The boy playing with the truck "The boy took his truck from the pack..." foreshadows the arrival of the truck and the group of men,more specifically the arrival of the Roadrat. Also the innocent act of the boy playing gives an indication that something bad is about to happen because that tends to be the norm with this narrative, whenever something good happens normally something bad is about to happen. McCarthy does this to keep the reader interested and also to remind us that nothing is really good about the way the world is at this point.
The description of the men suggests that they have adapted to living in the conditions that they find themselves in and it is a new normality for them. "....hooded heads...." suggests that the men are quite sinister and quite intimindating and powerful. The quotes "wearing canister masks....One in a biohazard suit..." suggest that they are well equipped for living in those conditions and the lives that they have been given doesn't scare them, they have simply adapted to the new way of living. "Slouching along with clubs...." also suggestes that they are intimidating characters and that they are not scared to hurt anyone who gets in their way. The fact that they are slouching shows their physical deterioration also, it shows that although they seem quite powerful and intimidating they are in fact very week characters and in fact put on an act of being sinister and powerful.
McCarthy uses this similie to describe the truck because he wants us to realise the disintegration of everything in the world. It shows us that the truck is old and falling apart.It could also symbolise the size of the ship and the "creaking" could suggest the struggle that the men have to start the ship. However, it is also a biblical reference to Noah and the ark that he built to save the animals. This reference is quite ironic however as the ship was built to save the animals whereas the journey of the man and his son is about their survival and their survival only. The "creaking" could represent the cracks in the hope of the boy and his father as well as the low chance of their survival. The "lumbering" could represent their continuous and monotonous journey on the road.
McCarthy describes the Road Rat in such detail because he wants to show the reader how humanity has decreased and how most people have turned to cannabilism and violence as a way of survival. The similie "Like an animal inside a skull looking out the eyeholes.." shows the deterioration of the mans physical state and also gives us the indication that the man has turned to violence in order to survive. It also shows us that he has lost all of his humanity and the only thing is left is the uncontrollable need for survival. The description also gives us the sense of the difficulty they face to be good in a world of bad and violence and that sometimes it is easier to just 'follow the crowd.' In this case it seems as though the Road Rat has decided that it is easier to turn to violence and cannabilism rather than fight for survival like the father and son.
A good start. Try and get these finished Laura.
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