This question is simple and broad: What makes McCarthy's writing literature? Use specific examples to explain your logic.
MV
9/2/2014 02:41:38 pm
To answer this question, one must know what components make literature and what the opposing would be. For example, is McCarthy's work simply lesiure reading, or is it written in depth and is well thought out? The anwser is the latter. Despite the non-traditional grammar, McCarthy's work is most definitely deep and well thought out. Take the first page for example. His intricate descriptions were not meant to keep the reader entertained, but rather to symbolize, foreshadow, and parallel. The reflecting candleflame, drooping lilies, and cold hallway are not used for entertainment or "lesiure reading" as stated before, but instead used to symbolize the deep emotions stirring in John as he looks at the dead corspe who used to be his grandfather (McCarthy 3). The novel does have an interesting story, but what truly makes it literature are the layers and depth that lie behind the story.
Mrs. Lopez
9/6/2014 07:00:48 am
Great response! I like how you contrast "leisure reading" to a more in-depth work of literature.
DDM
9/2/2014 02:56:55 pm
The elements in McCarthy's writing that make it literature are its capacity to span generations and the author's use of his own style to make readers think and contemplate the meaning of the text. The hero's journey is one that most readers will be able to relate to at one time. John Grady Cole is a frustrated teenager, who cannot get what he wants so he decides to run away, "John Grady sat up and put his hat on. I'm already gone, he said" (27). Any generation of reader can relate to this story. Generations from the past and in the future will also be able to relate to the feeling of wanting to run away and escape the problems making them stuck in a certain part of their life. This quality of the novel makes it literature. Also, McCarthy's style in his writing encourages the reader to look deeper in to the text and decipher the symbols and archetypes to understand the novel. McCarthy uses very simple language, but it is laden with archetypes and symbols the reader has to decipher in order to understand the characters and plot of the story. The passage, "The water was over the highway bridge at Christoval and the road was closed" contains just a few of the many archetypes common in McCarthy's style (14). By changing the way traditional dialogue is written he is able to make the reader have to interpret the text more to understand it. The qualities that give novels and texts the title of literature are its ability to span generations and be studied by many people throughout centuries and the ability of the author to make readers have to and want to look further into the text the understand the plot and characters. By choosing a relatable story line and a very specific style, McCarthy's novel is placed in the category of literature.
Mrs. Lopez
9/6/2014 07:03:03 am
Spot on! I agree that literature is often a works with a "capacity to span generations."
Bailey
9/3/2014 05:17:15 am
When discussing guidelines of literature, one's own opinion may be drastically different from another's. Literature, by definition, is a work that will last due to its artistic merit. Basically, literature can be determined as lying in the space between a book that will "die on a shelf" and a book that will continue to be studied in two hundred years. With those guidelines set, McCarthy's writing is undoubtedly literature. Each page of the novel can be dissected and broken down, just as if it were a science experiment. McCarthy's writing style demands to be picked apart word by word, in order for the reader to grasp the full effect of the novel. McCarthy writes with purpose, the reader must be prepared to read beyond the lines, "Would that mean that you might be someplace you wasnt supposed to be and didnt know it?" (37). Though the question comes off immediately as part of the dialogue, McCarthy uses this to foreshadow an event coming. His style differs from a book read for leisure, because the reader must look deeper into the text in order to grasp the concepts behind McCarthy's writing. He also has a unique way of using symbolism and archetypes that also define his writing as literature. In a novel read for leisure, one will not "stop to smell the roses," but in McCarthy's novel, the reader is given no choice. Each line contains a type of symbolism, important to better understand the characters or the scene. When the narrator describes in depth, a scene near the Comanche road. The word blood is mentioned more than five times (5). To some, this could be simply taken as coincidence, but because the writing is literature, the blood symbolizes the passion behind the character. McCarthy;s work will continue to be studied, because there is simply no possible way to read the novel without looking into deeper meaning. Unlike a leisure story, teachers will continue to make their students read McCarthy's writing in order to understand basic style and symbolism principles.
Mrs. Lopez
9/6/2014 07:05:38 am
Great response. Although, I hope that great works of literature continue to be read outside of teachers "making" their students read them. :)
Raikage96
9/6/2014 01:03:57 pm
I agree with your response to this question Bailey. This story does contain certain aspects which define literature. I loved how you said while reading this text one has to "stop and smell the roses." Also the way you cited the usage of blood and how it was presented more than five times within the course of one or two pages. This is a heavy archetype. McCarthy's novel does not simply tell a story, it weaves intricate amounts of detail into it's web, creating several different meanings within the text. I love how you said teachers will continue to make their students read McCarthy's work, because honestly this is true. If I had any choice in the matter this book and I would never have crossed paths. My feelings towards this piece are still shrouded in contempt and nothing more, but it's hard not to notice the heavy symbolism in this story. Do you believe this story, and I use the word story loosely, because so far I have over analyzed this piece too much for it to possess a proper plot, contains too much symbolism or the perfect amount of symbolic features?
Brenna
9/3/2014 10:53:30 am
What is literature? According to Merriam Webster.com literature is written works (such as poems, plays, and novels) that are considered to be very good and to have lasting importance. McCarthy's writing is considered literature because it uses in depth symbolism. A reader can not read a paragraph without being able to tear it apart and find symbolism. " The wind was much abated and it was very cold and the sun sat blood red and elliptic under the reefs of bloodred cloud before him" (6). Just in one sentence McCarthy uses blood red twice to symbolize the death of Jon Cole Grady's grandfather. McCarthy's work is heavy in symbolism and though he may use improper grammar that does not change the status of the work. Whether McCarthy's writing is truly a matter of opinion, but according to the definition McCarthy's work is literature. Teachers use McCarthy's work every year to show his in depth symbolism and teach students archetypes.
Mrs. Lopez
9/6/2014 07:06:53 am
Great thoughts. Thank you for citing your references.
Purple Panda
9/7/2014 10:46:24 am
I like how you researched what literature is to support your answer! I agree that McCarthy's work is literature he uses great symbolism and archetypes. Which simply proves that his work is literature. A great writer uses many descriptive details, which McCarthy proves in his work.
MJ Fleming
9/3/2014 12:30:00 pm
Literature and what is considered literature is continually changing. A piece of literature is never the exact same as another, which makes it difficult to decide whether a piece is one or not. Cormac McCarthy’s book All the Pretty Horses can be difficult to classify, but ultimately it is considered literature. This book is written in a dramatically different format then normal books. It has run on sentences, it does not use quotation marks, and jumps from one idea to another randomly. It is not the classic perception of literature, but it is not the grammar that makes a book a piece of literature. It should be based on the meaning, which McCarthy’s novel has plenty of. Literature should be a book that one can read multiple times and always find some new meaning that they missed before.McCarthy’s book is filled with symbolism, allusions, and meanings that are hidden under the surface. “The two of them at opposite ends of the long walnut table” in this one line John Grady Cole’s relationship with his mom is perfectly described, they are separated by problems that cause tension between them and there is no indication of them fixing it (McCarthy, 15). Regular books for leisure reading do not include that much detail and meaning in one sentence, which makes McCarthy's writing a piece of literature. The author also uses archetypes habitually such as “the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness” (30). Stars are an archetype for guidance, while darkness can mean evil or the unknown, which suggests that McCarthy implied that while John Grady Cole and Rawlins depart they are not alone in the world even if they cannot see that. This book can be dissected over and over which ordinary books cannot be. His writing will continually be read by people in the future, which also makes it a piece of literature because it will not be forgotten. People will always be learning from it, making it a piece of literature.
Mrs. Lopez
9/6/2014 07:09:56 am
Great thoughts! What, then, defines an "ordinary" book?
Raikage96
9/3/2014 12:43:25 pm
Literature resides within the pages of long lasting meaningful pieces of work. In order to determine if "All the Pretty Horses" or even if Cormac McCarthy meets the standards of literature, his piece must get shredded to pieces and digested. This is said figuratively of course, but the overall work must fall under heavy evaluation. McCarthy's work has tremendous power in its symbolism, and the way everything is intricately woven into the novel. For example on page 1 McCarthy sets up several different archetypes and symbolic passages, "It was dark outside and cold and no wind" (McCarthy). This one sentence conveys several different powerful messages. The dark represents the tragedy, the cold shadows the death and the instance of no wind makes the reader feel the tense non changing emotion. Diving further into the text on page 14, "It rained" the reader need not continue to see where this passage is heading. By the first two words the reader can infer some cleaning and reforming begins to take place. McCarthy's work can even compare to the great works of Dickens. Both of their novels begin with parallelism. McCarthy's work can easily classify as literature, because an abundance of literary devices and potent learning experiences call "All the Pretty Horses" home.
Mrs. Lopez
9/6/2014 07:11:18 am
Can a work without an obvious use of literary devices be considered literature?
MJ Fleming
9/7/2014 11:35:25 am
I agree that McCarthy's book is literature and that his use of figurative language contributes to it being so, but I believe that there is more to a book being considered literature. I think what he is trying to convey with his use of figurative language also makes this book literature. The meaning of the book and the message it gives is part of why it is literature. Usually pieces of literature carry some meaning or story that people can relate to just like this one, with the protagonist being a teenager that ran away from home. I think to be a piece of literature it should teach those reading it some lesson, not just be filled with figurative language. 9/3/2014 01:07:54 pm
As, life in general it is seen that not all people or work are made out of the same cookie cutter design. Literature is not defined to a set of guidelines. McCarthy allows the audience to conform to his stream of conscious and adapting to another form of well composed literature. This can allow the audience to understand the novel on the level the author intended it to. The use of symbolism and archetypes is another component thickly applied in his work. "They sat with their elbows propped on the table and looked out the window south across the plains to the distant mountains lying folded in their shadows under the morning sun" (McCarthy 33), the distant mountains mentioned reflect the ambition that Rawlings and John Grady had to leave San Angelo to start a life of their own. This usage of words challenges the naked mind to be conscious of other meanings. Besides McCarthy's unique way of writing he does use typical literally styles such as satire, foreshadowing, and parallelism. The style is unique, but does not damper the quality of the work and adds the personality of McCarthy... an author pouring himself into his work is more significant than an author who just a reflection of previous writers.
Brenna
9/7/2014 12:50:31 pm
I agree that McCarthy's unique style does not "damper" the quality of the work. Literature is suppose to be have a lasting impression on readers. Though McCarthy may not use the proper grammatical techniques, his writing is most definitely lasting. His heavy use on symbolism allows the reader to really get into the character's head and understand what is happening in a more in depth way. Just as you said "an author pouring himself into his work is more significant" in his writing. McCarthy's writing is significant and will have a long lasting impression on generations to come.
bribustos
9/3/2014 01:55:35 pm
While reading All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, one has to be prepared to read in between the lines. McCarthy uses an extensive amount of archetypes in the novel and if the reader is not able to identify these symbols, they may be missing some important factors. Some may have a different outlook on what literature is considered to be, but McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses is an excellent source of literature. Although McCarthy’s novel is complete with an array of run-on sentences, very few punctuation, and poor diction his novel is a perfect example of literature. Literature can be both leisure reading and reading that entails some looking into and background knowledge. “In his black suit he stood in the dark…” if one did not know that black stood for chaos and evil, they never would have known the type of person John Grady Cole is pursued to be in the beginning of the novel (McCarthy). I believe, in order for a novel to be considered literature, the reader has to be able to look farther into the book and follow the author’s stream of consciousness instead of being able to understand what the author is trying to say by giving the book little to no thought.
Mrs. Lopez
9/6/2014 07:13:21 am
So is the definition of literature more dependent upon the reader than the role of the writer?
bribustos
9/7/2014 01:49:06 pm
In a way, yes the definition of literature is dependent on the reader; but it could go either way. Many readers do have a different point of view on what literature may be. The way a writer decides to go about writing their book can determine it to be literature or not. Depending on how in-depth the writer researches things, such as archetypes or parallelism. They may have the intentions of making the reader do their own research. While reading McCarthy’s novel, if the reader has no background on archetypes, they are missing a great part of the novel. It is all dependent on what the reader’s definition of literature is and if they consider the novel they are reading to be leisure or educational reading.
MD
9/7/2014 05:14:14 am
Literature is a very broad term, and ultimately can only be defined in a personal way. Is McCarthy's work literature? The answer is absolutely. The question is what makes it literature? You cannot base literature on proper grammar and format, because McCarthy's novel is a disaster in that respect. So why has "All the Pretty Horses" continued to be praised as well as studied around the world? The beauty of the novel lies not in the periods and the quotation marks omitted; the beauty lives in the meticulous attention to detail in the book. Every one of Cormac McCarthy's words demand to be dissected. The novel cannot be read absent-mindedly it forces the reader to be on his toes through the plot jumps and jumbled dialogue. Incredibly, there is great beauty in that. The novel is a not just literature its much more than that, it is a masterpiece in detail and design. A masterpiece that would have earned an F for its poor grammar and punctuation in any english class.
Tammara Gurreri
9/25/2014 04:05:33 am
what makes McCarthy writing literature is all the details that he explains in this novel. All the archetypes that McCarthy represents in this novel could show how he felt about everything that he wrote. The symbols represent what his purpose was of writing this novel I really enjoy reading it because if I was in John Grady's Rawlins and Blevins relationships and their issues with each other I would probably be in the same situation as them. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMrs. Lopez (AP Literature and Composition Instructor) Archives
September 2014
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