The novel: No Country for Old Men - Essay Example

31 March Q. At the end of the novel "No Country for Old Men", Sheriff Bell recognizes that he has been defeated. Do you agree? Ans. Sheriff Bell in the novel No Country for Old Men has been portrayed as a noble character that makes his utmost effort to uproot violence from the town and maintain peace and justice in it, though he can not manage to achieve his objectives. Therefore, Sheriff Bell in the novel symbolizes defeated good. He becomes confused and feels crushed underneath the load of a misconception which is believed by many in their evil machinations.

Throughout the novel, Sheriff keeps looking for answers. By the time the novel ends, Sheriff gets into moral despair and loses his way. This makes me agree that Sheriff has been defeated. In their dinner with Sheriff Bell, both Bell’s old friend and the Peace Officer say that they feel bewildered upon the moral standing of the young generation. They feel that the society has undergone an altogether change since the time when they were young. Sheriff Bell also holds the view that the society has reached a higher level in immorality.

Sheriff’s Uncle is of the opinion that things are supposed to change with the passage of time. He says that by expecting the moral status of the youth in the society to remain unchanged since his youth, Sheriff is displaying vanity. The real essence of Sheriff’s emotions and psychological standing is revealed when in the end of the novel, Sheriff discusses the previous night’s dream with his wife. He says, “my father gave me some money but I lost it” (McCathy). This statement totally conveys Sheriff’s pessimism.

In the statement, money has been used in place of virtue. Sheriff means to say that he has lost the virtue he was once given by his father. Sheriff further says about his father, “He just rode past me and didn't say anything and I knew that he was going on ahead and that he was fixin to make a fire somewhere out there in all that dark” (McCathy). Through these words, the author has essentially tried to reveal that Sheriff’s father is skilled enough to sustain virtue in the world of evil and fight against the evil so that he may be able to play his role in making this world a peaceful place to live in.

Although Sheriff also tried his best to convince Moss to spare his criminal activities and submit the money in the hands of the authorities till the end, yet he ultimately gave up his determination and thus lost his faith. Taking this into consideration, I do agree that Sheriff Bell has been defeated. However, I only agree that he is defeated because Sheriff loses hope and lowers his self esteem. No matter what the circumstances, Sheriff should have maintained his courage and should not have lost hope.

Had this been the case, it would not have mattered whether he succeeded in his attempts or not. I would not have considered him as defeated. His defeat results not from the lack of success, but from lack of consistency in his attitude. Works Cited: McCathy, Cormac. No Country for Old Men. Knopf, 2005. Print.