"Don't mess with Texas." What started as a PSA about the damaging effects of litter has evolved into a statewide motto about Texans in general. They remind you not to mess with them on street signs, TV commercials, trashcans, magnets, T-shirts, and Willy Nelson's bandana. Seriously, Shmoopers, don't mess. Why not? Because they will hunt you down, and they won't stop until you are dead.
Okay, maybe that's a little extreme, but that's definitely the attitude the dudes in No Country for Old Men take when they're messed with. They have dogged perseverance when they have a goal in mind. Imagine—if Chigurh's goal was to eliminate littering, this country would literally shine with cleanliness. Sure, a lot of litterers would be dead, but at least he'd clean up the mess after planting one between their eyes.
Questions About Perseverance
- It's easy to see why Llewelyn is so determined: he has to survive. But why is Chigurh so determined to catch him?
- Is Bell as persistent as he should be, considering the crimes taking place in his county?
- Do you think perseverance is Chigurh's strongest quality? Can anything stop a man as determined as he is?