A limited palette

McCarthy is renowned for his frequent use of a pared down, limited palette within his novels.

The pared down language of the narrative reflects the pared down life the characters have to live: essentials only.
A recurring theme which runs through the novel is one of survival. Particular examples include the distanced relationship between the Man and the Boy, whereupon traditional father-son behaviours are replaced with the necessity of survival: "This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair. That is my job.". Essentials are welcomed and luxuries pushed aside in their attempt to protect themselves, which is reflected through the minimalistic writing style of McCarthy. 

Avoiding emotional language and keeping it simple makes the narrative all the more emotionally engaging.



Denying the boy access to affection conditions him to survive alone, without the man. Similarly to how the woman treated the man prior to her death.