Survival In Cormac Mccarthy's The Road

There may be many situations where survival plays the key role. In The Road by Cormac Mccarthy survival plays a big role but not the main. A man and his son carry the fire throughout the book. In the road the world everyone once knew had turned to a wasteland. A world where there is no authority and cannibals run the streets. However, there is one man and one boy who represent the good left in humanity. They believe that there is still good humanity elsewhere; though it is tough to remain sane in a world like this. The boy and the man believe if they “carry the fire” their luck will change. To carry the fire means to be a good man and represent the core values that the world once knew long ago. The man and the boy are good guys in disastrous world. While the man and the boy are making their way down one road they come across a dangerous ruthless gang that will stop at nothing to get what they want. This gang is referred to as the “Bloodcults.” This gang is filled with Marauders and cannibals. When the man and the boy come across this gang they immediately hide and attempt to avoid this dangerous gang. They hide in a snowbank on the side of the road when a member of the bloodcults walks over toward them to go to the bathroom. The man …show more content…
The man and the boy travel miles on miles in their everyday life and the man’s condition is getting worse which implies that one day the boy have to carry the fire solo. The man was attacked by an archer and shot and severely injured. Later that night the man says to the boy “you have to carry the fire...it’s inside you. It was always there. I can see it” (234) this sadly implies that the man is going to die and essentially pass on the torch to his boy. The boy is upset but believes in himself and carries his father’s legacy by successfully carrying the fire. The boy was then found by a family and taken under their wing as they all carry the