45 pages • 1 hour read
Cormac McCarthyThe Orchard Keeper
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1965A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Author Context: Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy (1933-2023) was an American novelist and playwright renowned for his distinct and powerful literary style. Born on July 20, 1933, in Providence, Rhode Island, he would become one of the most celebrated and enigmatic voices in 20th- and 21st-century literature. McCarthy’s works delve deep into the darkest corners of the human psyche, exploring themes of violence, nature, morality, and the relentless pursuit of truth.
Raised primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee, McCarthy developed a deep fascination with the rural landscapes and rich history of the American South, which would later provide the backdrop for many of his novels. After high school, McCarthy attended the University of Tennessee, where he studied liberal arts and creative writing. His love for literature grew during this time, and he began to explore various genres and styles, eventually finding the voice that would make his name.
In 1965, McCarthy published his first novel, The Orchard Keeper. Set in the rugged mountains of East Tennessee, the book introduced readers to McCarthy’s distinctive blend of lyricism and stark realism. The Orchard Keeper tells the story of a young boy, John Wesley Rattner, who becomes entangled with a group of eccentric characters in a world suffused with violence and decay. The novel received critical acclaim for its vivid portrayal of the Southern landscape and its masterful use of language. Although it did not achieve commercial success, it established McCarthy as a promising new voice in American literature.
McCarthy’s literary style evolved significantly over the course of his career. In his early works, including Outer Dark (1968) and Child of God (1973), he continued to explore the themes of violence and isolation, depicting characters grappling with the darkness of the human condition. These novels showcased McCarthy’s ability to blend poetic prose with brutal imagery. The publication of Blood Meridian in 1985 was a key point in the development of McCarthy’s literary style. Set in the American West during the mid-19th century, the novel follows the journey of a teenage runaway known only as “the Kid” as he becomes embroiled in the merciless world of bounty hunters and outlaws. McCarthy’s writing in this novel is characterized by unflinching realism, with vivid and often brutal descriptions of violence and the desolate landscapes of the frontier.
In the years following Blood Meridian, McCarthy continued to refine his style, embracing a more pared-down and minimalist approach, as can be seen in his widely acclaimed Border Trilogy, consisting of All the Pretty Horses (1992), The Crossing (1994), and Cities of the Plain (1998). These novels explore the lives of young men navigating the harsh realities of the American Southwest, a world in transition. In them, McCarthy’s prose is stripped down, utilizing spare dialogue and sparse descriptions to convey the characters’ inner struggles and the unforgiving landscapes they inhabit. However, in their continued exploration of bleakness, decay, and isolation in rural America, even these later works can be traced back to The Orchard Keeper.
Historical Context: Prohibition and Bootlegging
Prohibition in the United States lasted from 1920 to 1933. Driven by the temperance movement and the belief that alcohol consumption was the root of many social and moral problems, the nationwide ban on the production, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages had a profound impact on society. Nowhere was this impact more pronounced than in Tennessee, where the Prohibition experiment and the rise of bootlegging became intertwined with the state’s cultural and economic fabric. Tennessee had a long history of alcohol-related debates and regulations prior to nationwide Prohibition. As early as 1838, the state’s capital, Nashville, implemented a local prohibition law, and several other cities and counties followed suit. However, these early attempts at temperance were largely ineffective, and the demand for alcohol remained strong.
The tide began to turn in Tennessee with the 1919 ratification of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which ushered in the nationwide ban on alcohol. The Volstead Act, passed in 1920, provided the framework for enforcement, but it soon became evident that Prohibition was destined to be a controversial and difficult endeavor. The illegal production, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages became rampant, giving rise to a network of bootleggers and speakeasies that operated in the shadows. In The Orchard Keeper, characters such as Marion Sylder make their living by moving illegal or untaxed whiskey.
Tennessee, with its hilly terrain and abundant natural resources, quickly became a hotbed of illicit alcohol production. Moonshining, the production of homemade liquor, was widespread, particularly in the rural areas of the state. The isolated regions of the Appalachian Mountains provided ideal conditions for moonshiners to operate discreetly, evading law enforcement and earning a significant income. The production of moonshine not only satisfied the demand for alcohol but also became an integral part of Tennessee’s cultural heritage, immortalized in literature, music, and folklore.
The tide began to turn against Prohibition in the late 1920s. The rise of organized crime, led by figures like Al Capone, exposed the inherent flaws and corruption within the ban. Bootlegging operations grew increasingly violent as rival gangs fought for control of territories and profits. Public sentiment turned against Prohibition, and voices advocating for its repeal grew louder. The beginning of the end of Prohibition came with the ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933, which repealed the 18th Amendment and effectively ended the era of nationwide Prohibition. Tennessee was the crucial 36th state to ratify the amendment. With the repeal, the illegal alcohol trade diminished, and the once-thriving bootlegging industry slowly faded away.
Geographical Context: Rural Tennessee
Rural Tennessee has a rich cultural and literary history that has left an indelible mark on American literature. This region has inspired writers for generations. Among the notable works that capture the essence of rural Tennessee, McCarthy’s debut novel, The Orchard Keeper, stands as a testament to the enduring power of the Appalachian literary tradition.
The Appalachian Mountains stretch across several states, including Tennessee, and have been home to diverse communities shaped by the region’s unique geography and shared heritage. The cultural fabric of this region is filled with stories passed down through generations, reflecting the resilience, struggles, and triumphs of its inhabitants. The distinctiveness of Appalachian culture lies in its music, folklore, craftsmanship, and strong sense of community, though many of these things—as portrayed in The Orchard Keeper—have been lost to time.
The Appalachian Mountains have been the subject of numerous works of literature. Writers from Thomas Wolfe (Look Homeward, Angel, 1929) to Charles Frazier (Cold Mountain, 1997) have been drawn to the mountains’ evocative landscapes and the vibrant characters that call them home. Meanwhile, the region’s rich oral tradition, filled with stories, legends, and tall tales, continues to be passed down through generations, keeping the spirit of Appalachia alive. At the end of The Orchard Keeper, two of the three primary characters are no longer free and one has only recently returned to Red Branch to find the town abandoned. Though the rural community is gone, the novel makes clear that their stories and lives will become part of the cultural legacy and local folklore.
Related Titles
By Cormac McCarthy
