No Country for Old Men

Ed Tom Bell makes a mistake when he is 21 years old that shadows the rest of his life. What is his mistake? Is he right or wrong to hold on to the beliefs about himself that he does? Explain.

Why is Sheriff Bell afraid of finding Anton Chigurh? Explain.

Compare Sheriff Bell’s relationship with his wife to Llewelyn Moss’ relationship with Carla Jean. What are the similarities and differences? How do those similarities and differences impact the outcome for each character? For example, how to you explain the Bells’ survival and the Mosses’ deaths? You cannot use “bad luck” as your answer unless you also explicate the philosophy or ethics behind such an answer.

Is Sheriff Ed Tom Bell a “good” man? Explain. Why is it important to him to be a good man?

Carla Jean and Loretta Bell are the two main women characters in the novel. How are their characters different? How does McCarthy indicate the role Loretta’s spiritual beliefs play in her life? Does Carla Jean have a belief system? Explain how each character’s belief system helps or hinders her.

What role do fathers and male role models play in forming the male characters in this novel? What is the impact of male role models on the younger characters? You must include at least two pairs of younger/older men. Some suggestions include: Ed Tom Bell/Uncle Ellis, Llewelyn Moss/his father, Ed Tom Bell/father and/or grandfather.

Using your own research into the history and societal events in the late 1970s up to 1980, describe the social issues of the time and how this novel depicts them. What was the state of the drug war in 1980? What did “regular” people know about the events on the border with Mexico? What was the governmental response to the drug trade? How were policies formed or laws enacted during that time period that continue until today, if any? Have any of Sheriff Bell’s predictions come true? How? You do not need to answer all of these questions; choose one question and answer it in terms of larger societal events and history, while drawing examples from this novel.

Is Anton Chigurh a “lunatic” (Sheriff Lamar), a “psychopath” (Carson Wells), or a “prophet of destruction” (Sheriff Bell)? Explain your view of his character in terms of one of the themes of the novel. What is Chigurh’s role in this novel?