy describes the church in the novel as the epitome of discrimination and

subordination. As Suttree gets to the church while drunk, he observes the painting in the church

that is meant to condemn the people that are considered as the sinners. It is expected that the

people have to go to the father figure that heads the church and confess him for their actions. The

father figure in the church is described as a persecutory element in the society that condemns

Suttree for his lifestyle. The various aspects of the church that are negatively portrayed include

fat infants and the cracked plaster of the Holy Father. The demands of the church are beyond the

human reach and are all linked to the discrimination of some groups within the community as

their aim is to condemn the actions of other people. The Holy Father discriminates the

marginalized in the society as he is indirectly told that church is not for everybody. The author,

therefore, presents the theme of discrimination by the description of the father figure in the

church. The conformity in terms of the sexual and gender terms is invoked upon the people

through fear (Vagnes, 2012 p. 32). The protagonist rejects the church due to the discrimination

that is portrayed by the father figures. One of the aspects that are promoted by the church is on

the cultural family institution that was oppressive to the women. The lack of conforming to the

authority is indicative of Cormac's despising attitude on any person that is for the discrimination

of any gender or people in a certain social sphere.

The rejection that is present in the church can directly be linked to the Suttree father’s

discrimination and subordination. It is only the men that are only allowed to lead in the church as

it is only focused on the conformity of the people. It is a place that signifies desolation and

falsehood that is propagated by the male characters seeking to invoke fear upon the characters. It

is only considered as a decaying place that is not fit for people to associate with due to the values

that it propagates. It is considered a place only for the male ruler and not a true representation of

the spirituality for all the people. The author criticizes the culture and the church as he views it as

the propagation of mastership by the male, especially in western culture. He states that the house

of the father as it is commonly referred to shun the reality and only thrives in falsehood. The

reverend also is another male character described to be living in falsehood as he condemns

Suttree’s way of life due to his association with the women. “The reverend is thus another

policing authority, harassing the main character using the rhetoric of eternal damnation to ensure

conformity” (Vagnes, 2012 p. 33) The church that is a representative of the male dominance and

the author critically criticizes its role and significance to the people. It is contrasted to the

spirituality offered by the deity-like figure, Mother She. Her representation is not painted on the

walls nor engraved in photographs as the Holy Father. She is a true representation of the people

and a true depiction of spirituality. The Mother She does not undertake any role in condemning

the people but instead represents the reality of the community. All the people are incorporated

and embraced in the spirituality she depicts to the people and is not as fake as the father figure in

the church. The contrast portrayed by the author in the two aspects is a true picture of neither

non-sexism nor misogynic qualities by Cormac McCarthy as he depicts the women rightly when

developing specific themes. The negative description in various aspects towards the female

gender is not intended as prejudice but aimed towards the development of specific themes.

All the Pretty Horses

Gender Balance in All the Pretty Horses

The opening chapter of Cormac McCarthy novel All the Pretty Horses begins with the

description of John's Grandfather. It is an essential part of the novel as it forms the basis of the

themes developed throughout the novel. Contrary to his earlier novel, the author does not open

up with violent scenes and bizarre richness as it was with Blood Meridian. He, however,

preserves his style of writing and the involvement of various characters. One of the aspects that

is similar to the previous works he had developed is on following the life of a young man to an

unknown journey. John Grady is the protagonist in the novel and is described to be more heroic

in comparison to other primary characters developed in the previous works. Throughout the

journey, John confronts the worldly evils that have formed part of life for all the people. In the

description of various aspects of the protagonists' life, Cormac does not depict any aspect of

sexism or misogyny as most of his critiques have argued but describes the real-life aspects

experienced in the setting then to develop the various themes.

Mc Carthy Disregard of Gender in development of themes

The development of the various themes in the novel is done without the disregard of the

female gender in society. It is contrary to most of the argument developed by the Critiques of

Cormac McCarthy works that he disregards the women as the novel All the Pretty Horses, they

play a significant role. The author uses the novel to develop the romanticism that was

experienced in Mexico and America during the Cowboy era. He, however, points out that there

were several actions undertaken against the women that should not be tolerated as it was in the

era. The purpose of the novel is not to express the sexist double standards against the women but

to express the issues in the society that should be avoided as they are a form of slavery mainly

due to the glorification of masculinity. The Works of Mc Carthy including the novel has been

interpreted by various authors differently with most of them arguing that his aim was to show the

women as lesser beings in the society, but it was not the case in the novel.

The primary characters, Rawlins and Grady, exhibit high levels of masculinity and are in

a world that can only be described to be unimaginable. Their actions against the women are

visible throughout the novel and are indicative of the disregard of the women that was evident in

Mexico. The themes developed by the author cannot be accomplished without the involvement

of women. One of the themes that are evident in the novel is on Romanticism. It was not possible

to accomplish them with disregard of the role of the women. John Grady is described to have big

dreams, and one of it is to be with his lover Alejandra. The accomplishments of his life would

not be achieved if he did not have a woman that loved her and enjoyed a romantic relationship.

Alejandra is essential to her life, and hence, the author does not intend to portray any sexism or

the prejudice against the women.

Mc Carthy Depiction of Violence by the Male characters

The author mostly depicts the description of the theme of violence through the use of the

male characters. The purpose of every literary work is to communicate a specific message and

also indicate to the reader on the specific aspects of the timing of developing the novel. One of

the aspects that is clear in the novel is violence. It is, however, essential to note that the violence

is not towards the female but mainly on male. As the boys go into the regions of the unknown,

they encounter various aspects of violence that they have to overcome. In handling most of the

situations, they face thy have to engage in violent behaviour and mainly against their fellow men.

If the author were a sexist, the depiction of the theme of violence would be through action

against the women. It is contrary in the Cormac McCarthy works as he depicts them by showing

the violence of the men against their colleagues. In one of the instances, Alejandra's father seeks

to kill John Grady and sends him to prison with the hope that he would not make it. The action is

a depiction of evil on the men and is a sign that the sole aim and purpose of the author was on the

use of the characters to depict a specific theme with less concern of their gender. The only

woman involved in the scene is Alejandra, and despite her weaknesses, she does is not involved

in the evil actions portrayed by the father that are aimed to cause harm to Grady. Her mother was

intentionally omitted in the scene that would have depicted her to be evil if she was present to

support the husband that sought to have Grady killed for getting involved in an affair with her

child. The omission of the mother also shows that the author do not have any prejudice against

the women.

Other instances where the boys were directly involved in violence was in their interaction

with the captain where they were violently threatened as he sought to extract money from the

boys. The men are generally depicted to be evil by the author in All Pretty Horses while the

women are depicted to solve various issues amicably as contrary to when the author is a sexist.

The captain accepts the bribe intending to kill Blevins, which is a show of violence. They state

that “while in prison, admits he has been living a lie: “We think we’re a 92 couple of pretty

tough cowboys . . .They could kill us any time” (Benson, 2012 p. 91) The same issue that

Alejandra's father sought to deal with by killing John Grady was handled effectively by Duena

Alfonsa. The matriarch views herself as the protector to Alejandra and effectively explains to

John why it was impossible for him to get a hand in marriage to Alejandra. She thrived in an era

that was full of violence and due to the power of a woman; she overcame all the challenges by

fitting into the society and became a realist. The ability to adapt in a specific situation that is

violent is an indication of inner strength that could not be described by a sexist. After John Grady

was taken to prison, it is Duena that had mercy upon her and paid to get her released as she knew

that he had not done anything that warranted for such treatment. Alejandra's father took John to

prison, hoping he would die, but Cormac McCarthy describes the strong and motherly sympathy

by Duena that made her pay for the release an aspect that shows no traces of misogyny.

A perfect society envisioned is complete with gender Equality

A perfect society that is envisioned by John would not be against people getting into a romantic

relationship. It was not, however, the case in the novel's setting is it is a depiction of an era that

the people were against their relationship. Cormac McCarthy sought to express the necessity of

the women in the completion of a romantic relationship, but it was not realized due to the beliefs

exhibited by the society. It is not the man's family that was against the relationship, but the

Alejandra's as they thought the relationship was costly socially to her life. “In Mexico truth

exists as an elastic, fabricated notion, manipulated by those in power with personal agendas”

(Benson, 2012 p. 52)The aspect described aimed at showing the necessity of the women towards

the men living an accomplished life, but the reality of the biasness in the society affects its

realization. John was ready to go against the norm and have Alejandra, but he gets informed by

Duena that the cost of their romantic love would be too much for him to bear and should

abandon it. She “recognizes the strength of Cole’s sexual immersion, but warns him of her

nephew’s inflexible protection of Alejandra’ (Wainwright, 2016 p. 41). The author is not against

the women but describes the societal factors that made it hard for them to make the world better

for their children and men.

The Description of Male’s suffering

The suffering described in the novel is not only towards the women but also in the men. After

John Grady left Texas at the age of sixteen, he faced hostility on his journey to Mexico that left

him physically abused. The harsh life is not only conditioned for a specific gender but is

developed to depict them of violence in the novel. It is after facing the harsh conditions that he

realizes the realities of the world. He also comprehends the hardships of life that he has to

contend with despite his gender and he has to keep off the views of a good life that he thought he

would have as envisioned when he was at the young age. Upon getting back to his homeland, he

is more sensitive to the various aspects of life that did not form part of his life. The challenges

described in the novel are not linked to the individual's gender but the aspect of becoming of age.

The women are also encouraged to take back what is rightfully theirs without seeking sympathy

in society. Every person is described to become of age depending on their realization of what is

expected of them in the society, and it is only possible through by fighting for what is rightfully

theirs.

Mc Carthy description of Dangerous Male Characters

As John Grady was exploring the land in the unknown regions, the fiction describes one of the

characters that he met. Jimmy Blevins is described as a dangerous boy that steals their horse. It is

an aspect that is indicative of the author not being biased towards a specific gender. Grady and

Rawlins realize that they are in a world that they could not understand nor comprehend as they

ride into Mexico. At one occasion Belvin and the horse disappeared in a thunderstorm, and they

had to look into the nearby town to get the horse and the clothing. The depiction of the boy as

being evil is descriptive of the focus of Cormac to use any author in bringing out a specific

theme with a high disregard of their gender. The boy is a true definition of evil and probably one

of the worst characters in the novel as he manages to steal back the horse. It was on the journey

that Grady met Alejandra, who was from an aristocratic family. It is through the interactions and

the breeding of their horses that he loved her and sought to get into marriage. It is her aunties that

knew that she was not fit for him due to her rebellious character. The description of the aunt is

indicative of the author's much respect of the women towards having the people achieves the

best. The author, therefore, does not portray the women-only negatively as most of the critiques

argue but delivers specific messages concerning the specific setting of the novel with less focus

on their gender.

The Development of self-Awareness after the Mother Left

One of the aspects that the author describes in the novel is the necessity of self-awareness. The

abandonment of Cole's mother is an aspect that in the long run, yields much benefit to him as

contrary to what it is argued that it was an act of negligence. It is in the absence of the mother

that Cole was able to have a personal identity and understand who he was in society. The

elimination of the mother from the wider context is an aspect that forms a crucial part in the

development of the various themes in the novel. “She represents a lack related to sexual

difference, but this absence is symbolic rather than biological” (Wainwright, 2016 p. 18) He

gained more freedom and was not restricted from exploring the world that was considered to be

rather dangerous and full of evil. It is in the absence of the mother that Cole interacts with other

people of both genders that are evil while on a journey to the unknown regions. He understood

the necessity of the self-enclosed nature of human psychology in his adventure, making it easy

for him to explore the world with a clear mind of who he was in absentia of the mother.

The elimination of the mother from Cole's life is meant to show the necessity of self-

awareness and not stereotyping the women as having a character of abandoning their children.

The mother is also a sign of freedom to other women as she refuses to be defined by the gender

role in society. One of the major descriptions from the Cormac McCarthy novels is that they are

set in a context that is highly violent and prejudices the women. He, therefore, uses the character

of Cole's mother to show the power of a woman is fighting for their freedom. Instead of getting

confined to the specific role of only taking care of the children and the family in general as it was

in the Cowboy community, the mother opts for freedom. The author, therefore, does not display

any sign of sexism but develops the theme of freedom from the woman. She acts out differently

compared to the expectation of the society, which is an eye-opener to other women in society.

Social expectations are factors that hinder the thriving of women in society. The description by

the author on the women as having broken out of the norms is a true depiction of the strength of

a woman which could not be described by a person that glorifies sexism and prejudice against

the women. According to the society described in the novel, the role of the women was only on

motherhood and had restricted activities they had to undertake as the men underwent their daily

lives. She successfully frees herself from the social expectation after the divorce with her

husband. Her career as an actress also signifies the ability of the women to participate in other

activities in addition to the motherhood role as it was the norm of the society.

Reference

Åström, B., 2018. Post-Feminist Fatherhood and the Marginalization of the Mother in Cormac

McCarthy's The Road. Women: A Cultural Review, 29(1), pp.112-128.

Benson, J.D., 2012. Failed Heroes: Hypermasculinity in the Contemporary American Novel.

Bortz, M., 2011. Carrying the Fire: Individuation Toward the Mature Masculine and Telos of

Cultural Myth in Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men and The Road. Jung

Journal, 5(4), pp.28-42.

Brummer, J., 2018. Geography, Genre, and Gender: Billy Parham's Crossings and the Search for

American Masculinity. The Cormac McCarthy Journal, 16(2), pp.170-188.

Josyph, P., 2010. Adventures in Reading Cormac McCarthy. Scarecrow Press.

Kuhne, D., 2012. Gender Roles after the Collapse: Women in American Post-Apocalyptic

Fiction. CCTE Studies, 77, pp.22-28.

Lofquist, I. (2015). “Hold Him in Your Arms”: Deconstruction of Gender Roles in the Post-

Apocalyptic Novel The Road (Doctoral dissertation, The University of North Carolina at

Asheville).

Wainwright, M., 2016. Too Far Gone: The Psychological Games of Cormac McCarthy’s All the

Pretty Horses. European journal of American studies, 11(11-2).

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