Carrying The Fire In Joseph Mccarthy's The Road

Throughout the novel, the man struggles to motivate himself and his son. He sometimes invokes the notion of carrying the fire in order to reassure the child. “Nothing bad is going to happen to us. That’s right. Because we’re carrying the fire. Yes. Because we’re carrying the fire” (83). What does it mean to carry the fire? Throughout the story, the duo are literally carrying fire, or at least producing it. Fire sustains them; it allows for them to cook their food, keep warm, and to play cards or for the father to read to his son at night. Fire is the foundation of civilization but in The Road, it is also the primary implement of the destruction of civilization. Maybe the significance of fire is carrying the seeds of civilization. If humanity were to return to the world, it would be through the “good guys” like the man and his son. Throughout the novel there are times where the father and son lose their faith in carrying the fire because it is not easy. An example of carrying the fire outside of The Road is in the mythological story of Prometheus. In this story from Mythology by

Despite all the horrors that they face, the small family shares a deep connection. This allows for meaning and value in their lives amid all the suffering and pain. The existence of this relationship makes the struggle worthwhile. Many of the days the man and boy spend together they are working toward a common goal, the man teaching the boy about many things and the kid teaching his father to not leave the other good guys behind. For example, he coerces his father into giving food to an old, nearly blind man. Though the father does it begrudgingly, it makes their relationship