Don't really have an answer to your question, but I wanted to say: I've watched many of the reviews for this book on RUclips, and yours is easily the best. Unlike the other reviews I've seen, you make an attempt to explain the book, to parse out the themes/symbols. Keep up the good work.
I've read much of McCarthy's work, but I'm late to reading this novel and only just seeing your review, which is wonderful, by the way. But I've been a victim of a strange synchronicity (or spooky action at a distance) in that while I've been reading _The Passenger_ I also just watched the 1970 movie _Five Easy Pieces_ for the first time, and a few of the themes are so connected that it feels profoundly strange to me. I only watched the movie after seeing a list in the _Guardian_ of Jack Nicholson's greatest performances and that particular one was listed as his best. And they were right; it's an incredible movie and performance. But here's the weirdness: both feature a drifter character named Bobby whose roots are privileged yet they've chosen a life of blue-collar work and largely aimless transience due to their feelings of inadequacy relative to their families. Both are deeply lonely and exist steeped in melancholy. Both have a sister who is extremely close in an emotional sense. *Spoiler alert* And by the end both decide to leave their current situations and lives. I could probably draw more parallels, but those are enough to show how this coincidence of two great pieces of art have shaken me. I wonder. Is there any evidence McCarthy drew even obliquely from the Rafelson film? It's just really odd to me that I should get immersed in these two tales, one created in 1970 and the other only recently published, at pretty much the same moment.
I agree "active vs passive" is a major theme or point. (Arguably this was also a theme of the Kid in Blood Meridian.) The passenger is one who waits to arrive at a predetermined destination, as opposed to a traveler or driver who is...free...to choose or change destinations.
I highly recommend Suttree. My favourite book by McCarthy. ‘To the darker town, past lamps stoned blind, past smoking oblique shacks and china dogs and painted tyres where dirty flowers grow.’
Thanks! I keep coming across recommendations for Suttree, so despite what I said about not really being interested in reading more of his backlist, I've been thinking about picking up Suttree.
I highly recommend the Audio versions of Blood Meridian and Suttree by Richard Poe. I listen to mostly non fiction books but Blood Meridian is an absolute work of art. I could pick any random chapter and play it.
The incredible reverence for nature and living creatures through Bobby’s eyes is breathtaking. Bobby’s trips to wilderness and beach where he wakes up after encounter with Kid; speaking about the exhausted grosbeak birds you could pick up and feel heartbeat made me tear up: such beautiful writing
Thank you. Of all the reviews of The Passenger I've seen on RUclips, yours is the most personal and therefore the deepest and best. My wife will give me The Passenger and Stella Maris as my birthday present, and I really look forward to reading them.
What about the final letter from Akron, Ohio that he refused to accept while in his final exile? Any idea who that might have been from? Wasn't that where his father and grandmother were from/lived? Does that imply that someone knows where he is?
I was floored by this book. I have really enjoyed reading McCarthy’s books. Especially The Crossing. I enjoyed your thoughts on this novel. I think it is the best thing I’ve read in years.
I just re-read 'Suttree', and came to realize, as an older man (I first read it in my late 20s) that it is McCarthy's 2nd-best work, after 'Blood Meridian', which is the apex of American fiction in my lifetime.
Blue I’m 74 today! I read Suttree early last year. I’m guessing I wouldn’t have recognized the book’s greatest in my 20’s. Glad you gave it a 2nd look. Meanwhile Cormac keeps on going…
@@larrycarr4562 Thank you, Sir. I am 53 years old and have been on a big McCarthy kick since I recently read 'The Passenger'. The first book I ever read by him was 'Blood Meridian', way back in 1993. His best book and high in the running for Greatest American Novel. I only wish that I had read his books earlier, but I probably wouldn't have understood them as I do now.
Hey, thanks for that review! It definitely feels encouraging to hear other finding something special in these. I enjoyed reading both books, one after the other, and was deeply moved by them, actually so much, that I couldn’t touch another book for a while after. It’s probably true that there won’t be too many people reading them but for me it’s clear that I will definitely read them again.
A very thoughtful and enjoyable review. I flew through this one, found it immensely enjoyable. Youre good at this, ill be sticking around for future book talks! Happy reading!
Thankyou for the review on this book it certainly gets you emotionally we are all passengers passing through life carrying the weight of life. Things are outside our control and we search for meaning good review
Great insight and analysis of an amazing piece of work. There are very few times I can count in which I’ve been brought to tears in a book. I can add this one. If you didn’t feel the words being whittled away to reveal a perfect and heartfelt conversation with Debbie, you need to rethink your life.
Thank you. I don't usually go back to books which I already reviewed, but as the days go on, more comes to mind. The Passenger would be a really good book to discuss in an academic environment.
Thank you for making this vid. I want to watch a bunch of reviews of this book - I just finished it - one of the most challenging reads (in fiction) I've ever had. I'll read it again eventually and will take notes. Having never read McCarthy, I didn't realize how complex and deep it was going to be... I'd like to beg to differ on your idea that Western takes on a new identity, even that Kline was urging him to do so. Kline was certainly urging Bobby to leave, and setting up a new identity was one of the options they discussed. You're right, I agree, that their discussions on this topic are relevant. I think the author is careful to show us that Bobby did leave and did not create a new identity. On the final pages he receives a letter from Akron, OH, the owner of the bodega knows it's for Bobby - - he hadn't changed his name. The missing passenger in the opening chapter is both symbolic and pertinent to the plot: this implication of nefarious activity is what makes Bobby a "person-of-interest", a turns him into a person on the run - a path he fills more and more throughout the story. In the end he does leave and finds peace in his new home off the coast of Spain, living much the same as he did in his final days in New Orleans - walking the beach, going into town for a drink, contemplating his world. Now, though, he has picked up an early interest, one he abandoned many years ago, he starts thinking about mathematics again, and sends away for papers by famous physicists/mathematicians. He contentedly waits for death, where he may be reunited with his sister.
Just finished your video. I appreciated your point of view, partly due to the things that you saw or thought that I had not. I've read "The Passenger" twice and found it very moving. I've lived in New Mexico for the past two years. I grew up in Tennessee and my mother grew up in Knoxville where my father met her. One of my relatives worked at Oak Ridge. I lived in Louisiana for ten years. All locations for parts of the book. McCarthy lived the life many admire and very few have the determination and perseverance to live. I'll probably reread "The Passenger" and also "Stella Maris" (which I've read once). I don't expect perfectly logical connections with literally everything in McCarthy's books. One example being how we find The Kid appearing to Bobby as well as Alicia. With their deep emotional connection as well as being siblings might be enough.
The Kid could be the voice of the unconscious. Alicia's own witty backchatter with herself since the schizophrenia. McCarthy wrote an article a while back talking about the unconscious, The Kekule Problem, and my impression of his idea of the unconscious is that has its own persona. Following that logic you can see that its an overarching human affair, and The Kid is an ancient traveller who connects those who are transcending the so called ordinary life (in this case the two anomalies, Alicia and Bobby), and in that way tightening their relationship with their own minds and the unconscious. Love, love, loved this book. Ambiguity at its finest.
That's a really good interpretation and follows some of what The Kid told Alicia about the bus ride. I find it particularly interesting how The Kid talked about Alicia when he met with Bobby. He was clearly more connected to her - visited her in her room but took Bobby outside when addressing him. It shows a kind of familiarity.
I found the hallucination of Bobby where kid appears fascinating, kid a subconscious connection of Bobby to Alicia? Or a manifestation of Alicia’s description of him to Bobby? Perhaps Stella Maris will resolve this, but I’m guessing more confusion and mystery will unfold requiring individual interpretation by the reader…
@@larrycarr4562 I'm really hoping that Stella Maris is essentially Alicia's journal which the Kid keeps reading so we have a better idea as to what he is referencing and what her thoughts about her situation are. I'm very intrigued as to why McCarthy and the publishing house chose to separate the two (other than money). I imagine it is revelation, and time to let The Passenger sink in.
I believe that McCarthy has a method in his madness, and a companion book while not answering all our questions will add depth to the sister brother relationship and add to the substance of the late (hopefully not last) McCarthy’s work. Hopefully it will be a higher math that the unscientific reader [me] can somewhat follow.
Beautiful analysis of this work and it speaks to me on a personal level as a very close voice whispering in my ear. I'm curious what is your take on the ending, it feels like Bobby is kind of retiring from society, which would be very bleak. Also as others have said, you should try Suttree. It's touches on a similar theme but from a different angle. Fewer long conversations and more descriptions. Things are not stated as much as felt.
Thank you and much obliged. I found your take on the Passenger a most insightful review; delivered with calm, purpose and sincerity. All of McCarthy´s books and publications have truly astounded me. Sharp as knives, and yet so enigmatic. Greetings to you from Norway and thank you again.
Thank you for your kind words. This review was my easiest for so many reasons. The Passenger really sunk into me as I read it. Books have ways of affecting the reader, whether it is fun, exciting, calming, emotionally taxing, or any other number of things, but, few in my experience, touch one in this way. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison unfolded in a similar manner. As I considered it - I read it for a course I was taking - the very architecture of it grasp me.
Thank you, this was very informative. There are a lot symbols/symbolical figures and intertextuality in this book, which would be really interesting to discuss!
I agree. It isn't a typical narrative where the meaning is all on the surface. I think how the Kid interacts with Alicia, always trying new things to find meaning, is a clear indication that what is being said isn't what is being meant.
Consider this interpretation: Bobby actually has schizophrenia as well. We are seeing this manifest through the multitude of "plots" against him - plots that never actually develop. For example, the body in the plane, his friend's death on an oil rig, the feeling that there is a presence with him on the oil rig and later when he is a squatter, his persecution by the IRS, the theft of his family's letters, etc. are not actually connected. The only person encouraging Bobby to flee is the P.I. that we later find is obsessed with conspiracies like the Kennedy assassination. Throughout the book, Bobby becomes increasingly isolated. Some early descriptions of his schizophrenic sister - emaciated with obsessive behavior (like driving for days, non-stop) - will later describe Bobby. Bobby being in love with his sister is merely a recognition of his own future condition.
OOOHH! Yes! I have since thought about Bobby paranoia, but had put it together as succinctly as you just laid it out. I think what turned me back a bit was his interaction with the bank, the lock on his storage unit, and him being told that the feds had just been in to see him. Everything else is mostly with him alone. Hmmm.
@@thetheatrezoo3603 When I reread the book, I'm going to pay attention to these "plots" against him as well as the PI's role in aggravating his paranoia. What I like about Cormac is that there is always much to discover with a second reading. BTW - my wild hunch about the Kid is that he's a Hiroshima victim.
@@thetheatrezoo3603 Your review provided a clarity and structure to my cluttered thoughts on The Passenger. There is a nebulous feel to the story (which I feel reflects the shifting principles of math/physics discussed throughout) that I struggled with more than any of McCarthy's other works. While I personally love his novels, The Passenger really reminded me that McCarthy writes with a uniqueness that are not written with a specific audience in mind. I really appreciate your willingness to go in with a clear, objective mind. Hitting Subscribe! Keep up the good work.
Excellent analysis. I'm still obsessed with this novel and I think I'll read it again soon (something I don't usually do). I've had the opportunity to read Stella Maris and it's also amazing, and full of clues for The Passenger. Thanks!
I'm so jealous that you've already read Stella Maris. Right now, all I can do is speculate what it will contain. I'm glad to hear that it adds to The Passenger in a meaningful way. I'm really disappointed that it hasn't been named on any of the best of lists. I truly believe The Passenger is going to be a 'come from behind' hit.
Martin Amis said that , "There are some authors you can read but others you can only RE-READ. I think Cormac McCarthy is firmly in this category. I've been re-reading The Passenger and looking at reviews to try and get my head round it. Your video is a good part of this process, it's like a virtual book group I suppose. I admire your articulacy and enjoyed the video. " Cheers. "
I'm a former physicist current neuroscientist who recently discovered McCarthy via Blood Meridian, which blew me away. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the Passenger and also loving this, even though it is quite different in some ways.
Thank you very much for your insights. The storyline left me with quite a few unanswered questions. But I guess it’s not about the storyline, but the ideas conveyed in the converstations throughout the book. At one point I thought Bobby and Alicia were the same person. How else could he see the Kid, which was a hallucination in Alicia’s mind. Also there is a strange passage about a dream he had when he lived in that abandoned house (where he set the mousetraps you talked about) about a surgeon taking away a ‘thing’ with a rudimentary brain. Like some ingrown undeveloped twin, maybe? Also could Alicia be a hallucination of Bobby when he was in a coma? But this idea of B. en A. being the same persion doesn’ t tie up with other things in the book, so it’s kind of obscure. What are your thoughts on this? Ultimately, I find it a very sad book about loss, death, the inability to get answers on fundamental questions, things not working out…(Which is maybe why McCarthy doesn’t give us how and why the tenth passenger got out. )
I think you have made some good points. Stella Maris does add some insight, but it's not spelled out. Because of some of the conversations this book has brought up, and with what Alicia tell Dr. Cohen, I lean toward the Kid being of divine origin. Like a messenger. I think Bobby and Alicia were both destined for greatness, but the Kid failed to keep her safe which in turn destroyed Bobby.
I just finished The Passenger. I’m still mulling it over. I prefer McCathy’s older works to newer ones. Good analysis. When the Kid showed himself to Bobby I thought it wasn’t any kind of real thing but an example of folio à deux.
Interesting that you found Blood Meridian and All the Pretty Horses to be devoid of description while The Road and No Country For Old Men as more richly written is almost the opposite of my point of view. BM is dark hopeless version while ATPH is the more hopeful romantic version. I found ATPH to be so richly descriptive that I could visualize the scenes (bad movie, however).
People read McCarthy for different reasons and some of them seem to be moronic . . . but Nathaniel comes up here with insights that I find interesting, and an actual book review at least (not babbling about other books and making some offers from book clubs, etc. Or just being dismissive of the book). I have become a reader of all McCarthy's works excepting his play and maybe one other, so I admire his writing very much. I just finished The Passenger yesterday and will head to the bookstore tomorrow to buy Stella Maris. I found echoes of Suttree in The Passenger, and there are even references to Knoxville Tennessee where Suttree and his circle of demi monde friends live. Long John (Sheddan) goes to Knoxville to earn a little spending money, illegally, naturally, at one point in this book. It also echoes No Country For Old Men here and there, in good ways, and my eyes got so sore because I couldn't stop reading it. I had to make a McCarthy word list to look up the meanings, as this writer has a vocabulary like James Joyce when he wants to flourish it. That's OK with me. I love the language. He has both Joycean seriousness - so valuable - and very rich, killer comedy. I could go on (enthusiasm) but I'll just say thanks to Nathaniel for this video.
You're the first person I've heard make the connection to Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland, though that's also what jumped out at me in the Alicia sections. Like a dark Alice in Wonderland. Also like Philip K Dick.
Wow! I didn't even notice that. What I see now is that it's a continuation. I wonder if it means that Bobby has fallen into the same path as Alicia. I wonder if this is McCormick suggesting that Bobby's fate is the same. Thanks for bringing that up. This is why it's so important to talk about these kinds of stories, and it's why I believe these books will garner more attention once the academics get ahold of them.
@@thetheatrezoo3603 I'm still thinking about it myself. I'm glad for reviews like yours, especially since I'm not in school anymore it's nice to hear other people's ideas and share things. Great review by the way.
I was kind of confused by the last quarter or so of the book. It seems to jump around to different periods of Bobbie's life? Like in one part he's in Italy or Spain but then in the next part he's back in America. The whole timeline of the book seems disordered and non-linear. I figured it was written that way to sort of demonstrate the slow but steady degradation of his mind. I'll admit I was so interested in finding out what happens that I kind of sped through it, I'll have to give it a re-read for sure. Super interested in reading Stella Maris as well. Quick Google search shows that it translates roughly into "star of the sea" and is another name for the virgin Mary, whose original name, Miriam, translates to "drop of ocean", fascinating to me when looked at with the cover art and Bobby's profession and McCarthy's interest in the unconscious in mind.
Why would you assume that “The Kid” is an hallucination and not a being from another dimension? Her brother sees him as well. Do you remember the section of her “peeping through the keyhole”? Perhaps she has unlocked a Pandora’s Box that warrants from these beings from this other dimension?
Funny you should bring this up because I just commented on another review that Stella Maris hints that there is something else to the Kid than simply hallucination. I lean to a bit of a deux ex machina aspect to him. I think there's some kind of divine intervention that is trying to protect/ guide her. There's certainly some fractured reality playing here. Afterall, what is a hallucination anyway if not a fractured reality.
Your review made me realize the strange symmetry between the passenger and Stella maris(which is essential) western supposes she is dead and in Stella Maris she presumes he is dead. Hah! Turns out McCarthy was a romantic. As deeply and darkly as they come
I find it really interesting how we all take in different books. I was also engrossed in this book, but I've seen several review that were just ambivalent. I makes me wonder what was the mindset of the reader. I personally was not at my happiest when I read it, so it resonated with me.
Many times the author states the dead are dead. There are no ghosts and the past is past which no one will remember in time. The last paragraph in the book Western is still holding on to the past and "knew that on the day of his death he would see her face.." Western is not living in the reality of death and loss asserted by the author?
Great book, brings to mind Coetzee. Definitely both full of ideas AND overwrought. Not for the whine-averse. I was very disappointed when Bobby saw the Kid; as it broke the internal consistency of the book's universe. Jumped the shark, as it were. Ending way too whiney and inconclusive.
If you didn't appreciate "Blood Meridian "or "All the pretty horses" and saw the movie first , you have NO credibility . The Road is nowhere near McCarthy's best .
What are your thoughts about Cormac McCarthy's books in general or The Passenger specifically?
Don't really have an answer to your question, but I wanted to say: I've watched many of the reviews for this book on RUclips, and yours is easily the best. Unlike the other reviews I've seen, you make an attempt to explain the book, to parse out the themes/symbols. Keep up the good work.
@@joshjohnson456 Thank you for the kind words. I do have some background in literature, but mostly his books just really resonated with me.
I've read much of McCarthy's work, but I'm late to reading this novel and only just seeing your review, which is wonderful, by the way. But I've been a victim of a strange synchronicity (or spooky action at a distance) in that while I've been reading _The Passenger_ I also just watched the 1970 movie _Five Easy Pieces_ for the first time, and a few of the themes are so connected that it feels profoundly strange to me. I only watched the movie after seeing a list in the _Guardian_ of Jack Nicholson's greatest performances and that particular one was listed as his best. And they were right; it's an incredible movie and performance.
But here's the weirdness: both feature a drifter character named Bobby whose roots are privileged yet they've chosen a life of blue-collar work and largely aimless transience due to their feelings of inadequacy relative to their families. Both are deeply lonely and exist steeped in melancholy. Both have a sister who is extremely close in an emotional sense. *Spoiler alert* And by the end both decide to leave their current situations and lives. I could probably draw more parallels, but those are enough to show how this coincidence of two great pieces of art have shaken me. I wonder. Is there any evidence McCarthy drew even obliquely from the Rafelson film? It's just really odd to me that I should get immersed in these two tales, one created in 1970 and the other only recently published, at pretty much the same moment.
I agree "active vs passive" is a major theme or point. (Arguably this was also a theme of the Kid in Blood Meridian.) The passenger is one who waits to arrive at a predetermined destination, as opposed to a traveler or driver who is...free...to choose or change destinations.
Ah yes of course Hamlet too! (Sheddan says Trimalchio's hedonistic approach to life (from The Satyricon) is better than Hamlets.")
I highly recommend Suttree. My favourite book by McCarthy. ‘To the darker town, past lamps stoned blind, past smoking oblique shacks and china dogs and painted tyres where dirty flowers grow.’
Thanks! I keep coming across recommendations for Suttree, so despite what I said about not really being interested in reading more of his backlist, I've been thinking about picking up Suttree.
Seconded. Suttree is wonderful. Well worth your time.
@@thundercheeks1989 I plan on finding a copy of Suttree soon. It's really piqued my interest.
I have not read that one yet.
Come on Sut take a drink
I highly recommend the Audio versions of Blood Meridian and Suttree by Richard Poe. I listen to mostly non fiction books but Blood Meridian is an absolute work of art. I could pick any random chapter and play it.
As perfect a novel as ever was written.
The incredible reverence for nature and living creatures through Bobby’s eyes is breathtaking. Bobby’s trips to wilderness and beach where he wakes up after encounter with Kid; speaking about the exhausted grosbeak birds you could pick up and feel heartbeat made me tear up: such beautiful writing
Thank you. Of all the reviews of The Passenger I've seen on RUclips, yours is the most personal and therefore the deepest and best. My wife will give me The Passenger and Stella Maris as my birthday present, and I really look forward to reading them.
that was the most astute insightful bookreview I have ever watched and I am 56 years old.Keep up the amazing work
What about the final letter from Akron, Ohio that he refused to accept while in his final exile? Any idea who that might have been from? Wasn't that where his father and grandmother were from/lived? Does that imply that someone knows where he is?
Loneliness indeed the take away,but there is sad companionship and kinship in the recognition of our condition. Suttree reveals that as well.
I was floored by this book. I have really enjoyed reading McCarthy’s books. Especially The Crossing. I enjoyed your thoughts on this novel. I think it is the best thing I’ve read in years.
Suttree is my favorite, and worthy of attention. I believe it belongs on the top shelf of American literature.
I hope to pick up a copy since several people have echoed your sentiment.
Agreed, my absolute favorite book.
I just re-read 'Suttree', and came to realize, as an older man (I first read it in my late 20s) that it is McCarthy's 2nd-best work, after 'Blood Meridian', which is the apex of American fiction in my lifetime.
Blue I’m 74 today! I read Suttree early last year. I’m guessing I wouldn’t have recognized the book’s greatest in my 20’s. Glad you gave it a 2nd look. Meanwhile Cormac keeps on going…
@@larrycarr4562 Thank you, Sir. I am 53 years old and have been on a big McCarthy kick since I recently read 'The Passenger'. The first book I ever read by him was 'Blood Meridian', way back in 1993. His best book and high in the running for Greatest American Novel. I only wish that I had read his books earlier, but I probably wouldn't have understood them as I do now.
Hey, thanks for that review! It definitely feels encouraging to hear other finding something special in these. I enjoyed reading both books, one after the other, and was deeply moved by them, actually so much, that I couldn’t touch another book for a while after. It’s probably true that there won’t be too many people reading them but for me it’s clear that I will definitely read them again.
A very thoughtful and enjoyable review. I flew through this one, found it immensely enjoyable. Youre good at this, ill be sticking around for future book talks! Happy reading!
Thank you. This was one of those books that really enlisted contemplation.
Thankyou for the review on this book it certainly gets you emotionally we are all passengers passing through life carrying the weight of life. Things are outside our control and we search for meaning good review
Great review! I loved both The Passenger and Stella Maris. Beautifully existential and lonely.
Great insight and analysis of an amazing piece of work. There are very few times I can count in which I’ve been brought to tears in a book. I can add this one. If you didn’t feel the words being whittled away to reveal a perfect and heartfelt conversation with Debbie, you need to rethink your life.
Well done. The most comprehensive review I have seen on The Passenger.
Thank you! This is exactly the kind of novel that's meant to be absorbed and discussed.
This is a really intelligent and unique review, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Thank you. I don't usually go back to books which I already reviewed, but as the days go on, more comes to mind. The Passenger would be a really good book to discuss in an academic environment.
Thank you for making this vid. I want to watch a bunch of reviews of this book - I just finished it - one of the most challenging reads (in fiction) I've ever had. I'll read it again eventually and will take notes. Having never read McCarthy, I didn't realize how complex and deep it was going to be... I'd like to beg to differ on your idea that Western takes on a new identity, even that Kline was urging him to do so. Kline was certainly urging Bobby to leave, and setting up a new identity was one of the options they discussed. You're right, I agree, that their discussions on this topic are relevant. I think the author is careful to show us that Bobby did leave and did not create a new identity. On the final pages he receives a letter from Akron, OH, the owner of the bodega knows it's for Bobby - - he hadn't changed his name. The missing passenger in the opening chapter is both symbolic and pertinent to the plot: this implication of nefarious activity is what makes Bobby a "person-of-interest", a turns him into a person on the run - a path he fills more and more throughout the story. In the end he does leave and finds peace in his new home off the coast of Spain, living much the same as he did in his final days in New Orleans - walking the beach, going into town for a drink, contemplating his world. Now, though, he has picked up an early interest, one he abandoned many years ago, he starts thinking about mathematics again, and sends away for papers by famous physicists/mathematicians. He contentedly waits for death, where he may be reunited with his sister.
Just finished your video. I appreciated your point of view, partly due to the things that you saw or thought that I had not. I've read "The Passenger" twice and found it very moving. I've lived in New Mexico for the past two years. I grew up in Tennessee and my mother grew up in Knoxville where my father met her. One of my relatives worked at Oak Ridge. I lived in Louisiana for ten years. All locations for parts of the book. McCarthy lived the life many admire and very few have the determination and perseverance to live. I'll probably reread "The
Passenger" and also "Stella Maris" (which I've read once).
I don't expect perfectly logical connections with literally everything in McCarthy's books. One example being how we find The Kid appearing to Bobby as well as Alicia. With their deep emotional connection as well as being siblings might be enough.
The Kid could be the voice of the unconscious. Alicia's own witty backchatter with herself since the schizophrenia. McCarthy wrote an article a while back talking about the unconscious, The Kekule Problem, and my impression of his idea of the unconscious is that has its own persona. Following that logic you can see that its an overarching human affair, and The Kid is an ancient traveller who connects those who are transcending the so called ordinary life (in this case the two anomalies, Alicia and Bobby), and in that way tightening their relationship with their own minds and the unconscious. Love, love, loved this book. Ambiguity at its finest.
That's a really good interpretation and follows some of what The Kid told Alicia about the bus ride. I find it particularly interesting how The Kid talked about Alicia when he met with Bobby. He was clearly more connected to her - visited her in her room but took Bobby outside when addressing him. It shows a kind of familiarity.
I found the hallucination of Bobby where kid appears fascinating, kid a subconscious connection of Bobby to Alicia? Or a manifestation of Alicia’s description of him to Bobby? Perhaps Stella Maris will resolve this, but I’m guessing more confusion and mystery will unfold requiring individual interpretation by the reader…
@@larrycarr4562 I'm really hoping that Stella Maris is essentially Alicia's journal which the Kid keeps reading so we have a better idea as to what he is referencing and what her thoughts about her situation are.
I'm very intrigued as to why McCarthy and the publishing house chose to separate the two (other than money). I imagine it is revelation, and time to let The Passenger sink in.
I believe that McCarthy has a method in his madness, and a companion book while not answering all our questions will add depth to the sister brother relationship and add to the substance of the late (hopefully not last) McCarthy’s work. Hopefully it will be a higher math that the unscientific reader [me] can somewhat follow.
Loved the review. Cannot wait to read the book. Like you The Road and No Country for Old Men really grabbed me.
Thank you. I hope you enjoy them.
Great review, you opened up a few ideas I had not really considered. Thanks for uploading your thoughts!
Thanks for watching!
Beautiful analysis of this work and it speaks to me on a personal level as a very close voice whispering in my ear. I'm curious what is your take on the ending, it feels like Bobby is kind of retiring from society, which would be very bleak. Also as others have said, you should try Suttree. It's touches on a similar theme but from a different angle. Fewer long conversations and more descriptions. Things are not stated as much as felt.
Thank you and much obliged. I found your take on the Passenger a most insightful review; delivered with calm, purpose and sincerity. All of McCarthy´s books and publications have truly astounded me. Sharp as knives, and yet so enigmatic. Greetings to you from Norway and thank you again.
Thank you for your kind words. This review was my easiest for so many reasons. The Passenger really sunk into me as I read it. Books have ways of affecting the reader, whether it is fun, exciting, calming, emotionally taxing, or any other number of things, but, few in my experience, touch one in this way. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison unfolded in a similar manner. As I considered it - I read it for a course I was taking - the very architecture of it grasp me.
Thank you, this was very informative. There are a lot symbols/symbolical figures and intertextuality in this book, which would be really interesting to discuss!
I agree. This is definitely one of those books that would be good to discuss or study in a group.
This was a really good review. I just finished myself. You have to zoom out a bit to see it all properly.
I agree. It isn't a typical narrative where the meaning is all on the surface. I think how the Kid interacts with Alicia, always trying new things to find meaning, is a clear indication that what is being said isn't what is being meant.
Great Review! I thought it was very well paced. Happy to see a review more focused on themes and ideas rather than linguistic technicalities 👍
Your analysis and insight, priceless. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book.
Thank you.
Consider this interpretation: Bobby actually has schizophrenia as well. We are seeing this manifest through the multitude of "plots" against him - plots that never actually develop. For example, the body in the plane, his friend's death on an oil rig, the feeling that there is a presence with him on the oil rig and later when he is a squatter, his persecution by the IRS, the theft of his family's letters, etc. are not actually connected.
The only person encouraging Bobby to flee is the P.I. that we later find is obsessed with conspiracies like the Kennedy assassination.
Throughout the book, Bobby becomes increasingly isolated. Some early descriptions of his schizophrenic sister - emaciated with obsessive behavior (like driving for days, non-stop) - will later describe Bobby. Bobby being in love with his sister is merely a recognition of his own future condition.
OOOHH! Yes! I have since thought about Bobby paranoia, but had put it together as succinctly as you just laid it out. I think what turned me back a bit was his interaction with the bank, the lock on his storage unit, and him being told that the feds had just been in to see him. Everything else is mostly with him alone. Hmmm.
@@thetheatrezoo3603 When I reread the book, I'm going to pay attention to these "plots" against him as well as the PI's role in aggravating his paranoia. What I like about Cormac is that there is always much to discover with a second reading. BTW - my wild hunch about the Kid is that he's a Hiroshima victim.
Just because he’s paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get him.
I love your interpretation of the cast, and the roles they play in Bobby's life. Overall, fantastic review.
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
@@thetheatrezoo3603 Your review provided a clarity and structure to my cluttered thoughts on The Passenger. There is a nebulous feel to the story (which I feel reflects the shifting principles of math/physics discussed throughout) that I struggled with more than any of McCarthy's other works. While I personally love his novels, The Passenger really reminded me that McCarthy writes with a uniqueness that are not written with a specific audience in mind. I really appreciate your willingness to go in with a clear, objective mind. Hitting Subscribe! Keep up the good work.
@@benlincoln7358 Thank you for your kind words.
Excellent analysis. I'm still obsessed with this novel and I think I'll read it again soon (something I don't usually do). I've had the opportunity to read Stella Maris and it's also amazing, and full of clues for The Passenger. Thanks!
I'm so jealous that you've already read Stella Maris. Right now, all I can do is speculate what it will contain. I'm glad to hear that it adds to The Passenger in a meaningful way. I'm really disappointed that it hasn't been named on any of the best of lists. I truly believe The Passenger is going to be a 'come from behind' hit.
Loved it, will read again.
What surprised me about this book was how funny it was. The parts with The Kid are hilarious. I am wondering if he will reappear in the second book.
The Kid was very funny. I agree, I hope he plays a big part in Stella Maris, too.
Great jokes, also the BetsyRoss/MarthaWashington minuets joke 😂 and the Spanish innkeeper the giraffe walks into the bar, high balls are on me !
Martin Amis said that , "There are some authors you can read but others you can only RE-READ.
I think Cormac McCarthy is firmly in this category. I've been re-reading The Passenger and looking at reviews to try and get my head round it.
Your video is a good part of this process, it's like a virtual book group I suppose.
I admire your articulacy and enjoyed the video.
" Cheers. "
Thank you. I'm glad I could contribute.
This is one of my favourite reviews. I might give the book a read.
Loved the review! Adding this to my list.
I’m rereading the Passenger. Such an amazing book. Will definitely reread Stella Maris
I love what you say about Debussy Fields! Heartfelt interpretation, very much appreciated. She also delivers a great joke😊
I'm a former physicist current neuroscientist who recently discovered McCarthy via Blood Meridian, which blew me away. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the Passenger and also loving this, even though it is quite different in some ways.
Very good. Never thought of any of this.
Good review! Thank you :)
Thank you. The Passenger really resonated with me.
excellent review. thank you. i read it as a multi-layered view into death. I recommend the audio version - its well down.
Thank you very much for your insights.
The storyline left me with quite a few unanswered questions. But I guess it’s not about the storyline, but the ideas conveyed in the converstations throughout the book.
At one point I thought Bobby and Alicia were the same person. How else could he see the Kid, which was a hallucination in Alicia’s mind. Also there is a strange passage about a dream he had when he lived in that abandoned house (where he set the mousetraps you talked about) about a surgeon taking away a ‘thing’ with a rudimentary brain. Like some ingrown undeveloped twin, maybe? Also could Alicia be a hallucination of Bobby when he was in a coma? But this idea of B. en A. being the same persion doesn’ t tie up with other things in the book, so it’s kind of obscure. What are your thoughts on this?
Ultimately, I find it a very sad book about loss, death, the inability to get answers on fundamental questions, things not working out…(Which is maybe why McCarthy doesn’t give us how and why the tenth passenger got out. )
I think you have made some good points. Stella Maris does add some insight, but it's not spelled out. Because of some of the conversations this book has brought up, and with what Alicia tell Dr. Cohen, I lean toward the Kid being of divine origin. Like a messenger. I think Bobby and Alicia were both destined for greatness, but the Kid failed to keep her safe which in turn destroyed Bobby.
I just finished The Passenger. I’m still mulling it over. I prefer McCathy’s older works to newer ones. Good analysis. When the Kid showed himself to Bobby I thought it wasn’t any kind of real thing but an example of folio à deux.
The Kid could be a shared delusion, but there are indications that he's also sent by some entity to protect Alicia.
Interesting that you found Blood Meridian and All the Pretty Horses to be devoid of description while The Road and No Country For Old Men as more richly written is almost the opposite of my point of view. BM is dark hopeless version while ATPH is the more hopeful romantic version. I found ATPH to be so richly descriptive that I could visualize the scenes (bad movie, however).
Excellent review/précis of the novel. 🙏
Thank you
People read McCarthy for different reasons and some of them seem to be moronic . . . but Nathaniel comes up here with insights that I find interesting, and an actual book review at least (not babbling about other books and making some offers from book clubs, etc. Or just being dismissive of the book). I have become a reader of all McCarthy's works excepting his play and maybe one other, so I admire his writing very much. I just finished The Passenger yesterday and will head to the bookstore tomorrow to buy Stella Maris. I found echoes of Suttree in The Passenger, and there are even references to Knoxville Tennessee where Suttree and his circle of demi monde friends live. Long John (Sheddan) goes to Knoxville to earn a little spending money, illegally, naturally, at one point in this book. It also echoes No Country For Old Men here and there, in good ways, and my eyes got so sore because I couldn't stop reading it. I had to make a McCarthy word list to look up the meanings, as this writer has a vocabulary like James Joyce when he wants to flourish it. That's OK with me. I love the language. He has both Joycean seriousness - so valuable - and very rich, killer comedy. I could go on (enthusiasm) but I'll just say thanks to Nathaniel for this video.
Thank you for your kind words.
Perhaps the book is a discussion about the effects of the internet and social media?
You're the first person I've heard make the connection to Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland, though that's also what jumped out at me in the Alicia sections. Like a dark Alice in Wonderland. Also like Philip K Dick.
Outer Dark and Child of God are definitely worth the read
Excellent review!
Thank you.
What do you make of the last chapter being given a Roman numeral like only Alicia's chapters were?
Wow! I didn't even notice that. What I see now is that it's a continuation. I wonder if it means that Bobby has fallen into the same path as Alicia. I wonder if this is McCormick suggesting that Bobby's fate is the same.
Thanks for bringing that up. This is why it's so important to talk about these kinds of stories, and it's why I believe these books will garner more attention once the academics get ahold of them.
@@thetheatrezoo3603 I'm still thinking about it myself. I'm glad for reviews like yours, especially since I'm not in school anymore it's nice to hear other people's ideas and share things. Great review by the way.
@@dancinggold17 Thank you
I was kind of confused by the last quarter or so of the book. It seems to jump around to different periods of Bobbie's life? Like in one part he's in Italy or Spain but then in the next part he's back in America. The whole timeline of the book seems disordered and non-linear. I figured it was written that way to sort of demonstrate the slow but steady degradation of his mind. I'll admit I was so interested in finding out what happens that I kind of sped through it, I'll have to give it a re-read for sure.
Super interested in reading Stella Maris as well. Quick Google search shows that it translates roughly into "star of the sea" and is another name for the virgin Mary, whose original name, Miriam, translates to "drop of ocean", fascinating to me when looked at with the cover art and Bobby's profession and McCarthy's interest in the unconscious in mind.
I love the Border Trilogy. And The Road. But Blood Meridian ... so good. It just sticks with you. I ordered the box set for this duology.
I really look forward to Stella Maris.
Interesting the segment when she was called Alice for a while..now I’m seeing the rabbit hole reveal itself
Stella Maris explains the Alice reference, but the Alice in Wonderland references continue.
Very thoughtful review.
Thank you
Why would you assume that “The Kid” is an hallucination and not a being from another dimension? Her brother sees him as well. Do you remember the section of her “peeping through the keyhole”? Perhaps she has unlocked a Pandora’s Box that warrants from these beings from this other dimension?
Funny you should bring this up because I just commented on another review that Stella Maris hints that there is something else to the Kid than simply hallucination. I lean to a bit of a deux ex machina aspect to him. I think there's some kind of divine intervention that is trying to protect/ guide her. There's certainly some fractured reality playing here. Afterall, what is a hallucination anyway if not a fractured reality.
Your review made me realize the strange symmetry between the passenger and Stella maris(which is essential) western supposes she is dead and in Stella Maris she presumes he is dead. Hah! Turns out McCarthy was a romantic. As deeply and darkly as they come
reading slowly is good
I was completely engrossed in this book.
I find it really interesting how we all take in different books. I was also engrossed in this book, but I've seen several review that were just ambivalent. I makes me wonder what was the mindset of the reader. I personally was not at my happiest when I read it, so it resonated with me.
Many times the author states the dead are dead. There are no ghosts and the past is past which no one will remember in time. The last paragraph in the book Western is still holding on to the past and "knew that on the day of his death he would see her face.." Western is not living in the reality of death and loss asserted by the author?
If you loved The Passenger you definitely should read Suttree.
Thanks! That's what I keep getting told.
Great fucking review
Nice
not enjoying Blood Meridian? dafuq. It’s literally the greatest american novel, its a fever dream of good and evil…. It more art than a novel i guess.
Great book, brings to mind Coetzee. Definitely both full of ideas AND overwrought. Not for the whine-averse. I was very disappointed when Bobby saw the Kid; as it broke the internal consistency of the book's universe. Jumped the shark, as it were. Ending way too whiney and inconclusive.
140 pages in it's an effing bore!
Well, it's not for everyone.
If you didn't appreciate "Blood Meridian "or "All the pretty horses" and saw the movie first , you have NO credibility . The Road is nowhere near McCarthy's best .
Sounds really bad and just banking of the popularity of the trans movement