The road

Question

There are words being used in this novel which are new to our language -

"scablands"(16)

bloodcults"(16) are some examples. What do these terms mean? Why is McCarthy combining words in this way?

Asked by Celeste A #435397 on 4/11/2015 12:01 PM

Last updated by Aslan on 4/11/2015 4:15 PM

Answered by Aslan on 4/11/2015 4:15 PM

Scablands are elevated tracts of rocky land with little or no soil cover and traversed or isolated by postglacial dry stream channels.

Bloodcults are men who roam the road raping and killing people.

I think that McCarthy wanted to personify a post apocalyptic alien-like world where humanity is dead and the landscape feels barren.