What McCarthy is trying to say about race in The Sunset Limited is sort of mysterious. He has something in mind, though, given that the two main characters are identified not by their names, but by their races: White and Black. That said—and we go into this more over in the "Symbols" section, so be sure to check it out—their racial differences operate more as metaphors for their other differences than anything else in this play. In marking the characters racially, McCarthy makes sure that we pay attention to what they do, and do not, have in common.
Questions About Race
- Is White's problem specific to white, American people of a certain class? Or is it more universal? Give examples from the text to support your answer.
- Why does McCarthy make White white and Black black? What's the point, in your view?
- Do you agree with Black that white people, black people, and all the other races and categories don't really exist in any eternal way? Why or why not?
- When White says that the ghetto where Black lives is "a horrible place, full of horrible people" do you think there's any racial edge to his comment? Why or why not? How does this affect your understanding of White as a character?
Chew on This
McCarthy dabbles in dangerous stereotypes in this play.
Black and White's views are not particularly related to their racial identities—instead they're unique individuals with deeply personal perspectives on life.