The+Moral+Wasteland+2

  ** Jessica Carter, Alex Fender, Chris Gauger, Merlin Levine, Colin Savoy ** ==









 ** Analysis of Moral Wasteland in __The Road__ ** ** In Cormac McCarthy’s book, __The Road__, there are many themes synonymous with the post apocalyptic mood of the novel. One of which themes having a strong significance throughout the span of the portrayed quest is the idea of a moral wasteland. A moral wasteland is everything the name implies; the morals of any survivor have been completely expunged, erased from a land having long been gone itself. There is no longer any sense of right from wrong when one must do anything just to survive another day in the desolate aftermath, no matter the cost. What can you do to keep from keeling over? What should you feed your child when no more food is available? Our first quote is the epitome of what a moral wasteland might entail. After mostly all the food in a region has been depleted, some may resort to extremes in order to have enough energy to survive. The “extremes” may be a term used too lightly. Cannibalism is one of the most gruesome actions a human can perform. People were captured and locked in a chamber like a tank of lobsters forced to succumb to their host’s wishes, pleading with every ounce of strength they had left to be shown mercy. Even when life is on the line, serious consideration must be taken before eating one’s own species. Only with a diminished lack of morals could one go through with such an act. There are higher degrees of immorality portrayed in these cannibalistic acts. Our second and third quotes illuminate these degrees. The man tells the boy that after all the stores of food had given out, “men would eat your children in front of your eyes” (McCarthy 181). Even worse than this is that “the boy had seen a charred human infant headless and gutted and blackening on the spit” (McCarthy 198). The travelers were so hungry that they had to eat the woman’s new born child; morality at possibly its absolute lowest form. Aside from the cannibalistic aspect, a moral wasteland is shown between estranged travelers. The quote where the man and the boy encounter the man who stole their belongings illuminates some of the man’s immoralities. After salvaging their things, the man goes a step further in humiliating the robber by forcing him to strip and leave everything behind. Was this really necessary for the man and the boy’s survival? No, the man let power overcome him and lost his sense of morals at this chance of payback. Aside from these factors, however, there is some light in the book. The man promises the boy that they would never stoop low enough to eat another human being, no matter that cost. The man and the boy are the good guys because they have a guide of morals by which they abide. The media we chose basically encompasses the physical effects of a moral wasteland, and Canniclean, well, speaks for itself. Enjoy. ** Discussion Questions:

The father is willing to kill anyone or do almost anything to protect the boy. To what extent does this detract from his positive moral values. Can this make him a "bad guy"?  In this new world of ruin, everyone must make decisions in order to preserve their own lives. What types of decisions are viewed as immoral? To what extent should one go to in order to preserve their life and the lives of their loved ones? media type="youtube" key="WWm2GtxaM3Y" height="364" width="445" = =