Both Caldwell's Tobacco Road and McCarthy's Child of God deal with the quintessential poor white. Tobacco Road follows the Lester family, a poor family from the outskirts of town, struggling for food and money during the Great Depression, while Child of God follows Lester Ballard, a man who has lost his land and subsequently loses his mind. In both of these novels the theme of devolution is explored. These authors reduce their characters to the most primitive and animalistic state, reflecting what loss can do to the individual. One of these animalistic characteristics is sexual desire. Comparing both of these novels and their characters' subsequent attitudes towards sex, it becomes apparent that this animalistic sexual desire is particularly prevalent in devolving poor white communities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Caldwell's Tobacco Road opens with Lov Bensey on his way home, thinking about his new wife, Pearl, and her refusal to have sex with him. On his way home, he stops at the house of his father-in-law, Jeeter Lester, to try to convince Lester to talk to Pearl. He claims, “I need Pearl as much for a wife as any man ever had” (4). The reader may assume that this “need for Pearl as a wife” alludes to her having sex with him. Through this quote, it immediately becomes apparent how focused Lov is on sex. He is starving, walking seven miles every day to get turnips; however, he is more concerned with sex. This may be a normal human desire, but Caldwell differentiates Lov's state of mind from that of the average married man when he writes, "For the past few weeks, Lov had been thinking about getting some ropes and tying a pearl to the bed at night. He had tried everything else he could think of so far, expecting strength, and was still determined to make her act as he thought a wife should” (5). After Caldwell provides this insight into Lov's mind, it becomes apparent that Lov does not has more normal, healthy sexual urges. considering resorting to violence and rape, proving that he will do almost anything to satisfy his sexual cravings. After stopping by Lester's house, however, Lov manages to alleviate some of the his sexual frustrations thanks to Ellie May's curiosity and determination, his sister-in-law and his sexual desires Caldwell writes that Lov almost forgets about his reluctant wife because, "now that Ellie May had dragged herself all over the yard, and was sitting on hers." legs, Lov only thought about Ellie May" (26). Lov is so focused on his sexual urges that they become all that matters to him in that immediate moment. He forgets not only his young wife at home, but also “he would forget he had turnips. It had made him forget everything” (27). You might think that food would have been most people's top priority during the Great Depression; however, Lov's animalistic instincts appeared in this time of need, and he chose sex over protecting his food. Jeeter Lester, the patriarch of the Lester family, has a wife, so one might assume that his sexual urges are quite tame; however, this is not the case. After his sister Bessie marries his son, Dude, Lester makes it extremely obvious that he desires her, ignoring his wife. After interrupting Sister Bessie and Dude attempting to consummate their marriage, Caldwell writes, “Jeeter looked at Bessie. He pulled back the quilt so he could see it better” (108). Jeeter has a wife; it shouldn'tneeding to look at other women to find satisfaction. However, all this changes with its devolution. Due to the loss of land, work and food, he has reverted to a primitive, animalistic state, seeking to have sex wherever he can. Jeeter himself even says, “No matter how many children a man has, he always wants to have more” (109). Jeeter is not afraid to say or show that he wants Bessie. Even with his wife by his side, he tries to see Bessie's naked body (127). He ignores love, loyalty and morals, all because he can't contain his intense and primal sexual cravings. However, it is not only males who have sexual urges in this novel, but also some women. This idea is evident in Ellie May's desire to be with Lov, but is further explored in the character of Sister Bessie. Bessie is sexual throughout the novel, especially when she tries to seduce Dude after their wedding day (105); however, his sexual desires are most evident during his stay with Dude and Lester in the Augusta hotel. It is assumed that Bessie prostitutes herself in all the rooms when she states: “Every now and then someone would come and call me to another room. Every room I went to had someone sleeping in the bed... I haven't had anyone sleep except about an hour just now. Surely there are many men standing there” (150). Bessie does not protest against this prostitution; she goes where she is told and does what is expected of her. Readers might assume that Bessie performs these acts because she believes it is "what women should do" (49); however, she really enjoys jumping from room to room during the night, exclaiming, “I really had a great time last night. It made me feel good to stay there” (152). Here it becomes evident that Bessie does not accept being prostituted because she feels it is what she should do, but that she accepts it because she feels it is what she wants to do. Just like the men in this novel, after the loss of her first husband, Bessie has animalistic and primitive sexual cravings that she satisfies wherever she can. By naming his protagonist Lester Ballard, one can assume that Caldwell's Tobacco Road provided much inspiration for McCarthy. Son of God; this is evident not only in the characters' names and settings, but also in the themes of devolution and animalistic sexual desire. The first glimpse readers get into this primitive lifestyle is through the characters of the dumpster and his daughters. One summer day, the dumpster catches one of his daughters having sex in the woods (27). The boy runs away and McCarthy writes, “Next thing [the dumper] realized he had the suit on his knees and was putting it on” (27-28). This is the most primitive and animalistic form that sexual desire can take. The landfill manager caught his daughter and was allegedly filled with excitement and anger, prompting him to rape her. Similar to Lov's rape "solution" in Tobacco Road, rape is an impulsive, "last resort" decision for both characters. They have been without sex for so long and are so filled with anger that they are willing to engage in animalistic sexual behavior. Although the dump provides readers with their first example of primitive sexual impulses, McCarthy uses the protagonist, Lester Ballard, to explore these urges to their fullest extent. The moment Ballard loses his land, he begins his devolution to a primitive, animalistic state. A characteristic of this state is his intense sexual desires, which become evident when he encounters a dead, coital couple (86). The first action Ballard takes after realizing the couple is dead is entirely sexual. McCarthy writes: “He could see one of the girl's breasts… Ballard looked at it.