This research paper had the aim to outline the changing significance of masculinity in Western literature, exemplifying it by means of sheriff Ed Tom Bell in Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. Traditional Western literature represents the Western hero as a dominant member of society, subordinating every other existing minority on a lower level. Consequently, high emphasis is put on the outward expression of masculinity, meaning the representation of extreme endurance, power and control. Indeed, the Western hero is considered as the character coming when society is in great danger to restore order and security. After the task is completed, the traditional Western hero regresses to his estate, living alone and far from the community. In
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In fact, McCarthy achieves to portray in detail the process of facing the unknown and the evil. At the beginning of the novel, Bell is set in his beliefs and a man of faith, valuing highly honesty, ethnics, and morality. Unfortunately, his world crashes due to the appearance of Anton Chigurh - the "true and living prophet of destruction" (McCarthy 4) -, leading him to question his certainties about the world. It becomes clear that Bell idealizes entirely the past, where, in his view, violence and greed, and particularly the evil were not the norm. Nonetheless, being unable to catch the villain and to protect the 'innocent', Bell realizes during the plot that he lives in a world he does not and will not understand, stressing the existence of some things that cannot be changed. Although Bell is the quintessential sheriff of a small-town village, whose main task is to bring order and to end up violence, some critics may consider him as a failure since he is neither able to catch Chigurh nor is he able to provide security within the community. Surely, Bell is aware of the fact that violence has ever existed, outlined by the issue that he blames himself for having been involved in World War II as a veteran. Nonetheless, the key idea in Cormac McCarthy's novel is the realization that there is some new kind of evil - an evil that Bell is neither able nor willing to understand. According to Stacey Peebles "No Country for Old Men" reveals a particular masculine dread - that you can't always keep things in front of you and under your control." (136) Consequently, Bell does not change his set of beliefs to be able to adapt himself to the new situation, which leads him to his constant failures and, ultimately, to his surrender, i.e.
In fact, McCarthy achieves to portray in detail the process of facing the unknown and the evil. At the beginning of the novel, Bell is set in his beliefs and a man of faith, valuing highly honesty, ethnics, and morality. Unfortunately, his world crashes due to the appearance of Anton Chigurh - the "true and living prophet of destruction" (McCarthy 4) -, leading him to question his certainties about the world. It becomes clear that Bell idealizes entirely the past, where, in his view, violence and greed, and particularly the evil were not the norm. Nonetheless, being unable to catch the villain and to protect the 'innocent', Bell realizes during the plot that he lives in a world he does not and will not understand, stressing the existence of some things that cannot be changed. Although Bell is the quintessential sheriff of a small-town village, whose main task is to bring order and to end up violence, some critics may consider him as a failure since he is neither able to catch Chigurh nor is he able to provide security within the community. Surely, Bell is aware of the fact that violence has ever existed, outlined by the issue that he blames himself for having been involved in World War II as a veteran. Nonetheless, the key idea in Cormac McCarthy's novel is the realization that there is some new kind of evil - an evil that Bell is neither able nor willing to understand. According to Stacey Peebles "No Country for Old Men" reveals a particular masculine dread - that you can't always keep things in front of you and under your control." (136) Consequently, Bell does not change his set of beliefs to be able to adapt himself to the new situation, which leads him to his constant failures and, ultimately, to his surrender, i.e.