No Country for Old Men

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What determines a person’s actions? How can we explain random events and actions? In general, how much agency does a person have over the world and their relationship with it?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt may be helpful in piquing interest before examining these or similar resources in groups or as a class. Notetaking or annotation may increase retention of this contextual information. Students may benefit from the opportunity to share their thoughts in small groups of 3-4 before engaging in a whole-class discussion or Socratic seminar.

• This article offers an accessible explanation of determinism, a key philosophical concept explored throughout the novel.
• This 10-minute Crash Course video examines the argument for both determinism and free will. (Content Warning: The fate/free will discussion is introduced with an animated summary of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, which may require additional context and guidance.)

2. Describe a work of literature or film that one might consider a Western. What characters and character traits might an audience member expect to see, and what are the common elements of the plot? What themes do Westerns often explore? What variations and subgenres exist within the genre?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may benefit from a brief discussion of the history of this genre in literature and film, as many of the tropes, imagery, characterizations, and landscapes that readers associate with the Western genre came before 1970 or so. No Country for Old Men represents a time of resurgence in interest in the genre’s conflicts, themes, and characterizations, and students can compare this novel’s elements to older Western works as they read. Examining these and similar resources in small groups or as a class may generate additional interest in the story.

• This MasterClass article offers a concise snapshot of the Western genre and its development over time.
• “A History of the Western Genre” discusses a detailed history of the Western genre in film, including the decline of the genre in the 1980s and a resurgence that began in the 1990s. (Content Warning: includes scenes of violence and gunfighting; brief profanity at 6:42; mature imagery; discussion of dated perspectives in filmmaking)
• “The History and Future of the Western in 10 Books” from Publishers Weekly offers brief summaries for representative Western novels. (Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing without guidance and curation)

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Write a short reflection that answers and supports the following questions: Do you think the world is becoming more violent? Why or why not? What evidence might support this position? What do you think is the cause?

Teaching Suggestion: To extend this activity, students may be interested in a class discussion or debate on the topic after reading and exploring these or similar sources.

• This NPR interview (includes a 4-minute audio option) with psychologist Steven Pinker succinctly examines his claim that the world is becoming less violent. (Students should note that this article was published in 2016; they may want to address events and trends since that time in their discussion.)
• This article from Science presents a counterargument against Steven Pinker’s claim that the world is becoming less violent.