A Philosophic Study On The Road

Cormac McCarthy is a renowned novelist and playwright, honored as one of the four most famous modern novelists in America. So far in his literature career, he has written ten novels, two dramas and a screenplay, among which there are not only nightmarish killings and bloody violence, but also beautiful idyllic scenery and peaceful requiem. His works, which have been hailed as "Symphony of heaven and hell", earn McCarthy enormous attention from American literary circle and even the world. As the tenth novel created by McCarthy, The Road features his writing style: the words and phrases used are precise and concise; the plot of the novel is simple yet filled with elaborate details; cruelness that penetrates in the world is lined with a shred of gentleness and warmth.Research done on it home and abroad is still insufficient yet, and most of them center on themes like ecology, existentialism, love and hope, and aspects like Freudian psychoanalysis and Levinasian reading. So far very few essays have explored the philosophic connotation of The Road in a comprehensive and thorough way, which is a pity for a novel that is fulfilled with philosophic thoughts. In light of this situation, this essay aims to conduct a relatively extensive in-depth research in order to reveal the fascinating philosophical charms inherent in this novel, and at the same time it will also further elaborate on the relationship between literature and philosophy.This essay consists of six chapters, among which chapter three, four and five constitute the body part of the essay. The first chapter is an introduction, presenting the main content, research method, research goals and significance of this essay. The second chapter introduces Cormac McCarthy and his literary works with The Road being the focus. In this chapter, elaboration will be on the creation background, plot, current studies and critical reviews on The Road. Chapter three to chapter five analyze the three main philosophic themes reflected in this novel. Chapter three explores existentialism, pointing out that the novel shows nothingness and absurdity of the world, but at the same time propagates the positive rebellion spirit of the father and the boy in this seemingly desperate world. Chapter four probes into the philosophy about life and death, summarizes three different attitudes towards death in The Road. Furthermore, through analyzing the hope-seeking journey of the father and the boy, this chapter emphasizes that the significance of life lies in the process of persistent fighting. Chapter five investigates humanity, claiming that as regards to the issue of human nature, the more important question should be how to discard evil and promote and carry forward goodness, instead of determining whether human nature is good or bad. Besides, the coming of the end of the world in this novel warns readers that man should assume the moral responsibility for himself, society, nature and the future of human beings in order to avoid the same tragedy.To sum up, imbued with insightful philosophical thoughts, The Road is undoubtedly a classic that is worth of recurring reading, studying and contemplation. It mirrors problems in modern world, appealing to reader to pay attention to living predicaments nowadays. And by shaping the two protagonists that are always struggling for hope, it projects the forever belief in goodness and love despite the harsh environment. The Road is also a model of combing literature and philosophy delicately. As a brilliant literary work with engrossing plot and details, the novel provides a perfect platform for philosophic insights contained in it to grab the attention of readers; and it is because of these philosophic wisdom that the novel turns out to be more than just a road novel or a scientific doomsday prophecy novel. It is a thought-provoking apocalypse that guides people in perplexity to stop and examine their life and the world, to think about the meaning of life and to upgrade the realm of life.