The Sunset Limited: A Novel in Dramatic Form

In this one act play Cormac McCarthy offers two different views of human existence and why one must suffer. The tone of the play is extremely dark, however it is not a difficult read. As always, his writing ebbs and flows like the tide and he draws you in in a way that is ever startling. At times this book may make you recoil, but always, you want to go deeper and deeper into it. The book is nearly mesmerizing, but that is what I have come to expect from McCarthy's text.

The play takes place in a single setting - a derelict apartment, where Black - an ex-convict, ex-addict sits talking to White - a Professor whom he saved from jumping into the oncoming path of the The Sunset Limited subway train. Black has an optimistic view of life, he show more has faith - though not the extremist fundamentalist kind. He is a warm soul who wants to help the others that no one wishes to help. Conversely, White's view of the world is something dark and painful. He sees no future for himself.

The two talk about their opposing views of life and the tension is palpable. Just in reading the text you are forced to view the two perspectives fairly and in turn. The book ends on a strange note, a lingering note, that will leave it seared onto your mind. Is it really the ending? Is this really it?

The best books are ones that make you think, and this certainly makes one think. This certainly makes one question. Cormac McCarthy, as always, delivers and delivers with devilish force. A five star text if I have ever read one. show less

Dio tace. Che tu sia il Nero, credente rinato nella cui testa non c'è un solo pensiero che non profumi di divinità, che tu sia il Bianco, ateo raziocinante che ha perso qualsiasi interesse per una vita che suppone priva di scopo, non sarà certo Dio a darti le risposte che chiedi.
E alla fine di un dialogo che sonda tutti i moti dell'animo umano, il Nero implorerà Dio di dargli le parole, e il Bianco tornerà a perseguire il suo destino, quale che sia.
Un McCarthy magistrale.

"I think the questioner wants the truth. The doubter wants to be told there aint no such thing." (pg. 67)

The Sunset Limited is one of those pieces that, as good as it is, you carry this slight dislike of it as you yearn for it to be more. It's a simple structure: a one-act, dialogue-driven play between two characters, the unimaginatively-titled Black and White, set in a single tenement room. Before the play opens, Black, a reformed criminal and evangelical Christian, has saved White, a misanthropic atheist professor, from committing suicide by throwing himself in front of a train, the 'Sunset Limited' of the title.

The play follows Black and White in their conversation as they debate the propriety of White's proposed suicide, engaging in show more a natural, wide-ranging discussion of morality and philosophy. This is all compelling stuff, if you're into that sort of thing – and I am – but it's also where that regret and yearning I mentioned earlier comes to the fore. There's something lacking in the story: perhaps it's that the staging of it as a play gives it a dramatic framework that it does not fulfil; the play ends in indecision rather than any sort of revelation or tilt in favour of Black or White. Perhaps author Cormac McCarthy couldn't reach any decision – well, who could? – but it puts a bit of play in the steering that can see the vehicle for McCarthy's ideas stray slightly askew.

However, there are enough allusions in the dialogue that, like Black's attempts to convince White of life, we're just happy the effort is made even if the results prove elusive. Black's talk of 'the dozens' provides an interesting interpretation for his character dynamic with White (pg. 74), and topics of their conversation like the part about the top chefs who create meals out of tripe and offal, just for the challenge of it, develop a natural insight into the theme of suicide (essentially, if life's serving you tripe, innovate and persevere and make it good) (pp100-1). However, the story, being a very short read, doesn't have the capacity to root these thematic tangents and allusions very deep.

Ultimately, the lack of resolution in the play (whether dramatic or philosophical) is a disappointment, even if it is arguably inevitable. But by no means does it sink the play. It's an engaging conversation between two compelling characters – McCarthy's always been good at writing dialogue, and that's very much on display here. It's even better in the film adaptation of the same name, as we get to see Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones – two of the best actors around when it comes to delivering dialogue – bottled up together trading said dialogue. Ultimately, in both book and film, we end up enjoying the flow of the conversation, regardless of any of the ideas or the conclusions drawn. The Sunset Limited isn't quite the feat it could have been, but it's a worthwhile encounter. show less

An arresting and thought provoking two-hander that was (I think) originally written for the stage. It is described as "a novel in dramatic form". "White" is an atheist and suicidal professor rescued from his final act down at the Subway platform by "Black", an ex-convict who has found some salvation in life through his faith in God. (Not a spoiler as the failed suicide is made clear on page one.) Entirely set within the latter's sparse apartment in a rough part of town, there follows an intense and gripping dialogue as the two men discuss pretty much life, the universe, and everything. The closing pages reveal with devastating finality a resolution that one party will struggle immensely with.

It is a thoroughly entrancing situation - show more where two men believe so absolutely in seemingly incompatible opposites. The existential discussion is well-handled and genuinely moving. It is a brief novel, and probably best experienced as a fully immersive experience where one can give full attention to the brilliantly written script. Despite the subject matter, there are some very funny lines and I really enjoyed this 'listen'. The audiobook narration by Austin Pendleton and Ezra Knight was pitch perfect on both counts.

Part of McCarthy's undeniable brilliance lies with his ability to create with a bare minimum of pages a pair of characters so well-formed and complete with their own intriguing back-stories that the reader not only feels that he or she "knows" them quite well, but also wants to get into the room with them and sit down at the beat-up old kitchen table and join the conversation. I found myself torn agonisingly between both "White"'s and "Black"'s positions and was genuinely pained with the ending. This small book packs a powerful punch. show less

On of my favorite movies of all time is The Sunset Limited. Then when I found out Cormac McCarthy wrote it as a dramatic novel (a play that does not follow the rules of plays) I had to read it also.

The story takes place in a low-income apartment. There are only two characters - Black: a man of deep faith and contentment who is evidently low income and resident of the apartment and White: an agnostic professor who is apparently of wealthier means and is deeply depressed.

Before the story starts, Black has saved White from a suicide attempt of stepping in front of The Sunset Limited. They then have wonderful and exciting theological and existential discussion.

I loved the play, and the movie holds true to McCarthy's writing. Samuel L. show more Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones play Black and White respectively and do a tremendous job.

I have yet to read anything I didn't like by McCarthy. show less

This is minor McCarthy, which is to say still better than most other fiction writers. I enjoyed the hardcore philosophical debate between the suicidal atheist intellectual and the deludedly faithful good samaritan, but wish Cormac had worked in there somewhere the less stereotypical but more realistic figure of the ethical and non-suicidal atheist. After all, he reportedly enjoys hanging out with many such clear thinkers in his resident egghead gig at the Santa Fe Institute.

"Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus" e pure McCarthy di tanto in tanto schiaccia un pisolino. Prima di leggere questo libro mi chiedevo: "Ma come fa un autore che ha fatto dell'eloquenza descrittiva il suo marchio di fabbrica a scrivere un'efficace opera teatrale?"
E infatti non ce la fa.
Nel senso che l'opera c'è, ma è ampiamente deludente, soprattutto se rapportata ai suoi romanzi. I personaggi sono statici, appiattiti nelle loro posizioni, il dialogo manca di ritmo e mordente, la tensione è altalenante e lo spessore delle argomentazioni lascia spesso a desiderare. Certo non mancano momenti in cui lo slancio poetico e il nerbo dell'autore si fanno sentire, ma nel complesso rimane un'opera fiacca. Lo scambio di battute tra i due show more protagonisti raramente coinvolge il lettore che si sente distante sia dal cinico nichilismo del bianco che dal cieco fideismo del nero.

Va be', poco male, ci si può rifare con qualche suo altro capolavoro...

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