The Road by Cormac McCarthy analysis
The Road describes the journey of a son and father after a catastrophe attacks them in the United States. Ideally, the route gets characterized by hardships and fear of attack by individuals as the duo walk towards the south to find refuge. Towards the end of the book, the father succumbs, and his son gets rescued by a kind family.
Chapter one quotes
“The child was his warrant if he is not; God’s word never spoke.” In this case, the father believed that his son was his responsibility. Therefore, it justified his actions following care administered to the son. The man also thought that his son was a deity, thus requiring utmost concern.
“Ever’s a long time” The quote indicates that the man believes that death will not occur quickly. Therefore, he tells the son to have pleasure at the moment, instead of speculating about the future. The man is also honest and does not promise his son what he can’t deliver, as seen in the thoughts on not retaking Coca-Cola.
Chapter two quotes
“There is no other dream or tale to tell,” In this event, only one story can be told, at present. Therefore, the man doesn’t want an attraction of false happiness or dreams and decides to get real on the present happenings.
“You won’t survive for yourself, I know because I have certainly not come this far,” The words get uttered by the man to his wife following her suicide intentions. Hence, the wife believes that his survival will get fuelled by the love for the son. The man is determined to care for his boy, and encouraging him despite the hardships. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Chapter three quotes
“No list of things to be done….There is no later” In this case, the man does not have long-term plans, as he believes in meeting present needs. However, the boy becomes deprived of the hope of meeting similar people in the days to come.
“We are not survivors, but walking dead in a horror film” The man’s wife believes that the death they are about to experience is within the periphery of life. Thus, she loses hope and thinks of a less horrific death different from torture or rape.
In the first three chapters, questions that arise include:
- How does the man illustrate the love or his son?
- What is the difference between the man and his wife’s perceptions of death?
- How do the survivors of the catastrophe manage the chaos?
- How significant is the fire to the man and his son?
- What is the purpose of the dreams and memories of the father in the novel?