The Future Lives in Everything: Care, Conatus and The Road

7/31/2019 The Future Lives in Everything: Care, Conatus and The Road

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[Typetext] DRAFTVERSIONDONOTQUOTEWITHOUTPERMISSIONCHRISGROVES2012 [Typetext]

TheFutureLivesinEverything:Care,ConatusandTheRoad

ChristopherGroves

Whatplacedoesthefuturehaveinhumanexperience?Acertaintradition,of

whichcontemporaryWesternsocietiesaretheheirs,haslongvieweditasaterritorytobemapped,controlled,conquered.Tothiswayofthinking,thefuture

ismosteasilyimaginedasalinearaxisalongwhichthetrajectoriesofeconomic

variables,ofsocialchange,ofandsoonunfold.Thefutureofplanning,projectionandforecastingfeedsintoourexperienceoftheworldaroundus.Yetthisfuture

co-existswithothers,rootedinmoreintimatedimensionsofexperience.Touncoverthesedimensionsandthekindsoffuture-orientationtowhichtheygive

rise,itisnecessarytoreachdownbeneaththeassumptionsandhabitsofminds

onwhichtheplanned,forecastedfuturerestsandwhichmarkitoutasamoreorlessdomesticatedzonepopulatedbyourshort-andlong-termgoals.

Todothis,athoughtexperimentiscalledfor.Andluckily,wehaveanexampleofsuchanexperimenttohand.CormacMcCarthys2007novelTheRoadcanbe

read,Isuggest,asexactlysuchaninvestigationoftheexistentialsignificanceoffuturity.Thenovelhasalreadybeensubjecttoagreatdealofinterpretation,

whichhasfoundwithinitEmersoniantranscendentalism,1post-9/11reflections

ontheAmericanexperienceoftrauma,2andenvironmentalism.3Acrossmostoftheseinterpretations,theideathatthereis,inMcCarthyspost-apocalyptic

world,nofuture,preciselyinthesenseofamappable,colonisableterritoryacrosswhichindividualbiographiesandhumanhistorywillcontinuetounfold,

isoftenencountered.Onthecontrary,thefuturehasvanishedalongwiththe

past,andthereisonlythepresentleft.

Temporallyspeaking,thereisthusnorealpossibilitytomoveeither

forwardsorbackwards,nochanceforareturntothepastnoranyrealhopeforthefuture;allthatisleftistheimmediatepresent,thenextpiece

ofbread,thenextshelter,thenextviolentencounterthattheyhave,somehow,tosurvive.4

TheworlddepictedinTheRoadisoneinwhichtheperfectdisasterofUlrichBecksimaginationhasfinallyoccurred.ItisoneinwhichBecksoft-repeated

claimthatthenovelhazardsofmodernity,whichcrossboundariesinvisiblyand

spreadglobally(typifiedbyradioactivefalloutandpersistent,bioaccumulatingpollutants),aredemocraticbynature,capableofaffectingthosewhoare

responsibleforcreatingthemasmuchasdistant,innocentvictims,isprovento

1Schaub,ThomasH.,SecularScriptureandCormacMcCarthysTheRoad, Renascence61,no.3

(2009):153167.2Rambo,Shelly,BeyondRedemption?ReadingCormacMcCarthysTheRoadAftertheEndof

theWorld,StudiesintheLiteraryImagination41,no.2(2008):99119.3Monbiot,George,CivilisationEndswithaShutdownofHumanConcern.AreWeThere

Already?,TheGuardian,October30,2007,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/oct/30/comment.books.4RuneGraulund,FulcrumsandBorderlands.ADesertReadingofCormacMcCarthysTheRoad,

OrbisLitterarum65,no.1(2010):5778.


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betrue.5Theentirebiospherehasbeenreducedtoashbyunimaginable

firestorms,triggeredbysomenaturalorhuman-causeddisaster,wedonotknowwhichorwhat.

Thebookdeliberatelyavoids,however,thethemesandnarrativestructuresthat

characterizeenvironmentaldisasternovels,whichoftendepictdisasterasthesumtotalofsmalldecisionsandfailurestoreadthesigns.Suchnarrativesdwelloncausationoratleastcorrelationbetweenavarietyofself-destructivehuman

activitiesanddisasterwithdisasterasthefinale.6JohnBrunnersTheSheep

LookUp(1972)isparticularlygoodexample,inwhichatragicnarrativedrivenBecksrampagingtransboundaryhazards,propagatedbyhumanfolly,leadtothe

destructionofNorthAmericainfirestorms.

Weoughttocallthebrigadesheexclaimed.Isitahayrick?

Thebrigadewouldhavealongwaytogo,thedoctortoldhercurtly.ItsfromAmerica.Thewindsblowingthatway.

InMcCarthysbook,however,thereisnoattemptatthiskindofnarrative,whichtypicallyreliesoncurrentscientificprojectionsofpossiblefuturesinorderto

deliverwarningstothepresent.Thereisnoexplanation,simplythepiecemealelaboration(throughflashbacks)oftheimmediateandlonger-termaftermathof

aneventthatseemstohavecreatedanalmostimplausibleconflagration.Inthe

tenorsoyearssincetheevent,thehumanracehasdwindled,throughstarvation,illness(exposuretotheashwhichblanketseverythingishazardous)and

cannibalism,downtoascatteringofindividualsandgroupswhowanderthelandscapeinsearchofleavingsfromavanishedcivilisation.Thebook

concentratesonthewanderingsofamanandhisyoungson,agedaroundten,bornataroundthetimeofthedisaster.

McCarthytakespainstodescribeforusaworldwhichMarkFisherhas

suggestedtakesonthecharacteristicsoftheGnosticconceptionofthematerialworld,degradedandabject,aburned-outhuskthatapproaches[...]totalentropy

andinertia.7ThethemeofentropyisundoubtedlyacentraldrivingforcebehindMcCarthysdepictionofthepost-eventtimes.

Theponderouscounterspectacleofthingsceasingtobe.Thesweepingwaste,hydropticandcoldlysecular.Thesilence.

Thecounterspectaclehereistheoppositeofthebecomingofwhichthetrouts

markingsdescribedinthebooksfinalparagrapharemaps.Ratherthan

evolutionaryprocesses,whichimplybifurcation,complexificationandorganisation,weareconfrontedbyaglobalreversiontozero.

5UlrichBeck,RiskSociety :TowardsaNewModernity,Theory,CultureandSociety(London:Sage

Publications,1992).

6GeorgeMonbiotsreadingofthebookasanenvironmentalwarningignoresthissignaldifferencebetweenTheRoadandbookswithinthisgenreseeMonbiot,op.cit.7MarkFisher(2010)Thelonelyroad,FilmQuarterly,63(3),pp.1417,


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However,Fisherisincorrect,Ithink,todescribeMcCarthysvisionoftheworld

asGnostic.Gnosticismenforcesametaphysicaldualismofsubstances,divinesparksandclodsofmatter,whereasMcCarthygiveshintsofadifferent,more

neoplatonicmetaphysicsatwork.ImmediatelyafterthepassageIjustquoted,headdstotheentropicdrumbeatoftheforegoinglinesthemysterious(andmuch

discussed)closingsentenceThesalitterdryingfromtheearth.ThistermsalitteroriginateswithAurora[DieMorgenrteimAufgang]bythe

16th-17thGermanneoplatonicphilosopherJakobBhme,anauthorfromwhom

McCarthyalsotakestheepigraphthatopenshisearliernovelBloodMeridian.Itreferstoamatrixofgenerativeandcreativenaturalforceswhichisthecommon

denominatorofwhatisconsciousandaliveandofwhatappearsinanimateandinert,8andwhichalsoachieveshighestexpressioninhumanconsciousness.This

principleis,inneoplatonicfashion,immanentintheworld,asopposedtobeing

entirelyseparatefromit.Further,itmaybedryingfromtheworldinMcCarthysbook,butitisnotentirelyextinguished.Thatthisissoisapparent

fromthemomentwhentheprotagonistsfindmushrooms,ormorespecifically

morels,beneathadeadrhododendroninanincineratedwood.9Morels,aswellasbeingaprizedediblefungus,areasaphrophyticspecies,onewhichhelpsto

decomposedeadorganicmatterandfertilisethesoil.Ifthecounterspectacleofentropythreatenstochokeoffallofthebecomingandunfoldingofnature,then

itisevidentthattherearestillgoodplaces,astheboyputsit,wherethesalitter,

inwhichthecreativepotentialofnatureisembodied,havenotentirelyevaporated.

Theideaofagenerativetendency,immanenttoliving(and,inthecaseof

Boehmeandotherlaterphilosopherswhobelongtothesameintellectualtradition,suchasFranzvonBaaderandF.W.J.Schelling,non-living)entitieshasbeenassociatedwithanti-mechanistic,vitalisttendencieswithinthephilosophy

ofbiology.Vitalismtendstobethoughtofasadualisticmetaphysics,however,in

whichalife-principleisaddedtoinertmatter.Ifitistobegenuinelyimmanentinmatter(astheBoehmeantraditionsuggestsitmustbe),thisprinciplemust

arisefromtheorganisationorstructureofmatteritself.Thisstricturecharacterisestheconceptofagenerativetendencyemployedbythe20thcentury

GermanphilosopherHansJonas.Thekeycharacteristicoflivingsystems,for

Jonas,isthattheirbehaviourcannotbeexplainedwithoutpurposiveness,withoutagoverningprincipleofself-preservationanddevelopment(conatus).

Alllivingcreaturesarecharacterisedbothbyinternalcomplexityand,goingfromplantstoanimals,anincreasingdegreeofindependencefromtheir

environment.Independence,however,isboundupwithdependence,which

meansthattheconditionoflivingcreaturesiswhatJonascallsneedfulfreedom.10Themoreindependentacreatureis(animalspossesscentral

nervoussystemandaremobile,whereasplantsdoandarenot),themore

numeroustheuncertaintiestowhichitissubject.Purposivenesscomeswiththe

8LawrenceM.PrincipeandAndrewWeeks,(1989)JacobBoehme'sDivineSubstanceSalitter:its

Nature,Origin,andRelationshiptoSeventeenthCenturyScientificTheories,BritishJournalofthe

HistoryofScience,22,pp.53-61.9IowethisobservationtoDrPaulNieuwenhuis.10HansJonas,ThePhenomenonofLife(ChicagoandLondon:UniversityofChicagoPress,1982).


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boundarybetweenorganismandenvironmentwhichcharacterisesunicellular

creatures:thisboundaryandtheconditionsinternaltotheorganismthathelpsustainitmustbesustainedforthecreaturetosurvive.Withpurposiveness

comespotentialforchangeandthereforeuncertainty.

Theconditionoflivingbeings,asdescribedbyJonas,isoneinwhichthefutureremains,tosomeextent,open.Whathashappeneddoesnotfullydeterminewhatwillhappen.11Thedegreetowhichthefutureisopenincreaseswiththe

complexityoftheorganism.Humanbeingsare,forJonas,differentfromother

livingcreaturesinthesensethattheyareabletoreflectonandthusplacethemselvesatadistancefromtheirpastandpossiblefuturesindecidingwhatto

donext,andcanthusselectamongarangeofdifferentpurposes.

IncontrasttotheentropiclandscapeMcCarthydescribes,then,themorels

remainasbearersofthesalitter,thepurposiveness,inwhichnaturalprocessesareintegratedinthemaintenanceofwhatJonascallsneedfulfreedom.Asliving

entities,theyholdopenaminimalcrackinthefuturewhichincreasingentropy

appearstobeinexorablyclosingdown.Whatoftheboyandhisfather,andthesignificance(ifany)oftheirwanderings?Iwanttosuggestthattheconceptoflife

describedbyJonascanhelpusunderstandthesignificanceofanumberofelementsoftheirexperiencesaswell,andindeedthemoralframeworkwhich

McCarthydevelopsinthenovel.

Inthepost-disasterworld,inwhichentropyappearstobewinning,human

purposeappearstohavebeenextinguished.Withoutorganisedsocieties,therecanbenomorehistory,norecordingofactions.Yetatthesametime,thefather

insistsontherealityofamoralorder,evenwithoutanysocietalinstitutions,andtowhichhisson,likehisconscience,insistshebetrue.Howcansuchanorderhavemeaninginaworldwhere,astheoldmanElytheyencounterinsists,there

isnogod,eitherinthesenseofatrulytranscendentbeingwhograntspurposeto

creationthroughhiswillorintheincarnatesenseusedbyChristwheretwoorthreearegatheredtogetherinmyname,thereamIinthemidstofthem.12The

fatherinsists,however,inresponsetoElithatthereisgod,awarrant(thewordheusesearlyinthebookwhenthinkingofhisson)forhisviewoftheworldand

thesenseofwhoheiswhichcomeswithit.

Whatcanthismean?Jonassuggeststhatthereisawarrantformoralityevenin

theabsenceofgod,intheshapeofthepurposivenessofnaturalbeings,thesalitterthatremains.Withoutgoingintotoomuchdetail,13thiswarrantallows

foradistinctionbetweenthebadguysandthegoodguysintheworldofThe

Roadwhichmapsthemoralcategoriestowhichtheson(inparticular)strivestobetrue.Importantly,itdoesnotprovideamaximalist,teleologicalversionof

goodness.Instead,itallowsforaminimaldistinctionbetweengoodandevil

11ChrisGroves,TheFuturesofCausality:HansJonasandGillesDeleuze,in Causalityand

Motivation ,ed.RobertoPoli(Frankfurt:OntosVerlag,2010),15170.12Matthew18:20(KJV)

13Forafulleraccount,seeVogel,Lawrence,TheOutcryofMuteThings:HansJonassImperativeofResponsibility,inMindingNature:ThePhilosophersofEcology(NewYork:GuilfordPress,1996),167185.


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basedsolelyontheexperienceoffuturitylefttothosewhoinhabitMcCarthys

world.Intherestofthisessay,Iwillexplorewhatthisdistinctionmeans.

MuchhasbeenwrittenabouthowthepastisfadingfromthepresentofTheRoad.Justasnatureseemsincapableofsustaininglifeanymore,sohavethe

supportsofindividualidentityinculturebeenlost,andevenlanguageitselfseemstobeunderthreat.

Hedreamtofwalkinginafloweringwoodwherebirdsflewbeforethemhe

andthechildandtheskywasachingbluebuthewaslearninghowtowakehimselffromjustsuchsirenworlds.Lyingthereinthedarkwiththe

uncannytasteofapeachfromsomephantomorchardfadinginhismouth.Hethoughtifhelivedlongenoughtheworldatlastwouldallbelost.Like

thedyingworldthenewlyblindinhabit,allofitslowlyfadingfrom

memory

Theworldshrinkingdownaboutarawcoreofparsibleentities.Thenames

ofthingsslowlyfollowingthosethingsintooblivion.Colours.Thenamesofbirds.Thingstoeat.Finallythenamesofthingsonebelievedtobetrue.

Morefragilethanhewouldhavethought.Howmuchwasgonealready?Thesacredidiomshornofitsreferentsandsoofitsreality.

Losscannolongerbemourned.Withoutthewebsofmeaningthatlinkobjectsandpeopletogetherwithinaculture,thepossibilityoffeelingwhatMartha

Nussbaumhascalledtheupheavalofthought,thedisruptionofidentityconsequentonlossofattachment.14Thesymbolicdimensionofthepastisas

preytoentropyasisthenaturalcomplexityproducedbybillionsofyearsofevolution.Forthisreason,thestoriesthatthefathertellshissonasawayofweavingalastthreadofculturalcontinuityare,asherecognizes,hazardousat

thesametimeasbeingnecessary:becominginvolvedwiththepast,either

throughinvokedmemoriesorsimplythroughimaginationrisksawakeningdynamicsofmourningormelancholy(inFreudssense)ormerefantasy.

Whenyourdreamsareofsomeworldthatneverwasorofsomeworldthat

neverwillbeandyouarehappyagainthenyouwillhavegivenup.Doyou

understand?

Nonetheless,emotionalattachment,love,andthemeaningitcontributestohumanliferemainsatthecoreofTheRoad.Thismeaningisevokedthrougha

sensitivitytofuturitythatMcCarthydiscoversonthefarsideoftheeventthat

appearstohavedestroyedhistory.

Thissensitivityextendstoevocationsofthefuturityofthings,thesenseinwhich

everydayobjectsserveasanchorsaroundwhichthethicknessofquotidianfuturesiswoven.Objectswhichofferthemselvesforuse,contemplation,andso

onreinforcethesenseofbeingabletotrusttheworldwhich,accordingto

14MarthaCravenNussbaum,UpheavalsofThought:TheIntelligenceofEmotions(CambridgeUniversityPress,2003).


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attachmentpsychologists,developsoutofthesafespacecreatedbygood

enoughcaregiversduringchildhood.15Theyreinforceourexpectationsthatthefutureintowhichwearemovingisoneinwhichweshallremainathome.

Althoughthedecayofeventheremnantsofcivilisationisdestroyingthis

possibility,thefatherinTheRoadremainssensitivetotheconnectionbetweenmeaningandfuturity.Atonepoint,herecallsanoccasionyearsafterthecataclysmwhen

he'dstoodinthecharredruinsofalibrarywhereblackenedbookslayinpoolsofwater.Shelvestippedover.Somerageattheliesarrangedintheir

thousandsrowonrow.Hepickeduponeofthebooksandthumbedthroughtheheavybloatedpages.He'dnothavethoughtthevalueofthe

smallestthingpredicatedonaworldtocome.Itsurprisedhim.Thatthe

spacewhichthesethingsoccupiedwasitselfanexpectation.

Here,theexpectationoffuturecontinuityisfeltasencodedinthematerialbeing

ofthebooks,theshelvesonwhichtheystoodandtheroomsthatcontainthem.Embodiedintheproductsofpurposivehumanactioniscareforthefuture,for

continuation.Surroundedbysuchobjects,andtheformsoflifetheysustainmycomputeronwhichImwritingthis,acoffeemug,theprintsonthewallsofmy

officeandmyownshelvesofbooksthissenseofcontinuityinevitablyholdsa

tingeofconservatism.Embodiedinthingsastheyareisanexpectationthatthingsshouldcontinueastheyare.

ButintheworldMcCarthysnovelasakindofthoughtexperimentdescribes,

careforthefutureisshornofanyconservatism,and,perhapsparadoxically,theconsequencesisthatitssignificanceforhumanlifestandsforthmoresharplyasaresult.Withoutthefuturenothingmeansanythingwecannotescapethefact

thatthevalueofthesmallestthingisindeedpredicatedonaworldtocome

andwithoutactsandobjectsthatembodyafuturethereisnofuture.Justasthesalitterdryingfromtheworldrepresentsthelossofthehesitationbetweenpast

andfuturethatcharacterises,inJonasphilosophy,alllivingbeings,thethreattothehumanpresentisathreattocareforthevulnerable,singularfuturesofwhat

wecareaboutandtothespecificthingsandactivitiesthatsustainthem.

Attachments,andthewebsofactivitiesandobjectswhichsustainthem,hold

openthefuture.Thesingularfutureofthingsandpeoplewecareaboutdrawsfromusactivecaring,adrivetoextendouragencytowardsthemandtheir

needs,ratherthantocurtailitattheedgeoftheboundarieswhichliberal

politicalphilosophyhasalwayssuggesteddefineourindividuality.16Fromthemechanicsandwoodcraftskillsdisplayedbythefathertothetenderbathing

andcaretakingofhissonwhenhefallsill,careinthenovelisaforcewhichboth

wedgesopenagapbetweenpresentandfutureandgrantsshape,asasculptororwoodcarverdoes,tothefuturewhicharrivesthroughit.Initsdiverseformsit

bearsritualsignificancethatextendsbeyondtheimmediatebenefititbrings:

15IngeBretherton,TheOriginsofAttachmentTheory:JohnBowlbyandMaryAinsworth,DevelopmentalPsychology28,no.5(1992):759775.16C.Gilligan,InaDifferentVoice(Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress,1982),38.


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Theboysattottering.Themanwatchedhimthathenottoppleintotheflames.Hekickedholesinthesandfortheboy'shipsandshoulderswhere

hewouldsleepandhesatholdinghimwhilehetousledhishairbeforethefiretodryit.Allofthislikesomeancientanointing.Sobeit.Evokethe

forms.Whereyou'venothingelseconstructceremoniesoutoftheairandbreatheuponthem.

Continuallyweareremindedofhowtheday-to-daysurvivalofthepairreaches

beyondsurvival,throughtheinescapablesymbolicdimensionofcare,itscreationofnewmeaningandpotentialevenasitconcernsitselfwithsimply

sustainingwhatexists.Althougheventhenamesofthingsonebelievedtobetrueriskdissolution,thecareofthefatherforhisson,andofthesonforhis

father,holdsopenagapthroughwhichnoveltycancreeporexplode.The

creationofabsurdcardgames,swimminginanicypool,firingaflarepistolallbearwitnesstothisexcessofthepresentwhichisfuturity.Withoutuncertainty,

thereisonlydeath;butuncertaintyuntamedalsothreatensdeath.Creativity

transformsuncertaintyintosecurity,loveandevendelight.Thiscapacityforbringingunlooked-fornoveltyintotheworldwasdescribedbyHannahArendt

ascharacteristicofthehumancondition,acapacityshecallednatality,embodiedbythebirthofchildren,worksofartandpoliticalaction17.

Thefatherscareforhissondoesnotthereforepromiseagrandstoryofredemption,onlytheeverydaycareofafatherforhischildwho,hisfather

eventuallyrealises,hecannotkillashepromisedhewouldshouldhehimselfdie,inordertosparehimfromaworsefateinthepost-cataclysmworld.Everyday

careis,however,arguablymoreimportantforsustainingaconcretesenseofintegrity,futurityandtangiblehopethanaffirmationsofloftymoralideals,asTzvetanTodorovhasarguedinrelationtothestoriesofinmatesofNaziand

Sovietconcentrationandlabourcamps.18Thenarrativesthepaircreatebetween

themoftheirjourneytothewarmerSouthwheretheremightevenbe,suggeststheboy,otherchildrenaresustainedbythistangibleyetprecarioustissueof

careasfragileyettenaciousasthemorelstheydiscoverwhichisitselfthreatenedbythefathersownfear-driven,violentresponsestopossibleorreal

externalthreatsasmuchasitisbythesethreatsthemselves.

Atmanypoints,thesonaskshisfatherforreassurancethattheyarethegood

guys,wantingtobetoldthattheyaredifferentfromthosewho,theyknow,stealfromandevenkillothersforfood.Wearenotcannibals,heistold.Inthemost

horrificsentencesofthebook,itisapparentthatothers,whohaveresortedto

cannibalism,treatwomenasincubatorsforbabieswhowillbeusedformeatoncetheyareborn.Thebadguys,then,aremarkedoutaspeopleforwhom,in

Graulundswords,thereisnothingbeyondtheimmediatepresent,forwhom

thereisnothingwhichcannotbeinstrumentalized,degradedintomeremattertobeusedforsurvival.Eventheirownchildren,theembodimentofArendts

natality,thepowerofnewpotential,ofunforeseenbeginnings,ofanopen

17HannahArendt,TheHumanCondition(Chicago:ChicagoUniversityPress,1998).18TzvetanTodorov,FacingTheExtreme:MoralLifeintheConcentrationCamps(Holt,1997).


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future,aresuckedintothemawofthedesiretosurviveatallcosts.These

othersembodyandextendtheentropythathasengulfedtheworld.

Thisdegree-zerodegradationtheyembody,andwhichsodisguststhefatherandterrifieshisson,isadenialoftheresponsibilitythat,accordingtoJonas,isthe

moraldemandwhichaccompaniesthehumanexperienceoffuturitytheneedtocare,notonlyforobjectsofattachmentandthoseobjectsandactivitieswhichsustainthem,butforcareitself,forthepotentialofbuilding,creatingpurpose

eveninthefaceofentropy.Jonaswrites,withreferencetothetechnological

societiesweinhabittoday,thatitbehovesustoensurethatnevermusttheexistenceortheessenceofmanasawholebemadeastakeinthehazardsof

action.19Itisthisessence,aswellastheexistence,ofhumanitythatisthreatenedinTheRoad,astheprospectofacceptingtheneedtoeatonesown

childreninordertocontinuetoexistreveals.

Itisinthissensethattheboyisthewordofgod,asthefathersays,andis

himselfapromise,atabernacle(acontainerforthedivinepresence),is

carryingthefire.Thecontinuitybuildbythedeedsandwordsofthefatherisbothpaternalandmaternal,ateachingofbothindependenceandcareforthe

vulnerabilityofthecared-for.TheboyincarnatesapromisethatwhatJonascallstheessenceofhumanity,itsnatality,itscapacityforcreativeresponsesto

uncertaintyuponwhichtrust,loveandflourishingdepend,willbesustained.

McCarthyhas,inthepast,beendescribedasanihilist,forwhomthedifferencebetweengoodandevilceasestohavestablemeaning.InTheRoad,however,itis

evidentthatnihilismcharacterisesonlythebadguys,forwhomthepossibilityofcare,ofcreation,ofresistancetothecoldclaspofentropyhasceasedtohave

significance.ThosewhopreservethebreathofGod,thefragileremnantsofBoehmessalitter,arethosewhoholdopenthefutureandchargeitwithpotential,withpossibility,incarnatedinthoseforwhomtheycareandthe

practiceswithwhichtheycareforthem.

AsMarkFishernotes,thereseemstobenopossibilityofsocietyleftinTheRoad,

andperhapsashestates,asuspicionofcollectivity(orevenablindnesstowardsitwhydothefatherandtheboysmothernotseekoutandcooperatewiththeir

neighboursinthefaceofthecataclysm?20)isevident.Yetthebasisofsociety

remains,intheresourcesofcarethatappeartobeembodiedbytheboyandbythefamilygroupwhofindhimafterhisfathersdeath.Theroleofideasand

imagesofredemptioninthebookhasbeenmuchdiscussedbycommentators.Yetthereisnogreatpromiseofredemptionevidentinthefinaleofthebook,no

obviousprospectthathumansocietycannecessarilyariseanewfromtheashes

orthattheresultsofsuchafuturewouldbegood.Everythingremainsuncertain.Atthesametime,theboystandsforanunimaginablefuture,onewhichexceeds

thelimitsofthepresententirely,andoneinwhichthereisnogrief,nomourning

andnomelancholyforthepastworldwhichhasbeenlost.Theonesecureanchorforthefinaleisamoralone.Thethoughtexperimentattheheartof

McCarthysnoveldistilsfromitamoraldistinctionwhosetruthwithstandseven

19HansJonas,TheImperativeofResponsibility :inSearchofanEthicsfortheTechnologicalAge(Chicago ;London:UniversityofChicagoPress,1984),128.20Fisher,op.cit.


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thealmosttotalentropificationofnatureandmeaningbegunbytheinvisible

cataclysm.

Wecannotfinishonthisnote,however.Thepoweroftheendingofthebook,beyondtheeventsofthefinalfewpages,residesintheambivalenceofits

plangentfinalparagraph.

Oncetherewerebrooktroutinthestreamsinthemountains.Youcould

seethemstandingintheambercurrentwherethewhiteedgesoftheirfins

wimpledsoftlyintheflow.Theysmelledofmossinyourhand.Polishedandmuscularandtorsional.Ontheirbackswerevermiculatepatternsthat

weremapsoftheworldinitsbecoming.Mapsandmazes.Ofathingwhichcouldnotbeputback.Notbemaderightagain.Inthedeepglenswhere

theylivedallthingswereolderthanmanandtheyhummedofmystery.

Thelossofanobjectofattachmentisthelossofsomethingirreplaceable,

somethingsuigeneris.Here,McCarthyevokes,initsfullconcretenessand

uniqueness,thesingularityofthevanishedworldassomethingwhoseintrinsicvalueliesinitsvalueasalimit.Someenvironmentalethicistsinsistthatthe

meaningofnatureisitsindependence,itsresistancetoourattemptstofullyunderstanditandmanipulateit.Themapsofthebecomingoftheworldarealso

mazes,unimaginableconcatenationsoframifyingcontingenciesthatexceedall

humancomprehension.Withinthelimitstakedoutbynature,thenarrativesofhumanidentityandagencyfindtheirpropermatrixandarmature.Ifahuman

worldshouldbecomepossibleagainfarbeyondthelimitsofthepresentdescribedinthebookaworldwithoutgrief,withoutmourningandwithout

melancholywouldthelackofneedtogrieveforthelossoftheoldworldinitsspecificity,andthemysteriousstorieswoventherein,besomethingworthyofregret?Here,eventhemoralbedrockreachedbyMcCarthysJonasian

explorationoftheexperienceoffuturityishauntedbyloss,byaconstitutive

trauma21.

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