Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Finishing The Road

One purpose for literature (and all art) is to shed light on what’s important in life. Every author is essentially giving us his or her opinion on the age-old question, “What is the meaning of life?”

Ok, so what IS the meaning of life, according to Cormac McCarthy? Is his view different in ATPH than it is in The Road? What matters in the worlds he creates? How do you know?

We'll be talking about these issues in class today. I'm so excited to discuss this text with you. I know it's been powerful for many of you, and I'm really looking forward to hearing your reactions to the end of the novel.

For me, the book has been a life-changer. I think I’ll have to put it in my all-time Top 5. It’s the type of book that sticks to your bones – I’m not going to forget this one, even though (and probably because) it hurt me so much to read it. I honestly hated reading this novel, but it affected me so profoundly. If so many kids are buzzing about it, if the teachers are talking about it at lunch for months, and if the parents are weighing in on its meaning and appropriateness for study, you know there's something to this text.

No comments:

Post a Comment