No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
**Overview of "No Country for Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy**
"No Country for Old Men" is a bestselling novel by American author Cormac McCarthy, published in 2005. The story unfolds in the southwestern United States and revolves around three primary characters: Llewellyn Moss, a Vietnam veteran who discovers a bag of money from a drug deal gone wrong; Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who is determined to protect Moss and solve the ensuing chaos; and Anton Chigurh, a relentless hit man in pursuit of Moss and the stolen money. The novel is noted for its chilling portrayal of Chigurh, who embodies a philosophical and ruthless approach to life and death, offering victims a coin toss to decide their fate.
Critically acclaimed for its masterful blend of noir, gothic, and Western elements, "No Country for Old Men" showcases McCarthy's distinctive prose and tight storytelling. The title is drawn from a poem by W.B. Yeats, hinting at themes of age, morality, and the changing nature of society. The novel's success led to an award-winning film adaptation by the Coen brothers in 2007, which further solidified its cultural impact. The film closely follows the book and won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Overall, "No Country for Old Men" remains a significant work that explores deep philosophical questions within a gripping crime narrative.
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No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
No Country for Old Men is a best-selling novel by acclaimed American author Cormac McCarthy. Published in 2005, the crime thriller follows three characters—a sheriff, a hit man, and a war veteran—in the southwestern United States as they deal with the aftermath of a drug deal gone awry. No Country for Old Men was highly praised by critics for its blend of the noir, gothic, and Western genres and was particularly singled out for its chilling antagonist, Anton Chigurh. The novel was adapted into an award-winning 2007 film by noted directors Joel and Ethan Coen.
Overview
Writer Cormac McCarthy was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1933. His first novel, The Orchard Keeper, was published in 1965; it was later followed by works such as Suttree (1979), Blood Meridian (1985), and All the Pretty Horses (1992), the latter of which won the US National Book Award. A year after the release of No Country for Old Men, McCarthy published The Road (2006), which won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
No Country for Old Men was first published by Alfred A. Knopf in July of 2005. It was later published in paperback by Vintage Books, a Knopf imprint, and became a best seller. Its title comes from the 1928 poem “Sailing to Byzantium,” by William Butler Yeats.
The central narrative of No Country for Old Men begins when Llewellyn Moss, a Vietnam veteran, stumbles across a grisly crime scene while hunting and discovers a bag containing $2.4 million, which he takes. Pursued by Mexican drug dealers, Moss flees town with the money, even though local sheriff Ed Tom Bell is trying to protect him. Bell, a haunted World War II veteran and the novel’s main protagonist, is resolved to save Moss and solve the drug crime. The plot is complicated, however, by the arrival of Anton Chigurh, a hired hit man who is seeking Moss and the stolen money. Chigurh is a ruthless, calculating, and enigmatic killer who offers his potential victims a coin toss to determine whether they live or die. The story follows Moss, Bell, and Chigurh as they make their way across the southwest, leaving trails of blood behind them.
Critics praised No Country for Old Men for its taut storytelling, riveting drama, and fast pace, as well as for McCarthy’s trademark prose style. Some reviewers, however, felt that the novel did not hold up when compared to McCarthy’s other works, noting that the storytelling leaned too heavily on its exaggerated hard-boiled style.
Shortly after its publication, the novel was optioned to be adapted into a film. The movie, also titled No Country for Old Men and released in 2007, was directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, who also wrote the screenplay. The film starred Tommy Lee Jones as Bell, Josh Brolin as Moss, and Javier Bardem as Chigurh. The Coens’ script was faithful to the source material, and the movie was a critical and commercial success. No Country for Old Men won the Academy Awards for best picture, best director (the Coens), best supporting actor (Bardem), and best adapted screenplay, in addition to numerous other accolades.
Bibliography
Collado-Rodríguez, Francisco. “Trauma and Storytelling in Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men and The Road.” Papers on Language and Literature 48.1 (2012): 45–69. Print.
Graham, Don. “All the Pretty Corpses.” Rev. of No Country for Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy. Texas Monthly Aug. 2005: 78–97. Print.
Grossman, Lev. “What Happened When a Very Private Writer . . . Met Two Very Idiosyncratic Filmmaking Brothers.” Time International 29 Oct. 2007: 105–7. Print.
Kakutani, Michiko. “On the Loose in Badlands: Killer With a Cattle Gun.” Rev. of No Country for Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy. New York Times 18 July 2005: E1–4. Print.
Kushner, David. “Cormac McCarthy’s Apocalypse.” Rolling Stone 27 Dec. 2007: 43–53. Print.
Mangrum, Benjamin. “Democracy, Justice, and Tragedy in Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men.” Religion & Literature 43.3 (2011): 107–33. Print.
St. John, Edward B. Rev. of No Country for Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy. Library Journal 15 June 2005: 59. Print.
Wood, Michael. “The Other Case.” Daedalus 141.1 (2012): 130–38. Print.