Quotes from the Road by Cormac McCarthy

Quotes from the Road by Cormac McCarthy

            Love and suffering form part of any pursuit of the things that people seek to achieve in life throughout the world. Authors often narrate these two terms in their works, and one of such includes The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The novel tells the story of a father and his son traveling to what may be called present-day Texas. Through a journey filled with love, difficulties of numerous survival moments holding uncertainties including lack of food and shelter and impending threats of death from hostile wild groups, and the inability to know what tomorrow may bring. This paper analyses six quotes from the novel and asks relevant questions that might pop up in the reader’s mind in each event part of the book.

The first instance of love and uncertainty arises when they encounter the difficulty of pursuing their journey into their dreamland. The two become obfuscated about progress, and the father feels that they have no known destination, and instead suggests that they turn back. Here the father says to the boy, “We’re not thinking, he said. We have to go back” (McCarthy, 4). Looking back to the beginning implies anxiety about the future and underlying regret of having started. Critically, turning back after deciding to step forward indicates that the future is risky remains uncertain. Uncertainties of what turning back will cast them into more trouble than going ahead with their journey create more curiosity. Often how people embark on their journey to success and quit just before even starting raises many questions.

The second instance of love and protection occurs when they face the danger of hostile gangs in the wild, and being not sure what to do, the father passes over the rifle to the son instead of using it to protect the son and says, “Quick, he whispered. Quick. It’s all right, he said. We have to run. Don’t look back. Come on” (McCarthy, p. 31). Running without looking back implies despite unknown destiny, despite the two being equipped with a weapon.  The fear of failing to protect the son and deciding to run away confirms an excellent love for the son when the father is not sure of the next move to make apart from running.

The use of the word God in reference to the son is drawn from the biblical concept of overcoming difficulties through supernatural. However, the father does seem to express a different opinion on this stance and tells the son that “if you are not the word of god then God did not speak anywhere” (McCarthy, p 5). Much later on, the father changes his perception of God and tends to have believed in God, when he is seen stroking his son’s hair and calmly saying that “it is good to house a god” (McCarthy, p. 75). Just after this, the father progresses to confirm that “my work is to take care of you. I was appointed by God” (McCarthy, p. 77).

Furthermore, love and difficulty of making appropriate decisions become evident when the two are not sure whether to use a gun to protect themselves or not. The father is unsure if he will use the weapon to protect the son when they enter the bunker, and instead, hands over the rifle to the son saying, “You take it, Papa, the boy said. No. That’s not the deal. Take it” (McCarthy, page 93). The rifle serves to assure protection when in danger. The father decides to hand over the gun when entering the banker that might be unsafe, which portrays love and inability to make individual decisions by the father regarding the safety of the son.

The last difficulty involves love from children when making good moral choosing after catching bad people. When the two’s cart is stolen, and they find the thief, the son becomes sympathetic, pleading with the father to set the culprit free while the father remains adamant. Even when the father tries to assure the son that the thief has been set free and he is gone, the boy says, “He’s not gone, the boy said. He looked up, the face streaked with soot. He’s not. What do you want to do? Just help him, Papa. Just help him” (McCarthy, p135). This quote shows how children put their parents in danger to their enemies out of love. Children are always innocent and tent to request for forgiveness of those who wrong us when they admit. Morally, it is difficult to determine whether it is justifiable to strip the man naked. Ethically, it is also difficult to prove whether it is acceptable to kill a thief because moral values vary from one society to another.  Religious beliefs hold that it is justified to forgive and let go, but the stance of who becomes guilty if a wrongdoer is set free to continue to doing wrong is not defined clearly.

Questions

1. In the beginning, the reader gets anxious about what would happen if they went ahead with their journey?
2. After the father decides that they should run for their lives, one wonders why despite them having a weapon?
3. After the father decides that they should find a place where they will not be seen, the reader asks What will happen if they step into hostile lands where they will face the danger of wild animals as well?
4. The father is seen sacrificing sleep to ensure the son gets all the comfort he needs, and the reader wonders, do all parents sacrifice so much for their children this way?
5. At the time when the father hands over the weapon to the son as hope, one also wonders; what if the source of concern will be the source of death if the son is inexperienced in using it correctly?
6. At the time when they catch the culprit who stole their cart, the son pleads for his release, and the reader’s wonders; do children put their parents in danger to their enemies?
7. After the father dies, the son stays with the body for three days, arousing curiosity; was the son hoping that the father will resurrect?
8. The last question involves the author’s motivation; did the story arise from real-life experiences or out of creativity?

References

McCarthy, C. (2006). The Road, M-71.