ipl-logo

Cormac Mccarthy The Road Analysis

497 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The road imagery and themes

Death is a constant theme in The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. In the world they live in now, death is all around them. Almost all the people, plants and animals have died off by now and there is little to nothing left. “There was yet a lingering odor of cows in the barn and he stood there thinking about cows and he realized they were extinct”(120). Because there is nothing left, the boy and the man are the only thing eachother has right now and they are the only thing keeping each other alive. “If you died, I would want to die too”(11). People also turn to death as a better option in this book, as if it is a way to get out of this horrible world. If the boy and the man were somehow split up or in danger, they feel as if there is no other choice but to end their own lives. “Don’t be afraid, he said. If they find you you are going to have to do it. Do you understand”(113). The man has to put the boy in a position that nobody should ever have to be in. Death is always an option to them and this is a constant reminder. …show more content…

The boy is the mans everything ad vis versa. “They slept huddled together in the rank quilts in the dark and the cold. He held the boy close to him. So thin. My heart, he said. My heart. But he knew that if he were a good father still it might well be as she had said. That the boy was all that stood between him and death(29)”. The love between the man and the boy is so strong, that, that is what stands between the man and death. The mom even stated before she killed herself that she would take the boy with her if it wasn't for the man. Because she knew also that the boy will be the man's only will to

Show More
Related

I Had Seen Castle Themes

234 Words | 1 Pages

I try hard to remember the boy I was then, the one unfamiliar with death, and it is very difficult” (Rylant 41). This news shocked John and he didn’t really know what to do. He has lost his best friend in war and soon he will be going to war as well. Many things run through his mind as he processes this

Read More

An Analysis Of Julie Otsuka's When The Emperor Was Divine

1684 Words | 7 Pages

While the child was feeling down; instead of picking her son up, the mother scolds her child “[reminding] him, once again, not to shout out in public. And never to speak with his mouth full” and his sister reminds him that, “Papa’s gone” (Otsuka 50). For one of the few emotional outbursts in the novel, there is no consolation for the distressed child. There is only condemnation of his actions and a reminder of not only of how he should act but also of the very topic that is distressing him, his missing father. It is clear that it did not matter what age an individual was, it was expected that the child would remain silent and distant from

Read More

Death In Cormac Mccarthy's The Road

217 Words | 1 Pages

In Cormac Mccarthy’s The Road, the boy and the man are always aware of the fact that they could die at any time. Throughout the majority of the book, the man’s overarching goal is to make sure that if when he dies, the boy will have the tools to survive on his own, However, in the beginning of the book, the man’s views on death are very different. He originally believes that neither one of them would be able to survive without the other, stating that if the boy died he “would want die too” and asking himself if he can kill [the boy] when the time comes for his own death (11, 29). Similarly, the boy has an uncharacteristic view of death for a young child, stating that he wishes he “was with [his] mom”, who viewed death as a “lover”, and has

Read More

Summary Of Hanging Fire By Audre Lorde

975 Words | 4 Pages

She describes him as the “boy [she] cannot live without” (3). This shows that she is longing for a male figure in her life, as a way to cope with the passing of her father she attempts to replace him with this boy, However, since he “sucks his thumb / in secret”(4-5. He is not mature enough to replace her father, furthermore, the author puts “in secret” on a separate line, this secretiveness is similar to her mother who the narrator harbours resentment towards for not being there for her and staying in “the bedroom” (10, 22, 34). The narrator is disappointed in the boy she cannot live without because he cannot fill the void that her father’s death left and because he is secretive and absent like her

Read More

Carrying The Fire In Joseph Mccarthy's The Road

2488 Words | 10 Pages

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.

Read More

Sounder And Our Town Essay

679 Words | 3 Pages

Toward the middle and end of the novel, the boy and his mother had to cope with the loss of their loyal dog, Sounder, and the boy’s father. “The boy was crying now. Not that there was any new or sudden sorrow. There just seemed to be nothing else to fill up the vast lostness of the moment.” This is a quote from Sounder, it expresses the immense pain that the boy felt throughout the novel.

Read More

Literary Elements In Raymond Carver's Everything Stuck To Him

733 Words | 3 Pages

This shows the boys immaturity and his lack of understanding about the purpose of marriage, to be with one person. Another example that showed the immaturity of the boy was that when his wife was struggling with the baby, he was in the process of leaving for his hunting trip. His wife told him she didn't want to be left alone while the baby was so fussy. However, the boy continued to explain how he had planned this outing and kept getting ready to go. The wife gave him an ultimatum and made him choose between her and the baby,

Read More

Symbolism In Cormac Mcarthy's The Road

1006 Words | 5 Pages

While the boy may feel like he can not be alone in the world, the man still wants him to keep going while being the

Read More

Cormac Mccarthy Changes In The Road

624 Words | 3 Pages

The father’s wife had recently died, leaving him with the boy to take care of with the only mindset of keeping him alive, doing anything for their survival. This affected the father in a big way, leaving him with little hope and hardly any reason to stay alive, but the boy was “his warrant” (McCarthy 5) , his only reason for life. The boy starts out very scared and weak, always wanting to hide behind his father, knowing that one day he will die. The boy matures with every event that happens, and he maintains to have hope throughout most of them. “The man fell back instantly and lay with blood bubbling from the hole in his forehead.

Read More

Examples Of Loneliness In The Road By Cormac Mccarthy

863 Words | 4 Pages

In enduring these complex emotions, this section was the most remarkable part. One of the first apparent emotions the boy experiences with the death of his father is loneliness to make this section memorable. The boy expresses this sentiment when he stays with his father described as, “When he came back he knelt beside his father and held his cold hand and said his name over and over again,” (McCarthy 281). The definition of loneliness is, “sadness because one has no friends or company.”

Read More

What Is The Theme Of Violence In 'My Papa's Waltz'

664 Words | 3 Pages

Through this struggle, the little boy demonstrates his fear yet forgiveness towards his dad and allows us to understand his predicaments. Roethke’s strong diction encompasses images of both fear and unconditional love that portray the complexities of violence both physically and emotionally for the intricacies in his relationship with his

Read More

Poem Analysis Of 'A Story' By Li-Young Lee

793 Words | 4 Pages

Lastly, the two words the son and the man add to the complexity of the relationship. This shows that the man can’t picture himself being a father, especially after knowing he can’t meet the child’s expectation, but will always picture his son being a child in his eyes. In conclusion the author uses literary devices to add depth and emotion to the complex relationship between the two characters. He does this by changing the point of view throughout the poem from son to father. He uses a purposeful structure from present to future coming back to present to demonstrate with the complexity of the father's

Read More

Literary Elements And Symbolism In Gary Soto's The Jacket

710 Words | 3 Pages

It was a sad time for the heart.” The boy struggled during in his life, and instead of taking the blame for his troubles he blamed it on his mother and his green jacket. This difficulty could relate back to something that happened in his childhood that affected him. The boy may have had a hard life experience that made him struggle and

Read More

Tale Of Two Cities Death Theme

275 Words | 2 Pages

There is only one thing certain in life, the problem is that we do not know when it can happen. Death is not an easy topic to talk to, is hard to everyone that have had this kind of loss. According to Merriam-Webster death is a “permanent cessation of all vital functions.” Meaning the end of the life of a living thing. The theme of death is shown in the novel by many characters, is one of the theme that more is founded in the novel.

Read More

Character Analysis: The Prodigal Son

1259 Words | 6 Pages

His painful circumstances help him to see his father in a new light and bring him hope. (Gobelet, 2016. P 215.) This led us to the surrender of the son. The young son was more than willing to give up his rights as his father’s son and take upon the position of one of his servants.

Read More

More about Cormac Mccarthy The Road Analysis

Open Document