A Literary Approach to Road to Perdition Road to Perdition Formalism

In Depression-era Chicago, hit-man Michael Sullivan is known to friends and enemies alike as the Angel of Death. Uncompromising in his work, Sullivan is just as devoted to his private life as an upstanding husband and father of two young boys. But when those worlds collide, taking the lives of his wife and younger son, Sullivan and his surviving son, Michael Jr., leave their sedate home life behind and embark on a startling journey of …

…to analyze such an excellent display of film making, it is easiest to break the movie down to the most basic literary elements. When closely examined, the setting, themes, and character development of Road to Perdition are what makes the story line of the film so compelling. While the cinematography, directing, and score were all exceptional; it is the basic forms of story telling that make the movie so extraordinary. <Tab/>