The Road Summed up
What would you do if you had lost everything? Everything and everyone you had ever loved was gone due to tragedy. The world is gloomy and ashened. The term ‘society is no longer a familiar word. People have regrouped in clan like packs and you are alone. When the world has fallen apart what do you hold on to? The book ‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy faces a similar situation. Most have already lost their humanity, however, some strive to keep what it left of what they used to be.
Putting all of the gruesome sights of heads on sticks and cannibals aside, there are truly some ndividuals trying to keep their hearts warm and whole. The boy and his attempts to help the helpless, the father and his struggle to stay alive, and the family at the end of the novel are all acts of the struggle of humanity. Throughout the book the boy probably most often keeps his humanity more so than any other. It’s almost as if without him humanity would cease to exist. “You’re not the one who has to worry about everything. ” “He looked up, his wet and grimy face. Yes I am, he said.
I am the one. ” (Cormac, 218) I was never very sure if the eason why he wanted to help others was because of who he was as a person or if it was due to the fact that he was Just a child and it was matter of his innocence. There are numerous incidences of which this shows. For example, there’s a part in the novel where the man and the boy find a man struck by lightning on the side of the road. The man says that there was nothing that they can do for him. The boy becomes so overwhelmed he begins to cry right there on the spot because he too was helpless in this situation.
Earlier they came across an old man by the name of Ely. His age made im fragile and the boy couldn’t help but recognize this. He was so set on feeding this man he had an argument with his father, the only other person he truly has in this world Just because he wanted to help another. In the end the boy won, and Ely wound up staying with the pair a few extra days. My final significant note to the boys humanity is the man on the side of the road who the father was seeking vengeance toward. In the middle of winter, he stripped him of his clothing and left him there.
The man made a comment about not having killed him though the boys rebuttal was But we did. We did kill him. ” (219) He says this knowing that he will freeze to death. This was a changing point for the boy in particular. Another character that truly tries to keep his humanity is the father also known as the man. I am aware that he has had his slip ups, although, his most notable and important act of keeping humanity is trying to stay alive as long as possible for his child and to keep him alive as well. “My Job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you.
Do you understand? ” (65) Is that ot what any parent in the common, regularly functioning world would do? Of course, and because of this continuing act it is his most significant in humanity to be clung too. Despite his illness of accompanied cough and blood he still does everything he can to preserve and continue to take his child passed the limitations of his body while also fghting off the bad guys Just to keep him safe. There’s also the matter of ‘having the fire’ which can be referred to the boy and man as being the good guys. “You nave to carry the tire. ” “l dont know now to. ” mies you do.
It’s inside you. ” 23 This is something that the father consistently trues to instill within his son if incase he does go, he knows who he is and what he is capable. Throughout everything trying to remain positive to keep them both going. Another small quip of humanity that I thought was nice is when they find a vending machine of cola (which the boy has never had) and the man refuses a sip Just so the boy can experience it. He does this because this new post-apocalyptic world never allowed for him to have a childhood, and this experience is something that wouldVe been a part of it.
Even in the darkness he man still finds ways to give the boy what he shouldVe but never had. My final ode to bits of humanity in this novel is the family. At the ending, once the boys father had died there was a family that had been keeping an eye on him. Once the father of the family came to check on the boy instead of killing him or taking his things he offered to take him in. What was also very heartwarming was that he understood how devastated he was, so even at a time where you always have to keep moving he allowed him time with his now deceased father. A real sweet bit was when the mother of the boys family hugged him.
