Today there are an abundance of religions, opinions, and values. The complexity of each set of belief systems can differ so much from person to person that it allows for an infinite number of questions, holes, and inconsistencies. This is a breeding ground for accusations, aggression, prejudice, and hate towards other cultures, and is a very real problem in our society and around the world. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy is a thought provoking novel, challenging readers to question society. It is also a prime example of what all belief systems have in common at their most raw state. There are three main similarities : the need for hope, the desire for strength, and the possession of fear.
Hope is a mindset, and not one that is always easily obtained. Hopelessness is easier to achieve than optimism and drive. Like any accomplishment made or barrier overcome in life, it is easier said than done and most often more easily achieved with some assistance. For many people this assistance comes from the belief that there is someone or something looking out for them and helping them along the way at all times. Whether it be a god or a goddess, a figure or a person, that something creates a force within people that keeps them optimistic and driven.
The Man and his son speak vaguely yet fondly of their own version of God and what his purpose is. A greater plan, or reward at the end, a life of eternity, or a sweet nothing. It is not the direction, but the push itself that relates all belief systems allowing people to get through life and not be alone.
With hope comes the strength to carry on. Once you have lost hope, there is no chance for survival. This is evident in the actions of The Man. He feels that God is challenging him and testing his strength. It may seem that, at times, The Man questions his own faith in God as he is faced with more and more obstacles everyday. However, at the same time he knows that he cannot lose hope if he wants to survive. “Then he just knelt in the ashes. He raised his face to the paling day. Are you there? he whispered. Will I see you at last? Have you a neck by which to throttle you? Have you a heart? Damn you eternally have you a soul? Oh God, he whispered. Oh God” (McCarthy, pg. ). His demand and desperation for answers makes the even most miniscule everyday victories seem like God’s miracles, and he does not hesitate to show his appreciation. Deep down he knows that the challenges that he and his son face while they are still together are allowing him to learn and become stronger for the day that they cannot be together anymore. This combination of hope and strength gives people the motivation to overcome their own obstacles and learn from them.
Finally, it is fear itself that draws people to religion; fear of the unknown, the beginning, the end, and everything in between. This need for hope and strength would not be existent if we did not fear what will become of us and the world. With the idea that we cannot directly control our own fate, a relationship with what is potentially the source of our beginning and end is deemed necessary. The man and his son’s crude religion centered around an ambiguous God displays this desperation for answers and fear for their future without his guidance. However, near the end of his life and the novel The Man alludes to the fact that he sees the light of God in his son, and once he touches death, and therefore God himself, the fear dissipates and he passes away peacefully. “ He took the cup and moved away and when he moved the light moved with him. He'd wanted to try and make a tent out of the tarp but the man would not let him. He said that he didn’t want anything covering him. He lay watching the boy at the fire. He wanted to be able to see. Look around you, he said. There is no prophet in the earth's long chronicle who's not honored here today. Whatever form you spoke of you were right” (McCarthy, pg. 380).
In conclusion, the relationship between belief systems is most clearly represented by the need for hope, desire for strength, and possession of fear. This is displayed through the simplicity of the setting in this novel in the post apocalyptic world, where hope, strength, and fear is all people have to survive.
1 comment:
Right off the bat, I connect with the ideas that you present in your post about the different belief systems out there and how they affect cultural aggressions and microaggressions. I think, in light of the breeding ground for conflict between those of different belief systems, the fact that they do indeed share many similarities, and deep down all present almost the same points, and fulfill the same needs, the needs for hope, strength, and the vanquishment of fear.
I think that your evaluation of hope presented in religion rings true, as many people do feel more hopeful when they know they're being looked out for, whether by a close friend, or by an almighty deity. I also see where this is reflected in both The Man and The Boy and their shared belief system. The God that they believe in may be vague and unaligned with the Christian God, but he gives them hope, strength, and at least alleviates some of their fear.
I like how you analyze The Man's faith, and identify if and where it wavers. The Man doubts God at times, but ultimately believes in Him and, even when The Man resents God, he is still given hope by Him, and has the strength to go on.
I think your analysis of belief systems, particularly being religion, in The Road, overall rings true, as I suppose the crude religion and ambiguous God crafted by The Man and Boy is supposed to for the whole of all religion: fulfilling of hope, providing of strength, and vanquishment of fear.
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