English 112W – Literature Now
Instructor: Charles Pace
Oct. 11, 2022
Character archetypes of Joseph Campbell’s
monomyth: An Analysis of the character types of the man and the boy
in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
THESIS:
Though out the experience of the dystopian world in The Road, the man and the boy
tried to be humanity in their journal. However, the role of the man and the boy unfortunately
shift in the end of the novel. In the beginning of the story, the boy was the herald while the
man was a hero and the mentor who taught the boy how to survive and be the good guy. Then,
during the journal, the roles are reversed as the boy became the mentor and the man was the
herald. In the last part of the story, whereas the man loss his life, the boy enabled to be the
“the shapeshifter” who carry the “fire” from his father. The growth and inspiration are
significant to his characterization and the relationship as the goal in their road is not only being
endured, but to continue the role of hero from the man.
TOPIC SENTENCE #1:
To beginning with, the man is the hero and mentor with the aims of survival and
protection from threshold Guardians, while the boy was the herald who learnt and inspired to
be a good man under the man’s guard.
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE:
a. Taught him there are still humanity
P.12 – the man told the boy about old stories of courage and justice as he remembered
them
b. hero’s journey: “tests, allies, and enemies”
different threshold guardians who stop them to be a hero
P.18-19 – one of a group of Marauders/ cannibals discover them- the man killed the
man from the cannibals – the boy was scared – the man told the boy he was the bad guy, he
needed to kill him so as to protect the boy
trying to survive by finding food and promise not eating others
P.25 – the man promised the boy they will not eat the dog even they are hungry
TOPIC SENTENCE #2:
Instructor: Charles Pace
Oct. 11, 2022
Character archetypes of Joseph Campbell’s
monomyth: An Analysis of the character types of the man and the boy
in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
THESIS:
Though out the experience of the dystopian world in The Road, the man and the boy
tried to be humanity in their journal. However, the role of the man and the boy unfortunately
shift in the end of the novel. In the beginning of the story, the boy was the herald while the
man was a hero and the mentor who taught the boy how to survive and be the good guy. Then,
during the journal, the roles are reversed as the boy became the mentor and the man was the
herald. In the last part of the story, whereas the man loss his life, the boy enabled to be the
“the shapeshifter” who carry the “fire” from his father. The growth and inspiration are
significant to his characterization and the relationship as the goal in their road is not only being
endured, but to continue the role of hero from the man.
TOPIC SENTENCE #1:
To beginning with, the man is the hero and mentor with the aims of survival and
protection from threshold Guardians, while the boy was the herald who learnt and inspired to
be a good man under the man’s guard.
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE:
a. Taught him there are still humanity
P.12 – the man told the boy about old stories of courage and justice as he remembered
them
b. hero’s journey: “tests, allies, and enemies”
different threshold guardians who stop them to be a hero
P.18-19 – one of a group of Marauders/ cannibals discover them- the man killed the
man from the cannibals – the boy was scared – the man told the boy he was the bad guy, he
needed to kill him so as to protect the boy
trying to survive by finding food and promise not eating others
P.25 – the man promised the boy they will not eat the dog even they are hungry
TOPIC SENTENCE #2:
