Comparative Analysis
Presentation
By John Lukon
Books
The
Road, by Cormac McCarthy
Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban
Overview
 Themes
 Time
Period
 Relates
to class
 Similarities
 Personal
thoughts
Theme- The Road

Good versus Evil

Man tells son they are the “Good Guys”

Boy questions this fact throughout


Due to father’s actions (Thief incident) (p.257)
Father protects and prevents anything from happening to
his son
Theme- The Road

The son carries the symbol of fire

Signifies presence of God

Father loses faith in humanity

Questions God’s existence

Man wants his son to never lose faith

Son believes there is still good in world
Theme- Riddley Walker

History

“1 Little 1”


“1 Big 1”


Creation of gunpowder
Nuclear power (p.20)
“1 Little 1” leads to “1 Big 1”

It is a part of history, it is inevitable
Theme- Riddley Walker

Two Stories

1.The Eusa Story

2.Hart of the Wood

Both tell its own story about humanity

Each having its own messages
Time Period – The Road

Published 2006
 At
this time love and violence were popular
 Only
 Still

five years after 9/11
at war
Famous book “New Moon”
 Similar
 Dark
with the theme of Good versus Evil
Atmosphere
Time Period- Riddley Walker

Published 1980

Readers considered very important

Various topics

Other futuristic novels

But only one being about after a nuclear war

1972 Watergate Scandal

Lack of trust in government

Technology growth meant looking into the future
Relates to Class –The Road

Beowulf

Good versus Evil

Protecting loved ones from monsters or bad people

Faith
Relates to Class- Riddley Walker

Ozymandias

Looks back in the past

Shows how time can change things

Power in people doesn’t last
Similarities

In the future

After apocalyptic event

Lacked a stable government

Faith is controversial
Thoughts- The Road


I really liked this book due to the facts;

It takes place after an event that devastated the world

The man’s love for his son

Obstacles they faced along the way

The actions the father takes to protect his son

The ending
It kept me reading the whole way
Thoughts- Riddley Walker


I did not like this story because of the language

It did not make sense to me

Hard to follow
Overall it was okay, but I enjoyed The Road far more
Sources
Hoban, Russell. Riddley Walker: A Novel. New York: Summit,
1980. Print.
 McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006.
Print.
 "CormacMcCarthy.com." CormacMcCarthycom. N.p., n.d. Web.
08 Dec. 2013. <http://www.cormacmccarthy.com/works/theroad/>.
 "SF and Fantasy Masterworks." : Russell Hoban, Riddley Walker
(1980). N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013.
<http://www.sfandfantasymasterworks.co.uk/2012/12/russellhoban-riddley-walker-1980.html>.

Sources

‘New Moon' by Stephenie Meyer - Book
Review." About.com Bestsellers. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec.
2013.
<http://bestsellers.about.com/od/fictionreviews/gr/new
_moon.htm>.