McCarthy's Southwest, by Zach


Over Thanksgiving I visited the small town of Marfa, Texas. It was my first time to venture out that way, and I was pleasantly surprised by how mountainous the region actually is. After guessing many times along the way which side road is in fact included in the Coen Brother's depiction of No Country For Old Men, I couldn't help but imagine the violent but utterly beautiful Southwest illustrated in Cormac McCarthy's novels.


McCarthy is known for his violent imagery depicting American history in his epic novel, Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West. Upon arrival to the western regions of Texas, I started to relive frightening moments from his work. After pulling over to see an historical site off of the highway, I saw the remnants of an American outpost that was ultimately abandoned due to Indian raids. It was, to be honest, a chilling experience. There are many buildings where the only part left is a doorway or a small section of wall that bring to mind a harsh and precarious existence.

Of course there is plenty to witness outside of the historical sights and barren landscapes which is thoroughly enjoyable i.e. the Chinati Foundation, hands down the best bookstore I've ever set foot in, and at least a dozen or more art galleries with signs decked out in sans serif font of course.

If you haven't checked out McCarthy's novels yet, you should definitely experience his writing especially if you enjoy William Faulkner and Flannery O'Conner. My favorite novel by McCarthy has to be Suttree set in Knoxville, Tennessee with The Road trailing not too far behind.

1 comment:

Stephanie Bonham said...

Ambiguous totem. I like the 2nd.

Post a Comment