pass. Nothing can affect her any more, because herlife is already terrible. Eventually, her husband becomes involved in a murder, and she is hated bythe people of Carn. McCabe gives readers a definite idea of Sadie's views on life. Her life is awful,but she knew it would be from the very start. The point that the author is trying to convey to thereader is that all of life is bad, and there is nothing that can be done to improve it. He uses clearcharacterization to get this point across to the reader. The character of Sadie vividly demonstratesthis idea.Carn itself is a character. Although it is a town, it goes through a life cycle. Life for Carnbegins with prosperity, changes to ruin, becomes industrialized again, and then finally returns to dust. Carn effects the other characters in tremendous ways. The desolation that the other characters feelspawns from the desolation of Carn. McCabe makes the reader feel as if they have actually visitedthis town on the border of Ireland. After the reader travels there, they too can feel the emptinessthat results. The author characterizes the town through the words of other characters. Some believethat Carn "is the best wee town in Ireland. I mean, you have everything you want here (61)." Thatis the problem for many. They want to experience new and exciting things, yet they are restricted tothe commonplace in Carn. They can go "Nowhere but Carn. Carn--the beginning and the end(62)." Carn is the beginning and the end for both Sadie and Josie. It is "Regular as clockwork(62)." Nothing changes. "Carn manages to get rid of the young ones (107)." People feel trapped inCarn, and yet few can escape. It is analogous to an evil force that has a hold on everyone living in it. Even though Carn is the evil in people's lives, life in general is the ultimate negative power. Carncannot escape the tragedies of life. Its moment of prosperity is ended, and all the characters returnto the sad...
