A Novel Thought Process: A Response to Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"

When I read a given text, I focus so diligently on each word, that I consequently inhibit my mind from exploring beyond the paper.  Cormac McCarthy's concise writing style presented me the rare occasion to transcend the boundaries of the black ink into another sphere of thought: where in the world was McCarthy when he composed this chapter?

In contemplating the answer to this question, I consulted McCarthy's choice of diction and imagery.  "Dark… thin and filthy as street addicts… the noon sky black as the cellars of hell… sullen haze hung over earth and sky alike… bleak dawn in the east… everything was covered in ash."  These phrases emerged from the text and revealed a plausible explanation to my inquisition.  Perhaps, 4 years ago, McCarthy situated himself in a dry, desolate location to gain inspiration for this chapter.  I envision him sitting, Indian style, with a pen in hand and notepad on his lap in a desert or mountain range.  The clouds cast a gloomy shadow over McCarthy, as the wind's breeze transports tiny particles of sand and dust around his being.  I imagine him utilizing his senses to extract nature's visual, aromatic, and tactile offerings to produce not only the words in front of me, but also the thought process I never imagined possible prior to reading this text.