Whilst reading this book I was taken aback by just how bleak and devoid of hope the whole enterprise was. Some of the philosophical arguments which populate these pages would straight up change the mind of even the most optimistic of individuals.
I was reminded of one of the finest movies I have ever seen- The Sunset Limited and how its premise hinges on a conversation between a depressed pessimist and a religious optimist. This novel felt as if the thoughts of the pessimist were stretched out for 300 odd pages.
You can imagine my surprise then upon discovering that the screenplay for Sunset Limited was penned by Cormac McCarthy, the author of this novel!
The above is reminiscent of a story by Stephen King- how an elderly lady scolds him for writing hopeless horror novels and asks him to instead write things like The Shawshank Redemption- one of King’s finest novellas.
The Pity War Distilled
In Blood Meridian the futility of war is taken to its extreme, with madness and bloodthirst taking full control of the narrative. A naïve reader would exclaim that McCarthy has simply exaggerated and that human beings are not capable of such mindless violence and yet the events of contemporary Europe speak otherwise.
If anything, it is more chilling to learn that the events fictionalized in this novel are largely based on true affairs. The scalping of the Native Americans and the rampant pillaging, in particular, are testament to the imperialist attitudes upon which the modern American state is built.
But what truly lends this work its eerie claim to fame is the absolute lack of reason with which the group at the heart of the novel descends into a frenzy of killing. The sheer violence is one of the main reasons this “Great American Novel” is yet to come to life on film.
The Judge
While the novel’s protagonist is a nameless teenager, the book is actually powered by the character of Judge Holden. Evil embodied and physically daunting, the bald and pale being is portrayed as ageless and undying. He is at the heart of the violence in this book and the fact that he justifies the actions of his group with cold philosophy is blood-curling.
His words, “War endures…War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner” are more relevant today than ever before.
The literary critic Harold Bloom credits the judge to be the character that truly gives this book its claim to fame. I would agree, for this is a character straight from the line of Iago.
Oh well, you need not let Blood Meridian rob you of sleeping hours in your Prime Meridian. Do read the book though if you wish to appreciate good writing wedded with unspeakable horror. Like and share this post and follow this newsletter. I have some exciting books coming up so stay tuned.