The Amazing Literary Adventures of Amber and Eleanor the Cat / Cormac McCarthy's "The Passenger"
By: Amber Ford, The Mountain Times
Literary classics come in all varieties and genres – whether a political stance, a devout love story, or coming of age in a time of world turmoil, the greats of the past have enthralled us since the beginning of time. And although Eleanor and I have our list of favorites, Cormac McCarthy’s novel, “The Passenger,” will, likely, be a “standby” option should we fail to read them all.
We have enjoyed the many McCarthy novels we have explored. Known for his controversial topics, wild story lines, and unforgettable characters, “The Passenger” included all of his key components, but left us puzzled about the overall plot of.
The story begins on the banks of New Orleans. Two characters – Bobby, the protagonist, and his cohort, are diving for plane wreckage: the aircraft somehow went down without public knowledge. Upon their descent, the divers see no notable damage to the aircraft. We all know Eleanor loves a thrilling mystery. But the plot of the story became tangled and seemingly lost when the main character’s past demons surfaced.
True to his bizarre, and at times unimaginable, themes, McCarthy’s Bobby left Eleanor a bit unnerved. With content and subject matter that could be triggering to some readers, McCarthy was able to explore topics such as addiction, severe mental illness, and incest via the two main characters – Bobby and his sister, Alicia. While Eleanor and I have read some intense subject matter throughout our literary journey “The Passenger” really gave us pause. The downed plane provided Bobby with relatable glimpses of his past, as the book time traveled between present and past and Alicia’s losing battle with mental illness.
We have read several of McCarthy’s novels. His characters always seem to have one outstanding trait: Intelligence – something many esteemed authors miss. The book leaves little doubt as to the subject matter woven into the lines. Eleanor and I reread certain passages for comprehension. Well-developed characters are McCarthy's trademark. The reader can almost relate to the unthinkable, which honestly left Eleanor questioning her sanity.
The subject matter was heavy at times, but the overall flow and astounding passages were beautiful reminders of how classic and timeless McCarthy is. “The Passenger” is a two book series, with “Stella Maris” completing that series. This great literary genius passed away in June of 2023, leaving behind works that continue to enthrall readers from every generation.
While I cannot say “The Passenger” was my top favorite of his works, all his words will live on, garnering any reader’s profound respect. Several chapters of this book gave us goosebumps, this excerpt particularly: “Here is a story. The last of all men who stands alone in the universe while it darkens about him. Who sorrows all things with a single sorrow. Out of the pitiable and exhausted remnants of what was once his soul he’ll find nothing from which to craft the least thing godlike to guide him in these last days.”
Like many of his novels, there has been rumor of this book becoming a film in the near future – it will be hard to do it justice. Like Eleanor always says, read the book first.