Blood Meridian

[wdfifteen]

im reading a novel, Blood Meridian. The author is kind of strange, plays games with words, etc. in one sentence he states, "As Orion rose in the Southwest." The story takes place on the US/Mexican border. I don't think this is literally possible. Is there any place on earth where stars can appear to rise in the west? I think this guy is just dickin' with me, but I don't understand what he could mean.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

im reading a novel, Blood Meridian. The author is kind of strange, plays games with words, etc...I think this guy is just dickin' with me, but I don't understand what he could mean

If you have not read Cormac McCarthy before, he is and you won't.

Edit: You are not alone: https://www.amazon.com/Cormac-McCarthys-Blood-Meridian-Students-ebook/dp/B014Z4HCWK?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffsb-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B014Z4HCWK

[wdfifteen]

^^
Good to know. His descriptions range from excruciatingly detailed and precise to, well, Orion rising in the Southwest. I guess I'll just enjoy the ride and not obsess about meaning.

[MRM]

Does he mean that Orion was rising over the southwest of the US (where the story is located) rather than that Orion rose from the southwest part of the sky?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by MRM

Does he mean that Orion was rising over the southwest of the US (where the story is located) rather than that Orion rose from the southwest part of the sky?

That was my first thought.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by MRM

Does he mean that Orion was rising over the southwest of the US (where the story is located) rather than that Orion rose from the southwest part of the sky?

This, but to be clear it's in the capitalization. A region is Southwest, direction is southwest.

[wdfifteen]

No capitalization of southwest.
Speaking of the stars in the sky,

"Tethered to the Polestar they rode the Dipper round while Orion rose in the southwest."

The man's prose is immaculate, even though his meaning isn't always clear. He may have meant the region southwest, that never occurred to me. Seems out of character for the rest of his style. But punctuation and capitalization are a bit sketchy with him. Very interesting, weird, oddly gripping story.

[Chocaholic]

Cormac McCarthy is my favorite author, bar none. The man paints a picture and takes you places no one else can. The first of his books I read was The Road...that hooked me. His Trilogy is stunning. No country for Old Men, and the list goes on.

Let your guard down and enjoy the journey WD. Not many happy endings but that's not he objective. It's the journey.

[zakthor]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

No capitalization of southwest.
Speaking of the stars in the sky,

"Tethered to the Polestar they rode the Dipper round while Orion rose in the southwest."

The man's prose is immaculate, even though his meaning isn't always clear. He may have meant the region southwest, that never occurred to me. Seems out of character for the rest of his style. But punctuation and capitalization are a bit sketchy with him. Very interesting, weird, oddly gripping story.

It can't be rising when its west of you. Here's a web form that computes when/where objects rise based on your location. For orion use Betelgeuse.

Rise/Set/Transit Times for Major Solar System Bodies and Bright Stars

But main thing... great book eh? While I'm reading that book I have all sorts of tangential thoughts, like maybe the narrator's 'compass' is broken? Narrator sounds so authoritative but can I trust him?

You like that book you might love Pynchon too: maybe 'Against the Day'?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Cormac McCarthy is my favorite author, bar none. The man paints a picture and takes you places no one else can. The first of his books I read was The Road...that hooked me. His Trilogy is stunning. No country for Old Men, and the list goes on.

Let your guard down and enjoy the journey WD. Not many happy endings but that's not he objective. It's the journey.

Huh. I read The Road several years ago and was impressed. I did not know it has the same author. So far this book is an eloquently described nightmare - sort of like The Road, only the main character seems to be less the human and more the hellish word the human exists in.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Cormac McCarthy is my favorite author, bar none. The man paints a picture and takes you places no one else can. The first of his books I read was The Road...that hooked me. His Trilogy is stunning. No country for Old Men, and the list goes on.

Let your guard down and enjoy the journey WD. Not many happy endings but that's not he objective. It's the journey.

Agree absolutely ! Suttree, All the Pretty Horses, The Road, No Country for Old Men...

A rather unique style of writing to say the least and he delves into human darkness and the bleak quite often, no happy endings.

[arcsine]

Cormac is The Man. Gotta let yourself out of your critical head and just read his words. Sure, his punctuation is hit/miss but the pictures he paints are stunning.

If you have the will, Child of God is challenging but a must read.

[Yorkie]

Gotta agree. I've read everything he has done. True American Gothic. Never any happy endings but that's life.

[bkreigsr]

Read all three in The Border Trilogy.
.
All The Pretty Horses is currently playing on StarZ on our provider.
Worth the time to sit and enjoy. Starring Matt Damon and directed by Billy Bob Thorton.

From the same cat that brought you No Country For Old Men.

Bill K

[tcar]

"The Road" is a heckofa book ... and film (Viggo Mortenson)...

Wow.