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The Sunset Limited

cormac mccarthy

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A startling encounter on a New York subway platform leads two strangers to a run-down tenement where a life or death decision must be made.

In that small apartment, Black and White, as the two men are known, begin a conversation that leads each back through his own history, mining the origins of two fundamentally opposing world views. White is a professor whose seemingly enviable existence of relative ease has left him nonetheless in despair. Black, an ex-con and ex-addict, is the more hopeful of the men though he is just as desperate to convince White of the power of faith as White is desperate to deny it.

Their aim is no less than this: to discover the meaning of life. Deft, spare, and full of artful tension, The Sunset Limited is a beautifully crafted, consistently thought-provoking, and deceptively intimate work by one of the most insightful writers of our time.

143 pages, Paperback

First published October 24,2006
Places
new york city new york, 

This edition

Format
143 pages, Paperback
Published
October 24, 2006 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
ISBN
9780307278364
ASIN
0307278360
Language
English
Characters More characters

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About the author

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cormac mccarthy

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Cormac McCarthy was an American novelist and playwright. He wrote twelve novels in the Southern Gothic, western, and post-apocalyptic genres and also wrote plays and screenplays. He received the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 for The Road, and his 2005 novel No Country for Old Men was adapted as a 2007 film of the same name, which won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. His earlier Blood Meridian (1985) was among Time Magazine's poll of 100 best English-language books published between 1925 and 2005, and he placed joint runner-up for a similar title in a poll taken in 2006 by The New York Times of the best American fiction published in the last 25 years. Literary critic Harold Bloom named him one of the four major American novelists of his time, along with Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, and Philip Roth. He is frequently compared by modern reviewers to William Faulkner. In 2009, Cormac McCarthy won the PEN/Saul Bellow Award, a lifetime achievement award given by the PEN American Center.

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Community Reviews

Rating(3.9 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
31(31%)
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25(25%)
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44(44%)
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100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
melissaanne
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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A theatrical dialogue takes place between a white professor and a man of color.

McCarthy bends the dialogues to his will, making them alive and throbbing. It almost seems as if one can see these two men, in conflict with each other and with themselves. An extraordinary evocative force.

The exchange between the white professor and the man of color is a captivating one. McCarthy's skill in crafting the dialogues is evident as he brings out the tensions and inner turmoil of both characters. The words they speak seem to leap off the page, painting a vivid picture of their conflict. It is not just a simple conversation but a profound exploration of the human condition, of the struggles and challenges that come with differences in race and perspective. The evocative power of McCarthy's writing draws the reader in, making them feel as if they are right there in the midst of the conflict, experiencing it firsthand.

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Diinpai
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Wow!!! ALL the stars!!!! This is an incredibly hard-hitting story about two men, The Professor and Black. They meet on the train platform where a life and death decision is made.

Subsequently, the two men go to Black's apartment and engage in a very deep conversation. They discuss belief, non-belief, and life after death. There is some theological discussion regarding original sin and Jesus, which is typically talked about in Christian circles. However, I don't think this detracts from the story or its intent.

I highly recommend the audio version as this is a screenplay and it was done extremely well.

Here is a quote from the story: "Belief ain't like unbelief. If you are a believer, then you got to come finally to the well of belief itself and you don't have to look no further. There ain't no further. But the unbeliever has got a problem. He's got to set out to unravel the world, but every thing he can point to that ain't true leaves two new things laying there. (To the believer) If God walked in the world when He got done making it, then when you get up in the morning, you get to put your feet on the real floor and you don't have to worry about where it came from. But if He didn't, you got to come up with the whole other description of what you even mean is real...and you got to judge everything by that same light, if light it is, including yourself.---Black"

This story really makes you think about the nature of belief and the different perspectives that believers and non-believers have. It's a thought-provoking and engaging read/listen.
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East
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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My very first McCarthy ever, and it was love at first sight. This theatrical text, this tight dialogue between two characters, simply named WHITE and BLACK, which pushes you in one direction only to change and reverse it once you reach the end. The theme addressed, the religious one, that of the existence or not of God and Jesus, is difficult and complex, and the author dissects it through a rapid-fire exchange of lines with no escape route. It's beautiful and absolutely worth reading and rereading, pausing each time on a different passage.

http://www.ilclubdeilibri.com/sunset-...

The story unfolds in a confined space, heightening the tension and intimacy of the dialogue. The two characters, WHITE and BLACK, come from different backgrounds and hold opposing views on religion and life. Their conversations are intense, filled with passion and conviction. McCarthy's writing is masterful, using language to create a vivid and engaging world. The religious themes are explored in a thought-provoking way, challenging the reader to question their own beliefs. This is a book that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it, making you think and reflect on the deeper meaning of life and faith.

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BlatantC
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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For me, the world is fundamentally a field of forced labor from which every day, by chance, some detainees - completely innocent - are taken out to be executed. This is not how I see it. This is how it is. Are there different opinions? Certainly? Do they withstand in-depth examination? No.


The nihilism has never offered answers.


The questions of this book are two:


Why would suicide be better than life?


Why would life be better than suicide?


It is enough for one person to embody the first question and another person to embody the second, and here is a dialogued drama that leaves no escape. It seems to hear Pink Floyd asking us if we see the difference between a green field and a cold steel railway track. However, the answer is not here. More than anything, it is in our opinions.


Two men. Sitting opposite each other. One white and the other black. One atheist and the other believer. The atheist has tried to kill himself, and the believer has saved him. He would like God to tell him what to do with that man.


WHITE Can I ask you something?


BLACK Go ahead.


WHITE Why can't you people just accept that some people don't even want to believe in God?


There are some pages extremely rich in poetry and pessimism, and although McCarthy is a believer and makes it clear in all his books, here it seemed to me that it was the figure of the White who won in the end. The clarity of this spare and dark prose draws a world where those who ask questions become unhappy. Because the believer entrusts everything into the hands of God and through him explains things - so he doesn't go crazy - and manages to be happy. The atheist, on the other hand, has doubts, asks questions, trusts in culture and understands that life is horrible.

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HelixRaed
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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In a nutshell, and I'll be brief: It's a long conversation between two unnamed characters: an atheist professor on the verge of suicide and a believing Christian trying to save the professor.

I read it at a relatively appropriate time. It was as if the different pieces of my existence that I had kept separate until then sat down at a table and were having a conversation. Honestly, I liked a lot of what both sides had to say.

I don't remember to mention that Mr. McCarthy is really a male writer! I really like his writing.
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iamgemini
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This is my first encounter with McCarthy's work, and what a remarkable way to immerse oneself in his bibliography!

The play presents a dialogue between Black and White, symbolizing two distinct perspectives of an argument through their skin tones. Initially, it can be quite jarring as their skin color doesn't align with the tone of the argument they advocate. While Black perceives hope and has faith in all that is good, White views the world as a cesspool of despair. As they engage in a conversation about religion and belief systems, Black and White dissect the world. Black focuses on what the world offers, seeing hope for change, while White's nihilism seeps through every topic he touches upon. McCarthy tests both characters: using White's professorial platform, he challenges the belief system that Black has discovered for himself with witty remarks and incisive wordplay. Nevertheless, Black remains unwavering in his faith, and his responses are firmly within the bounds of his reasoning.

McCarthy employs contrast from the very start. Whether it's the setting of the stage, where the characters are positioned in opposition, their demographics, or their life achievements - White is a professor, while Black is an ex-convict. White is friendless, while Black has a group of friends. Black struggles more than White when dealing with the subject matter. Why does Black invest so much in a man who wishes to end his life on the tracks of the Sunset Limited? Is it the ultimate form of selfishness to be completely selfless in extending kindness and moments of solace? McCarthy doesn't reveal the answer and allows the characters to play it out.

Very early on, the characters compel the readers to take a side. One may change sides during the course of the play, and that's perfectly fine. Just as White scoffs at Black's naivete, stating, "The world isn't black and white," it's natural to nod in agreement. However, Black's summarized response is worthy of a retrospective examination of our own complicated lives: "...it isn't that complex."

If nothing else, "The Sunset Limited" is a poignant read. It stands alongside works like "Waiting for Godot" and perhaps comes close to "No Exit."
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Takoyaki1400
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Esto es literatura.

Literature is a vast and diverse field that encompasses a wide range of written works. It can include novels, short stories, poems, plays, and more.

Literature has the power to transport us to different worlds, introduce us to new characters, and make us feel a whole range of emotions. It can make us laugh, cry, think, and question.

Good literature is often characterized by its beautiful language, engaging plot, and well-developed characters. It can also offer insights into human nature, society, and the world around us.

Whether we are reading for pleasure or for academic purposes, literature has something to offer everyone. It can expand our vocabulary, improve our writing skills, and enhance our understanding of the world.

In conclusion, literature is an important and valuable part of our lives. It enriches our minds, touches our hearts, and helps us to see the world in a new light. Esto es literatura.
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mangamaskin
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This work doesn't possess the same depth and substance as McCarthy's other remarkable dramatic creations.

The Gardener's Son and the Stonemason are both infused with a truly acute sense of place, which enriches and enlivens the stories.

However, The Sunset Limited has this imposed kind of anonymity about it. This is understandable considering its pared-down, parable-like essence.

But it is precisely this aspect that makes it more jarring and gives it that dark, menacing edge.

White's final two monologues are perhaps among the bleakest pieces that McCarthy has ever penned.

Even The Road, with its blatant apocalyptic themes, doesn't convey the same level of outright brutality as the conclusion of The Sunset Limited.

This goes to show that one doesn't necessarily require a poetic vision to conjure up a howling, nihilistic void.

All that is needed are just two people engaged in conversation, and yet, McCarthy manages to create a world of such profound darkness and despair.

It is a testament to his remarkable talent as a writer that he can achieve such an effect with such simplicity.
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