HWK Episode 2 - Shooting the Roadrat pp.62-69

2) Shooting the 'Roadrat' (pp. 62-69)

How does the Episode impact you?

I believe that my opinion of the father has changed in some ways, for example the brutal and event savage event. Although, I am not surprised he was so calm and protective over the boy, or why he did what he did as the 'road rat' was warned that he would be shot. I believe McCarthy writes this episode in this way to show that, although knowing he must reach a point of either allowing the boy to go off on his own and die or kill him - it clearly shows that the father does care about the boy’s safety.

Plot Progression (What will happen next?)

With the style of writing of the book, McCarthy does not show any hidden plots that the characters may pass through on the way to through the original. From what reading just this episode, we cannot suggest what may happen to them, other than what they have already done before, for example visiting the gas stations. The reader can infer though that the father and son will end up in some sort of dangerous event on the horror basis, so we are expecting an especially gory event.

Your experience (Changes in mood? Tension?)

In my opinion, the tension that is gradually built up over the novel is released all at once. This shows that the man is more than capable of protecting himself as well as his son; however the tension is built up again after we find out that there is only a single bullet left, this makes the reader almost nervous, as to how the novel will continue; as well as who or when the remaining bullet is used upon. We also must consider if this bullet will be used in defence of the son, or if the bullet would be used as a 'release' from the post apocalyptic world that they must face.

Techniques employed by McCarthy, language, symbols or images?

McCarthy uses descriptive language far more in this episode in comparison to the lightning scene. This is due to the episode being set out in the form of Narrative time - meaning the story is played out as if the story was played out to us in real life, this allows McCarthy to build up tension as well as allowing him to go into intense levels of detail.

Is this in fact a key episode? What makes it important? How does it stand out in the novel?

I believe that this episode is a key episode within the novel as in my opinion, the episode as it shows how savage the human race can be in the battle to survive. Although being witnesses to a murder, I believe we still cannot say that the two are the 'Bad Guys' within the book; this is because they have not killed to eat - as many others had done so, but in fact only done it in self defence. This episode affects the whole novel to follow, as this now leaves the father with only one bullet. This leaves the reader wanting to know whether the father will kill his son, or will end up using the final bullet in self defence once again.