Riddley Walker and The Road

Tales of two post-apocalyptic expeditions

The Road

Nameless father and son roaming through the wasteland that exists after a global catastrophe

Omnipresent themes of isolation, survival of the fittest, and good versus evil

Survival of the Fittest

They see a man walking and he eventually gives up. The son wants to help him but the father says they have nothing to offer (McCarthy 49 – 50).

They find an underground bunker filled with food, blankets, beds, and everything they need to survive (McCarthy 138).

They track down a thief that took everything from them. They demand everything back, including the clothes and every possession the thief had already had (McCarthy 253 – 258).

Transition to a Movie

Created in 2009

Starred Viggo Mortensen as the father and Kodi Smit-McPhee as the son

Followed closely with the book

Hard to watch at times

Gave an intensified sense of isolation that the book could not do

Riddley Walker

A small civilization with a young boy, Riddley Walker, that goes about his life in a post-apocalyptic world

Pervasive themes of Roman history and futuristic languages

Futuristic Language

Words sounded out (poorly) and spelled, since they do not have any records of written language

“The Eusa Story” has even more difficult vocabulary:”Eusa sed, Thayr int aul that much wud roun hear its mosly iyrn its mosly stoan,”

(Hoban 30) which translates to:

“Eusa said, ‘There isn’t all that much wood around here. It’s mostly iron and stone.”

Entire glossary at the end of the book that gives definitions of new words (Hoban 233 – 235).

Transition to a Movie

Mad Max: Beyond the Thunderdome (1985)

Not exactly a movie made of Riddley Walker, but there are some similarities

Auntie Entity (played by Tina Turner) in the movie is based on the character Aunty in Riddley Walker

Exhibits its own vocabulary (similar to Riddley Walker) but not as extreme “Pockieclypse” – apocalypse “We ain’t be slack” – they are not being

lazy

Riddles are used in the movie much like they are used in Riddley Walker. "Bust a deal, face the Wheel."