This is the nature of war, whose stake is at once the game and the authority and the justification. Seen so, war is the truest form of divination. It is the testing of one's will and the will of another within that larger will which because it binds them is therefore forced to select. War is the ultimate game because war is at last a forcing of the unity of existence.War is god.
The quote from Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West" presents a profound view of war as a multifaceted struggle for power and identity. It suggests that war transcends mere conflict; it becomes a trial of wills, where participants engage not only in combat but also in a deeper exploration of existence and authority. In this sense, war is depicted as a game with life-and-death stakes that ultimately reveals the nature of human desire and ambition.
Moreover, McCarthy elevates war to a divine status, implying that it embodies the very essence of existence. By framing it as the ultimate test of unity, he suggests that war can drive individuals and societies to confront their collective truths and shared destinies. This perspective challenges the reader to recognize war not just as chaos, but as an elemental force that shapes humanity's understanding of its place in the world, ultimately portraying it as a god-like entity with immense power over life itself.
