Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old Men

This essay examines the voice of Llewelyn Moss, a man of action and hunter who becomes a prey. Though it is seldom analysed by critics, this voice evinces intriguing qualities that complexify our perception of the character, between pragmatism, humour and reflexivity. The paper first studies brief m...

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Main Author: Françoise Sammarcelli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Presses universitaires de Rennes 2023-02-01
Series:Revue LISA
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/15131
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author Françoise Sammarcelli
author_facet Françoise Sammarcelli
author_sort Françoise Sammarcelli
collection DOAJ
description This essay examines the voice of Llewelyn Moss, a man of action and hunter who becomes a prey. Though it is seldom analysed by critics, this voice evinces intriguing qualities that complexify our perception of the character, between pragmatism, humour and reflexivity. The paper first studies brief monologues in which Moss speaks to himself as if to another and which acquire a dialogic dimension. Then it focuses on a few conversations, in particular the remarkable one with the guard at the border in chapter VI and the long conversation with the young hitchhiker (in chapters VII and VIII). The latter slows down the rhythm by introducing discontinuity in the sequence of dramatic actions and combines wisecracking and philosophical reflections; it is also endowed with a special status as it contains Moss’s last words in the text. Lastly, it is worth observing how the film adapts these theatrical or incongruous moments and what it achieves by reducing Moss’s spoken presence, replacing it by visual reflexivity and an increased dramatic tension.
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spelling doaj-art-e9a8cdb47b1847e6971cb85c5c6206142025-01-06T09:03:06ZengPresses universitaires de RennesRevue LISA1762-61532023-02-012110.4000/lisa.15131Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old MenFrançoise SammarcelliThis essay examines the voice of Llewelyn Moss, a man of action and hunter who becomes a prey. Though it is seldom analysed by critics, this voice evinces intriguing qualities that complexify our perception of the character, between pragmatism, humour and reflexivity. The paper first studies brief monologues in which Moss speaks to himself as if to another and which acquire a dialogic dimension. Then it focuses on a few conversations, in particular the remarkable one with the guard at the border in chapter VI and the long conversation with the young hitchhiker (in chapters VII and VIII). The latter slows down the rhythm by introducing discontinuity in the sequence of dramatic actions and combines wisecracking and philosophical reflections; it is also endowed with a special status as it contains Moss’s last words in the text. Lastly, it is worth observing how the film adapts these theatrical or incongruous moments and what it achieves by reducing Moss’s spoken presence, replacing it by visual reflexivity and an increased dramatic tension.https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/15131humourreflexivityMcCarthy CormacCoen Ethan and Joeldialoguemonologue
spellingShingle Françoise Sammarcelli
Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old Men
Revue LISA
humour
reflexivity
McCarthy Cormac
Coen Ethan and Joel
dialogue
monologue
title Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old Men
title_full Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old Men
title_fullStr Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old Men
title_full_unstemmed Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old Men
title_short Entre humour noir et réflexivité : écouter la voix de Moss dans No Country for Old Men
title_sort entre humour noir et reflexivite ecouter la voix de moss dans no country for old men
topic humour
reflexivity
McCarthy Cormac
Coen Ethan and Joel
dialogue
monologue
url https://journals.openedition.org/lisa/15131
work_keys_str_mv AT francoisesammarcelli entrehumournoiretreflexiviteecouterlavoixdemossdansnocountryforoldmen