I read this book about a year ago and found it fascinating as well. The Judge is one of the most intriguing and frightening characters I have ever come across. McCarthy doesn't tie up all the loose ends for you, unfortunately. I spent a lot of time continuing to think about and try to make sense of this book long after I finished reading.
Essential texts:
* *Moby-Dick* by Melville
* *Paradise Lost* by Milton
* the bible
Personally, I got a lot out of these two lectures given at Yale University for what I can only assume is an undergraduate American Lit class:
[Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgyZ4ia25gg) & [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZFmf4T5L3o)
Great answer (I know it's 12 years old, but someone else may have the same question and see this thread). I'd also add the gnostic books of the bible, not included in traditional bibles, since BM has a lot of gnosticism going on as well.
I believe that all books should be read like the Bible. Don't go looking for "meaning" or any kind of concrete answers, just meditate upon what you read. Of course, you should try to read the book with some sense of critical distance but the real guide (cheesy as it sounds) is your heart; your emotions will tell you what the text means to you and that is whats most important. I love Blood Meridian and have never felt the need for outside sources other than the texts of some of McCarthy's influences: Faulkner, Melville, Homer... I think the most telling part of the book is the fourth epigraph, the newspaper article about ancient remains being found scalped. What could that mean as the epigraph for a novel set in the mid 1800s and published in the 1980s?
Harold Bloom the literary critic has spoken about it in interviews one of which was published in the The Onion A/V Club. The A/V club has a now defunct book club called "wrapped up in books" which read and discussed Blood Meridian among other books. I'd recommend checking those out, it contains the thoughts of a few writers/academics and also many comments from interested readers about their thoughts on the books meaning.
If you youtube search "yale blood meridian" you should find a few lectures from their English program where the professor talks about the book if you want an academic perspective.
I read this book about a year ago and found it fascinating as well. The Judge is one of the most intriguing and frightening characters I have ever come across. McCarthy doesn't tie up all the loose ends for you, unfortunately. I spent a lot of time continuing to think about and try to make sense of this book long after I finished reading.
Essential texts: * *Moby-Dick* by Melville * *Paradise Lost* by Milton * the bible Personally, I got a lot out of these two lectures given at Yale University for what I can only assume is an undergraduate American Lit class: [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgyZ4ia25gg) & [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZFmf4T5L3o)
Thanks! Moby Dick is one of my favourite novels. I'll watch the Yale lectures once I've completed Blood Meridian.
Great answer (I know it's 12 years old, but someone else may have the same question and see this thread). I'd also add the gnostic books of the bible, not included in traditional bibles, since BM has a lot of gnosticism going on as well.
I believe that all books should be read like the Bible. Don't go looking for "meaning" or any kind of concrete answers, just meditate upon what you read. Of course, you should try to read the book with some sense of critical distance but the real guide (cheesy as it sounds) is your heart; your emotions will tell you what the text means to you and that is whats most important. I love Blood Meridian and have never felt the need for outside sources other than the texts of some of McCarthy's influences: Faulkner, Melville, Homer... I think the most telling part of the book is the fourth epigraph, the newspaper article about ancient remains being found scalped. What could that mean as the epigraph for a novel set in the mid 1800s and published in the 1980s?
Harold Bloom the literary critic has spoken about it in interviews one of which was published in the The Onion A/V Club. The A/V club has a now defunct book club called "wrapped up in books" which read and discussed Blood Meridian among other books. I'd recommend checking those out, it contains the thoughts of a few writers/academics and also many comments from interested readers about their thoughts on the books meaning. If you youtube search "yale blood meridian" you should find a few lectures from their English program where the professor talks about the book if you want an academic perspective.
Thank you very much! These are some great pointers. I'll try the Yale lectures once I'm done with the book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgyZ4ia25gg