Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West.
By Cormac McCarthy
In the first half of your essay, connect the events depicted in Blood Meridian with the
treatment of indigenous peoples in the Western Hemisphere since 1492, since 1607 in
British North America and since 1776 in the United States. Are the events described
by McCarthy anomalies, why or why not? Use specific examples to support your
arguments. In the second half of your essay, consider the following questions; what is
the underlying theme in the novel? Why, use at least four specific examples to support
your argument. Who is the main protagonist in Blood Meridian? Can it be argued that
the protagonist in this novel transcends a human character? If yes, why; and if not,
why not? Who is the ‘Judge’? Is he an ordinary human being or a supernatural one? Is
Blood Meridian an allegorical study? Why or why not? Discuss and support your
position using specific examples from the work. Finally, how does Blood Meridian
inform your understanding of U.S. history? How and in what ways?