A Theme of Corruption in No Country for Old Men by Cormac Mccarthy

“Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it’s set a rolling it must increase” (Charles Colton). In life, people come into contact with corruption as a result of their circumstances and if human odd to see someone doing illegal work then all must follow the same person. Corruption is defined as the body of human society that causes weakness and regression on all economic, political and social levels. Often times, when a human being is blind enough to fall in the trap of greed and power, does not understand what can happen to his or her family and how disappointed can be because of the actions of their loved one. It is hard for people to understand that everyone is struggling with their issues but it is very simple for them to point out the illegal act in order to gain power and money. In the novel No Country For Old Men, author Cormac McCarthy rarely explores his characters internal selves. Instead, the reader must make inferences analyzing the characters’ interactions with others who were purposely created with intention of developing the themes of corruption, greed, and power.

In the novel No Country For Old Men, the minor characters bring out aspects of Llewellyn that McCarthy wanted to emphasize to the reader. The different perspectives of the minor characters add depth and complexity to Llewellyn and allow him as a character to seem very caring and loving person. “He counted out thousand dollars into the Formica and pushed it towards her and Altayare2 put the roll back in his pocket. Let's go, he said. What’s that for? To go to California on. What do I gotta do for it? You don’t have to do anything. Even a blind slow finds an acorn every once in a while. Put that up and let’s go”. Llewellyn giving the hitchhiker a ride in his truck, giving her money, and expecting nothing in return shows his loving and nurturing side. Also, the quote proves that Llewellyn is doing good deeds with the money which makes the reader think that Llewellyn has no bad intention. However, Llewellyn acknowledges that the money is not from his hard work but it belongs to people who created through doing illegal work. 

As to Chigurh, who is known as hitman he does not self evaluate his actions about who deserves to live and how should he be treating people because of how cold-blooded he is. “Chigurh took a twenty-five cent piece from his pocket and flipped it spinning into the bluish glare of the fluorescent lights overhead… You need to call it, Chigurh said. I can’t call it for you. It wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t even be right. Just call it. You’ve been putting up your whole life. You just didn’t know it”. The fact that Chigurh was about to kill a man over a coin toss makes Llewellyn seem much better of a person by comparison. 

Since the author, Cormac McCarthy does not place his characters alone in separate scenes to express their own feelings towards the work characters are doing. The reader must make inferences analyzing the characters’ interactions with others who were purposely created with intention of developing the themes of corruption, greed, and power. For example, Carson Wells going to meet Llewellyn at the hospital is a sign to show that the character is about to come up with a deal to earn Llewellyn’s trust and take what is left from the money. “You can’t make a deal with him. Let me say it again. Even if you gave him the money he’d still kill you. There’s no one alive on this planet that’s ever had even a cross word with him. They’re all dead. These Altayare3 are not good odds. He’s a peculiar man. You could even say that he has principals. Principles that transcend money or drugs or anything like that”. This quote proves to the reader that Carson Wells is using his own strategy to persuade Llewellyn to give him the money because Carson works as a bounty hunter for the high rolling American drug dealers. Also to stop Chigurh from following Llewellyn and find a way to kill him. Corruption serves as the main theme in the novel No Country For Old Men. Nevertheless, Llewellyn’s briefcase journey is an example of how a human being can become so greed when committing something illegal to gain power. Along with, the most significant connection between our society and novel is the breakdown of morals and how this manifests itself in increased drug use, murder, greed, and distrust of others. 

In conclusion, this is why the author uses characters interactions with each other as a way to give an understandable message regarding the corruption in our society.