Kaylee Johnson Mr. Davis Honors English 10-5 3 February 2024 The Road: A guide to postapocalyptic parenting In the desolate post-apocalyptic novel The Road, author Cormac McCarthy presents unnamed protagonists the man and the boy as they navigate the “barren, silent, godless”(4) landscape of scorched America in an attempt to survive in a dilapidated world where “nights [are] dark beyond darkness” (1). As the man and the boy journey upon the godforsaken road, it becomes evident that “the boy [is] all that [stands] between [the man] and death”(29) fostering the man's deep devotion and care for his child. Despite the dismal conditions, the man finds ways to bring the boy joy and educate him about the past world. As they stumble upon the ruins of a supermarket, the father uncovers a "Coca-Cola" (23) and presents it to the boy as a special treat,
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The man begins to deteriorate rapidly, the pair make camp one gray night, and as the man lays down “he [knows] that he [can] go no further and. this is the place where he [will] die”(277). McCarthy's theme is further evolved as the man's physical and mental state has diminished almost entirely but he still expresses his concern for the boy's welfare as the boy offers the man half of “a single tin of peaches''(277) to which the man makes “the boy eat it and won't take any''(277). With the smell of “wet ash on the wind”(278) the man and boy have their last conversation. The man manifests his immortal love for the boy as he tells the boy “You need to keep going”,“We were always lucky you’ll be lucky again”(278) giving the boy a sense of hope and direction. Despite the man and boy's “filthy ragged hopeless”(273) condition, the man chooses to remain calm and ensures the boy that “It’s all right”(278) enhancing the man's deep concern for the boy's
The man begins to deteriorate rapidly, the pair make camp one gray night, and as the man lays down “he [knows] that he [can] go no further and. this is the place where he [will] die”(277). McCarthy's theme is further evolved as the man's physical and mental state has diminished almost entirely but he still expresses his concern for the boy's welfare as the boy offers the man half of “a single tin of peaches''(277) to which the man makes “the boy eat it and won't take any''(277). With the smell of “wet ash on the wind”(278) the man and boy have their last conversation. The man manifests his immortal love for the boy as he tells the boy “You need to keep going”,“We were always lucky you’ll be lucky again”(278) giving the boy a sense of hope and direction. Despite the man and boy's “filthy ragged hopeless”(273) condition, the man chooses to remain calm and ensures the boy that “It’s all right”(278) enhancing the man's deep concern for the boy's