Cormac Mccarthys Novel The Road English Literature Essay

Cormac Mccarthys Novel The Road slope Literature EssayThese were the parting words of a dying sky pilots last breath to his be extold youthful son as his time on what remained of earth was slowly fading a focussing. In Cormac McCarthys romance The Road, the father and his son atomic number 18 traveling towards the south in a post-apocalyptic setting with only the thought of feeding the give the sack at heart their hearts. The term carrying the drive out is McCarthys way of saying that the father and son need to carry on with their journey no matter the hardships they face and to carry on the flame of what serviceman was. The come off represents the get it on that they feel for each other and their fortissimo thats pushing them forward to carry on with their journey to the south. The fire whoremonger also represent their hope and organized religion in a gruesome and decaying world. Another account would be that fire can also be represented as the humanity that is left a live. In Cormac McCarthys novel, The Road, throughout the journey the son is portrayed as the fathers inner fire.The fathers undying love for his son is what gives him the force to carry on with their journey and survive. The love that the father and son feel for each other is clear to the readers throughout the novel, The Road, without them having to utter the three worded sentence. This is proven through the conversation the two had during another one of their agile nights. Can I ask you something? Yes. Of course you can. What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you can be with me? Yes. So I could be with you. Okay. (McCarthy, Pg.11). Also, the father, viewed as both the archetypal father and mother, endlessly put his son first when it comes to food, warmth, and safety. The father disregards his health over his sons. He awoke coughing and walked out so as not to wake the child. He coughed till he could taste the stock certificate (McCarthy, Pg.54) They had a adept blanket in the pack and he got it out and covered the male child with it and he unzipped his parka and held the boy against him (McCarthy, Pg.67). Throughout the novel, readers can clearly see the father struggling with himself, wondering if he would have the strength in him to pull the trigger releasing the one remaining bullet, killing his own flesh and blood to let him die remaining innocent and unharmed/tainted from the clutches of what humanity has manifested into. Can you do it? When the time comes? When the time comes there testament be no time. Now is the time. Curse graven image and die. What if it doesnt fire? It has to fire. What if it doesnt fire? Could you crush that beloved skull with a rock? Is there such a beingness within you of which you know nothing? Can there be? Hold him in your arms. Just so. The soul is quick. haul up him toward you. Kiss him. Quickly. ( ) this quote reveals the fathers powerful love for his son, wanting him to pass on p ainlessly excuse being the soundly guy while he himself would suffer what the tainted world threw at him. Needless to say, the love that the father and son share is powerful. Its what guides them on the pass. It gives them the strength to continue and move on even when they are at deaths doorstep. At some point, the fathers strength to survive starts to slowly seep out of him, wishing it could conscionable be over, but the boy brings back his fathers spirit and strength. Whats the bravest thing you ever did? he spat into the road a bloody phlegm. Getting up this morning he said. Really? No. Dont listen to me. arrest on, lets go. (McCarthy, Pg.272).Throughout the novel, The Road, the son is seen as the flicker of light in a dimming world, representing hope. The way he whole-heartedly believes and has faith in the good guys and acting as his fathers morals gives the father the hope and faith he call for to continue on with their journey and to carry the fire. Over and over again , despite the loneliness, despair and lack of hope, the boys excellence shines out brightly in a black and grey world, for example when the thief stole their attribute from the beach, the boy stopped his father from hurting him and begged him to leave some food and clothes for the thief. As the novel progresses, the fathers faith starts to waver concerning his situation in the post-apocalyptic world they are journeying through. The setting of The Road plays a major role in letting the father continually struggle to keep his faith in humanity and paragon. He questions god and openly reveals his hatred towards god and his circumstances by saying, Have you a neck by which to throttle you? Have you a heart? Damn you eternally have you a soul? Oh God. (McCarthy, Pg.11-12). In the end, however, its his son who makes him see the tiny flicker of light and that you can ceaselessly carry that hope even in the most difficult of times. Through the fathers eyes, the boy is seen as a god-like figure. The way the father speaks of his son is overflowing with religious references towards god. He says, If he is not the Word of God, then God never spoke. (McCarthy, Pg.5). Another reference would be when He sat beside him and stroked his pale and tangled hair. Golden chalice, good to house a God. (McCarthy, Pg.75). the boy lets the father still have that finger of belief in god by believing that he was appointed by god to watch over him and protect him. My cable is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? (McCarthy, Pg.77). Even though the father is angry at god, because of his son, he still has belief in him.The fire in the novel, The Road, can be referred to as the flame of humanity that has been left alive still burning inside their hearts. It is the son that brings out that shred of humanity in his fathers heart. Throughout The Road, the boys reactions and p leading to helper the people who they meet during their journey shows how the son and his father act as foils towards one another. An example would be when the man doesnt show any guilt or remorse for leaving the people locked up in the basement. He instead feels relief for successfully getting his son and himself out of there, however the boy is vacate that they didnt attempt to help them, just like when his father didnt let him help the man struck by thunder or the little boy and dog he came across. Its difficult for the boy to understand how they can be the good guys when there are so many bad guys out there. He infinitely asks his father whether there truly are any others like themselves, the good guys. The father is the one leading the boy to mature and become aware of the world they are in and to understand how life will be. The boys kind-heartedness in return is whats leading the father to give in and help other survivors instead of always being cautious of them for the boys safety for example, the old man they foun d on the road named Ely. Through the fathers attitude we see that humanity isnt yet wiped out on earth. We also see the goodness and innocence in the boy that makes us, the readers believe that humanities flame is still burning. The son is described as Someone trying to feed a vulture broken in the road. when the boy offered food to the old man, Ely (McCarthy, Pg.163). This flame of humanity is but a flicker of light in a post-apocalyptic world, however it gives is and the father a sense that there is hope for humanity.