Renowned American author, Cormac McCarthy, passed away this week, leaving behind a treasure trove of dark fiction which defined him as a prolific writer. His death has left a big void in the Literary world. His books and quotes were known for its honesty and candour. Many of his novels were adapted in films which earned him money and fame.
Cormac McCarthy was a master of expansive, Old Testament-style writing that evoked the bleak, violent nature of the rural South. Like his predecessor William Faulkner, he created vivid scenes of drifters, thieves, prostitutes, and old, broken men, all trapped by fates beyond their control. His celebrated Border trilogy exemplified this, as it followed the doomed John Grady Cole who learns that dreams of a better life are but folly.
Despite his acclaimed success in later years, McCarthy was little known to the public until he was 60. He was an intensely private man, avoiding interviews with the press and shunning the red carpet. But despite his reclusiveness, his work continued to gain recognition, culminating in the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Road, which portrayed a father and son trying survive in a ravaged landscape. Indeed, McCarthy’s writing was always unflinching in contemplating the worst and best of human nature, a trait that won him both high praise and wide readership.
After the success of The Road, McCarthy’s career appeared to be winding down as he remained largely out of the public eye for 15 years. But in 2022, he surprised everyone by announcing the forthcoming release of The Passenger and Stella Maris, two connected novels that focused on the legacy of a father and his mutually-obsessed siblings, one of whom was a rare female character in McCarthy’s writing.
Through it all, McCarthy remained dedicated to his craft and his vision, refusing to be swayed by the opinions of others. He understood that writing was a solitary pursuit that required total commitment, and he believed that the only way to abate the fear of death was to love the people in our lives. His words were spare and strange, but they drew readers in relentlessly to his world of blood, dust, and an unyielding universe. Though he always shunned the spotlight, his writing shone brightly, offering a prophetic, unflinching meditation on the human condition that remains timeless.
Cormac McCarthy, the famed author behind the Border Trilogy series, lived a life of ups and downs. Thankfully, luck always seemed to be on his side. As a struggling writer, he once found a toothpaste sample in his mailbox when he ran out. And when his beloved Olivetti typewriter broke a sales record at Christie’s auction house, McCarthy selflessly donated the proceeds to benefit scientific research.
An Irish Catholic born in Rhode Island, McCarthy soon left middle America in search of something more adventurous. His disdain for school was palpable, and after a year at the University of Tennessee, he joined the Air Force in 1953. Though he briefly returned to finish his degree, he left before graduating and pursued his passion for writing.
Throughout his life, McCarthy was married twice and found his home in cities like Knoxville, El Paso, and Santa Fe. His archives now reside at Texas State University-San Marcos, containing materials from 11 published novels, one draft of a never-finished work, and even a play and four screenplays.
Today, McCarthy’s Border Trilogy continues to captivate readers and movie-goers alike. The legacy of this brilliant writer, along with his generous spirit and enviable luck, will undoubtedly endure for years to come.
By Akshat Sharma