Outer Dark

Compare and contrast Outer Dark with William Faulkner’s novel Light in August, focusing on the female protagonists, Lena Grove and Rinthy Holme. How do their respective quests differ, and how are they similar?

The trio, or “grim triune” (129), is a shadowy, enigmatic presence in the novel. Are they a symbolic force, a gang of outlaws, or something in between? Focus on the use of imagery in their characterization.

Rinthy is guileless and ignorant of the world outside her and Culla’s remote cabin, yet she’s able to navigate the dangerous world of the novel in her quest for her child. What accounts for her survival in this harsh landscape?

Analyze the symbolism of Rinthy’s lactation, paying attention to the language used to describe it. How does lactation affect her quest to find her child?

Compare and contrast Outer Dark with one of McCarthy’s later novels. How do their styles, themes, and worlds differ, and what elements do they share? What accounts for McCarthy’s stylistic changes over time?

What is the role of gender in the novel? Besides Rinthy, are there any other female characters? How, if at all, does gender align with the good-versus-evil paradigm in the novel?

There are two primary symbols of death in the novel: The black, emaciated horse that Rinthy sees and the trio that follows Culla. Compare and contrast these two symbols: How does each reflect the character to whom it appears? How do they compare with biblical images of death and the apocalypse?

The setting of Outer Dark is generally accepted as Appalachia circa 1900; however, the setting is never named in the text. What does McCarthy gain by keeping the novel’s setting and time period vague? How does this reflect and influence the novel’s genre?