Ralph Mccarthy Fire Analysis

Throughout the novel, McCarthy presents the internal struggle of central characters of finding meaning in this desolate and meaningless world. The primary mode of doing do for the characters, is reaffirming the belief that they are on a moral mission to uphold what little of humanity is left. McCarthy represents this idea through two symbols that are repeated throughout the novel: the idea of carrying the fire and believing themselves to be the good guys. These are representative of “identity and mission,” which are “two aspects of redemptive framework” and are used as “the father attempts to construct a meaningful world for the son” (Rambo, 104). Beginning with the symbol of fire, it is used constantly throughout the novel. It literally and …show more content…
This suggests that the Man uses the idea of passing on all that the fire holds, the possibility of a new civilization, which presents an urgency and hope for the Boy to continue his journey in this nihilistic world. Along with creating a sense of mission, the Man attempts to create an individual identity and distinction from others that aligns with their carrying of the fire. These two symbols are closely related, for “only good guys carry the fire,” and it is this vague guideline that has urged the Boy to continue his journey, and that the Boy will use to distinguish between good and bad as he continues his journey without his father (Wielenberg, 4). Along with this sense of identity and mission, the Boy and the Man find the greatest meaning in their relationship with each other, and their ability to establish connections with other humans they meet in their journey. The first allegorical representation of this idea is the Woman’s death, which represents the loss of love and faith between two human beings, and thus the loss of any meaning in the world that has been