| Cormac McCarthy's novel, Blood Meridian, examines the hellish world of America in the 1800s. Following the journeys of "the kid," a nameless fourteen-year-old to his adulthood, McCarthy describes the strange world of Indian scalp bounty expeditions, led by the mysterious Judge--strangely skillful at dancing and languages, but also a compulsive child molester and killer. The journey into the West is frighteningly violent, where the lines of morality and the lines of America's boundaries are drawn in blood. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - depressing/sad Time/era of story: Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 30 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Western Yes Story primarily about - fighting Injuns Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - a teen Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Eccentric: Yes Motive of antagonist - insanity The antagonists are: - evil politicians How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters Setting United States Yes The US: - Texas - West The Americas (not US): Yes The Americas: - Mexico Desert? Yes Desert: - dying of thirst, sunburn Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture Explicit sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references Unusual forms of death - diced - decapitated - blunt clubbing (like seals) Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog |
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