The world is filled with desperation, where survival and self-reliance is the only way to live, and every minute, every second, and every single breath is precious. In an apocalyptic situation, wherein one’s survival is the priority, McCarthy reveals a repentant and ashamed tone towards the evil deeds humans are essentially forced to do for their own survival. In the novel The Road, author Cormac McCarthy utilized forthright diction and significant details to epitomize an apologetic tone when discussing the loss of innocence through one’s lifetime, proving that despite mankind being innately innocent, greed overpowers and induces humanity to eventually lose their purity.
Throughout the entire novel, Cormac McCarthy …show more content…
McCarthy used forthright diction to display an apologetic tone about the loss of innocence to prove that humans are innately greedy when put in difficult circumstances. Despite the regret, the man tries to comfort himself and provide the reasoning that, “It was desperation that led him to such carelessness” (McCarthy 117). McCarthy chose the diction word “desperation” to justify the reasoning of the man. With merely just the intention to find food and not starve, the man took a risk in entering the house. Desperation emphasized that the man only acts accordingly to their last resort, especially since their choices were terribly limited. Upon entering the house, the boy unfalteringly reminded him of the eccentric vibe exasperating from the house. This foreshadows the discovery of the naked people, which the man confidently ignored. The man feels sorry for jeopardizing his own son into near danger. If the man and the boy just happened to be a second slower in escaping, they would have been trapped and possibly become victims of the cannibals as well. Although the majority of the people in this time period, including the cannibals, is only desperate for supplies, obtaining the food should still be acquired without harming others in the process. Contemplating after their escape, the man sentimentally stared at the boy, thinking to himself that, “He looked like something out of a deathcamp” (McCarthy 117). McCarthy used the diction word “deathcamp” to describe the miserable state of the boy. By comparing the boy to a deathcamp, this convinces the readers of the remorsefulness of the man. Helping the readers further feel pity towards situation of the boy, this diction word was included by McCarthy to provoke sympathy from the readers. Throughout the novel, the man completely embraced the responsibility to provide