Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The Road
The concept of cannibalism is essential for the dark vision laid out by Cormac McCarthy in his novel The Road (2006). This article sketches a brief history of the idea of anthropophagy in the Western intellectual tradition. Examining the various twists and turns the idea has taken throughout time en...
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| Language: | English |
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European Association for American Studies
2017-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of American Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12368 |
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| author | Andrew Estes |
| author_facet | Andrew Estes |
| author_sort | Andrew Estes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The concept of cannibalism is essential for the dark vision laid out by Cormac McCarthy in his novel The Road (2006). This article sketches a brief history of the idea of anthropophagy in the Western intellectual tradition. Examining the various twists and turns the idea has taken throughout time enables a better understanding of McCarthy’s use of the trope. Cannibalism commands a particular moral force and is often associated with ultimate evil or the antithesis of civilization. The recent emergence of posthumanism as an area of philosophical and literary enquiry adds further urgency to the topic of anthropophagy, which serves both to define the human and to place individuals outside this category. Finally, a focus on cannibalism allows reexamination of important issues for McCarthy scholarship such as the human/nature binary and consumer society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aa620acbb87940d2af613672ad34ccb3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1991-9336 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | European Association for American Studies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of American Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-aa620acbb87940d2af613672ad34ccb32025-01-06T09:09:20ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362017-12-0112310.4000/ejas.12368Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The RoadAndrew EstesThe concept of cannibalism is essential for the dark vision laid out by Cormac McCarthy in his novel The Road (2006). This article sketches a brief history of the idea of anthropophagy in the Western intellectual tradition. Examining the various twists and turns the idea has taken throughout time enables a better understanding of McCarthy’s use of the trope. Cannibalism commands a particular moral force and is often associated with ultimate evil or the antithesis of civilization. The recent emergence of posthumanism as an area of philosophical and literary enquiry adds further urgency to the topic of anthropophagy, which serves both to define the human and to place individuals outside this category. Finally, a focus on cannibalism allows reexamination of important issues for McCarthy scholarship such as the human/nature binary and consumer society.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12368The RoadecocriticismCormac McCarthycannibalismnatural law |
| spellingShingle | Andrew Estes Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The Road European Journal of American Studies The Road ecocriticism Cormac McCarthy cannibalism natural law |
| title | Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The Road |
| title_full | Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The Road |
| title_fullStr | Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The Road |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The Road |
| title_short | Cannibalism and Other Transgressions of the Human in The Road |
| title_sort | cannibalism and other transgressions of the human in the road |
| topic | The Road ecocriticism Cormac McCarthy cannibalism natural law |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12368 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrewestes cannibalismandothertransgressionsofthehumanintheroad |