Importance of "The Road" in the Novel and other symbols and metaphors

The importance of "The Road" in the novel is that it symbolises a continuous journey, as "The Road" is literally a never ending object. "The Road" could symbolise the twists and turns in the journey of the man and the boy, as in life a road is rarely stright forward. In a literal context a road can either go forwards or backwards. This could symbolise the man and the boys relationship, as they appear to be very distant from each other which could mean that they are going backwards on "The Road" as their relationship is not getting any better. However when the man is dying, he becomes emotional, this could symbolise their relationship getting better, which means that they would be making progress forwards on "The Road". Roads in America connect the country together which makes them vital. in "The Road" the road has the same importance because it is connecting the man and the boy together by their need to survive by following the road. Also the hope of the survival of humanity is carried on "The Road" because whilst most things have been destroyed the road has stayed in tact meaning that it brings people together because they all seek survival by traveling along it.

Class notes

• The death of the "Road Rat" could symbolise that although death happens life continues, just like "The Road is continuious.
• The Road Rat shows that you can die at any time which shows that their is danger on the road, like there is danger in life.
• The Road rat shows that you have to overcome challenges, and how the road is a challange in itself. Life will throw obstacles at you, and you have to try to overcome them, just like the man and the boy do whilst on the road.
• The Boy shows growth as he becomes more responsible becasue of his fathers sometimes reckless decisions. "Your not the one who has to worry about anything. He looked up. His wet and grimy face, "Yes I am. He said. I am the one" this shows the boy understands the dangerous situations his father puts them in, so he has taken upon himself to be the wary, cautious one (Traits he may have picked up form his father). It shows the roles have reversed as when the man is dying the boy looks after him just like the man looked after him. Although the boy is still very emotional which reminds us that he is still a young child, too young to understand the life he lives in. This relates to the road becasue as the journey has continued the boy has grown a little more and knows he will have to be stronger and braver once his father has gone becasue his journey will continue without his dad, just like the Road continues .
• The road could symbolise that you have to carry on with your journey and leaves things behind becasue they Road will not stop for you. Like when the man leaves the picture of his wife on the road it symbolises that he has left her in the past in order to move forwards in his life and along road.

 The coca cola can is a representative of popular culture in America. The coca cola the man and the boy drink symbolises the decline of society in the novel as the boy does not know what coca cola is, which in today's society would almost be unheard of. This shows how society's priorities have changed as the need for survival has taken over, because once the most popular drink associated with the american culture is now a unknown, rare product which shows how desperate the situation has become, how culture is dying. The fact that the boy has never tasted coke before is shocking becasue how can a vital part of american society and culture not be known by the young generation, as it is a symbol of good and love in the US. The lack of the most popular drink could symbolise the lack of good and love withinn the society they live in.


The fire gives the man and the boy warmth. It helps them cook their food and dry their clothes which shows its importance. The fire could symbolise hope and how it is always surrounding them and has always been there and how fire will carry on burning and will not be put out.

Water is key to survival, you use water to wash, clean and drink. The water symbolises the religous act of washing away your sins. The man knows that he has done wrong so he uses the water to wash himself, free from any wrong doings and becomes pure. The road adds to this because when they travel along the road they are able to leave their past behind on it, and when the man washes he is able to wash away his sins and try to forget.

Religion plays a big part in american culture, most americans believe in a God. The religious imagery is shown through how the boy is seen as hope, the light amongst the dark. His god like image shows that the man does believe in God and looks to him to help him through their difficult situation. Alos the referecne to them being "Pilgrims" suggests that they are on a religious journey to a place of great religious importance, for them this could be the shore. Perhaps the man views the journey as a challenge sent by God, and by making it to the sacred place their troubles will be over.

Road Rat Questions!

• What element of forshadowing is employed in this section and why? (pg 62)

"The boy took his truck from the pack and shaped roads in the ash with a stick" this foreshadows the arrival of the Roadrat, but as reader we may not relate this to an upcoming event as we just see a child playing with his toys, which would appear normal. The foreshadowing of the truck with the Roadrat taints the boys toy truck, becasue we as readers now relate the truck to danger. This takes the innocence of the Boys toy truck away and replaces with negativity. This could show that the boy is having his childhood/innocence taken away from him. The way in which the boy "shaped roads" suggests that he feels lost and is subconsciencly trying to find a direction to go to."He made truck noises" again is an innocent thing for a child to do, yet we now associate that noise with danger as it foreshadows the Roadrats arrival.

• What does the description of the men teach us about them? (Characterisation pg 62-3)

The description of the men can teach us that they are perhaps not the good guys. This is becasue they are described as carrying 'lengths of pipe' and 'clubs' This gives us the impression that they are dangerous and we feel concerned for the safety of the man and the boy. 'They came shuffling through the ash casting their hooded heads from side to side' this creates mystery surrounding them as they appear secretive, like they want to protect thier identity maybe.This could suggest that they have something to hide 'stained and filthy' is written as one sentence, like its not just their clothes that are dirty, but also themselves that have been stained with their misdeeds. 'one in a biohazard suit' 'some of them wearing canister masks' this suggests that there has been some kind of nuclear catastrophe, which has them protecting themselves from the harmful gases and toxic surroundings. But this could also suggest that they are dressed in this way so that the reader can identify that the man are not the good guys and are not to be trusted.

• McCarthy uses a simile when describing the truck 'Lumbering and creaking like a ship'. Why does he do this?

McCarthy uses a simile to describe the truck 'lumbering and creaking like a ship' is a religious reference to Noah's ark. The truck symbolises safety and humanity surviving the 'ravaged landscape' as the Noah's ark brought the animals to saftey saving them from the flood. However the difference between Noah's Ark and the truck is that the boat did make it through the floods and the animals survived, but we cannot be sure of the 'truck' will survive taking humanity through the possible nuclear disaster. The truck 'lumbering and creaking' could portray the long, slow journey of recovery the boat took, so the journey to restore humanity and the Earth will take a lot of time too.

• Why does Mccarthy describe the Road Rat in such detail? (Characterisation pg 65)

McCarthy describes the Road Rat in such detail becasue he wants us too remember this particluar man and event. McCarthy wants to show how bad the situation of humanity has become. 'Eyes collared in cups of Grime and deeply sunk' an image of a monster is created. 'Like an animal inside a skull looking out the eyeholes' this creates a disturbing image becasue it is like the Road Rat had been taken out of his real body and has found a new one, like an animal would do once its shell has become old. This could suggest that by trying to stay safe, the Road Rat has turned to a lifestyle that he doesn't like, but has to do it to survive. By comparing him to an animal McCarthy is degrading him to something that is not as highly regarded as a human. This can suggest that he must be bad and evil to be thought of as an animal. 'He had a tattoo of a bird on his neck' the bird could represent hope and freedom, which could indicate that the Road Rat did once have hope for the world to become better, and maybe still does. "He was lean, wiry and rachitic" this tells us that his physical apperance is down to the lack of food avalaible. "...and a black billcap with the logo of some vanished enterprise embroided acrsoss the front of it" the description of the hat he is wearing, reminds us of the civilization that once took place. It shows that there was structure and normality of life before the destruction took place and the hat momentairly reminds us of this.

• Why is the Road Rats character so explicit whilst the man is so implicit?

The Road Rat is so explicit because he talks in a slang like manner "I anit going nowheres" this language reflects the Road Rats lack of education as he does not talk like the man and the boy. The Road Rat answers most of the questions the man throws at him which suggests that he does not find him threatening and perhaps he feels that he has power over the man so he doesn't try to hide the answers. The man is so implicit towards the Road Rat becasue he does not want him to find out any information about him that could potentailly harm him and his chid. "Are you c doctor?" "I'm not anything" this statement suggests that the man either wants to forget his identity and the past or doesn't want the Road Rat to find out anything about him. It creates mystery surrounding the man becasue as readers we have joined them on their journey in the middle, we do not know anything about the man or the child, so we perhaps like the Road Rat, want to find out more background about them.

• What do we learn about the man through his exchanges with the Road Rat? (Pg 68. Consider the Man's impressive medical knowledge, look at the description of the grabbing of the boy and the shooting of the Road Rat)

We learn that the man has very impressive medial knowledge "A frontal lobe" "Colliculus and temporal gyrus" this suggests that he had job in the medical profession before everythimg took place.This shows that the man could have had a very good job and therefore a comfortable living in the past, so living in terrible conditions is something he has had to cope with as time has gone on. When the man kills the Road Rat his shot is very professional and precise "And leveld the pistol and fired from a two-handed position balanced on both knees at a distance of six feet" this shows that the man must have had some experience with shooting and weapons. This would make the reader question where the man got this ability from as we really don't know much about the past of these two characters. The fact that the man was so prepared and calm when he shot the Road Rat tells us that he is a very controlled character who is ready for the worst situation (as he always carries the pistol around with him).

• "A single round left in the revolver. You will not face the truth. You will not" Who is the man echoing here? How do you believe these words are uttered?

The man is echoing his wife who spoke these words to him. He still remembers shows that they have stuck with him, and he is constantly replaying them in his head becasue he feels that the time will come when he has to kill his son, but deep down he knows he cannot face it. "You will not face the truth" is his wife telling him that he will not face the truth that he will have to kill his son to protect him, but she knows that the man cannot do this so she tourments him by making him feel like a coward. "A single round left in the revolver" shows that he has once chance to do this, to kill his on to protect him but he can't do it because he could not live with the guilt.

• Why don't the other men chase after the boy and the man following the shooting? (there are clues on pg 73-4).

The other man don't chase after the Boy and man after the shooting of the Road Rat becasue they have got their food. "He found bones and the skin piled together" the cannabals are eating the man, so they do not need to use up their limited energy and time to chase after the boy and the man.The bluntness of the fact that the men have eaten a fellow member of there group is shocking becasue it shows the desperation of thier situation, and how they would turn on each other, not becasue they want to, but becasue they have to in order to survive. It is frightening that the world had gone back into the dark ages where cannabalism was normal, but sad that people have to go to these measures to survive.

• It is not until page 77 that the man finally cleans the "gore" and "dead mans brains" from the boys face. Why? (Be aware that in the intervening pages he has kept him warm with blankets, fed him etc yet not cleaned his face)

The man does not clean the boys face because he does not see it as a priority. He see's it as an essential to keep the boy warm and fed rather than cleaning him up. Survival is clearly the main aim of the man, whlist we as readers would sympathise with the boy and clean him. I don't think the man is deliberately being harsh towards the boy, but is simply dealing with the practial side of things such as survival, and then will try to deal with the more emotional aspects of the situation. We as readers would find this shocking and horrible, but its just the way the mans mindset is, cleaning the "Gore" of his sons face is not the first thing that comes to his head, whereas as readers it is the main thing on our mind.

Response to the end of the Novel

The ending seems out of place with the rest of the novel. It gives hope, which for me indicates the story is begining rather than ending.

Time- Pages 260-280

References to the passage of Time...

1) "He fixed dinner" could suggest evening time p. 261
2) "He loaded the flarepistol and as soon as it was dark" p.262
3) "In the morning" p.263
4) "He held him all night" p.265
5) "In the evening he opened a can of soup" p. 266
6) "...the fire had died down almost to ash and it was a black night" p.266
7) "The boy slept all day" p.267
8) "He tried to stay awake all night" p.267
9) "It rained briefly in the night" p. 268
10) "When he woke again" "Grey daylight" p.268
11) "In two days time" p.270
12) "They went on. It was already late in the day and it wa another hour and deep into the long dusk" P. 273
13) " ...stood there in the cold and gathering dark" p. 278
14) "In the morning" p.279
15) "he woke that night" p.279
 16) "In three days" p.280

Markers in the year...

1) "The wintery dawn was coming" p. 266- This suggests that the months are later in the year. We depend on hints like the weather and how McCarthy describes the sceneary to establish/ estimate what time of the year it is.

2) "The earth Itself contracting with the cold" p.279 This tells us that it is winter time or maybe the Earths condidtion is just becoming even worse so it is getting colder. Either suggestion could tell us that the novel has moved to the winter months of the year. 

3) "What time of year?"  p.279 This contradicts the hints of what time of year it is, because the man and the boy do not even know, so  it is impossible to be certain what time of year it is.

Narrative time is telescoped...

1) "In three days they came to a small port town"- This passage of time has no mention of what may have happened within those three days,which creates confusion as the reader wonders why this passage of time has gone quicker than others as McCarthy often describes the days/nights events.

2) "In two days' time they were walking the beach as far as the headland and back"- Again time has passed quickly as we do not get any description of what has happened within those two days.

Points at which Narrative time expands...

The shooting of the Road Rat and the stealing of their possessions is an example of Narrative time expanding. This is too build up the tension of what The man will do to him. Also the narrative time could be expanded to show the true character of The man, and how The boy reacts to his fathers actions. The event goes for seven pages. McCarthy may have done this to show the raw emotions of the boy and how his fathers action have shaped and changed his view of him.

Points at which time seems to be suspended...

When The boy and The man are looking for their stolen cart, time seems to be suspended  "They went on. It was already late in the day and it was another hour into the long dusk"  the words "Another" and "long" create a sense of time going slowly. This creates tension as the reader wonders if they will find their cart as time seems to be running out for them before it starts to get dark. McCarthy suspends time here to build up tension, "They went on." makes it seem like they have been searching of their cart for a long time. This suspends time because we as the readers want them to get their belongings back, but it appears to be taking a while to find the thief so we start to doubt id they will find it.

When the boy becomes ill, time seems susupended. ""You have to stay near, he said. You have to be quick. So you can be with him. Hold him close. Last day of the earth" Time appears to be suspended becasue the we can sense that the man is worried for the boy, and it seems like he is getting worse so time has slowed down and is hanging on to this tense moment. The mans speech also creates suspended time as it appears like he is trying to prepare himself for the worst, which creates more tension.

Key Episodes

 finding the cellar of naked and mutilated people (pp. 112-121)

 This episode is a build up of tension. McCarthy uses shock to engage the reader as we and the boy and man expect them to find food in the celler when infact we discover the mutilated people. The boy seems more wary and almost has a sense that they shouldn't venture to far "Papa, the boy said. We should go. Papa" the use of the word "Papa" indicates that the boy is pleading with his dad to leave, and that he is so desperate for his dad to listen to him. However the dad is the one how makes the decisions and he is very clear and factual about the reason why he makes the decisons "We've got to eat" is a short, simple response which contrasts to the boys pleads. The description of the house reveals that once there were people, families living "To the left through the doorway stood a large walnut buffet in what must have been the diningroom" This shows that normality had once taken place in this house, however this is contrasted by "Fine Morris paper on the walls, waterstained and sagging" this shows how the house is no longer a place of comfort but a place of survial "There were mattresses and bedding arranged on the floor in front of the hearth" The Idea of home or a house being a place of comfort and love is taken over by this image of a dirty place that is run down, and yet people are still willing to live in it. This highlights the deperateness of the situation. As they approach the cellar the man becomes increasingly impatient with the boy "He stopped. Listen to me, he said Just stop it" This could be seen as harsh and unloving of a father to be talking to his scared child in this way, but McCarthy does this to remind us as readers that the boy must be emotionally strong in order to survive and this emotional strength is shown through the dads often cold treatment of the boy. When they first enter the cellar it is a complete shock becasue they were expecting to find food for their survival, but instead the first thing they are confronted by are naked males and females. "On the mattress lay a man with his legs gone to the hip and the stumps of them blackened and burnt. The smell was hideous" This image given to the readers is horriffic as we did not expect this. It shows the awful sitaution the people are in as they have turned to cannabalism in order to survive. It also shows how civilization has turned back in time,as people are eating each other .The man is also very shocked "Jesus, he whispered" this tells us that the man is truely in awe of what he has seen. Once the shock has gone, panic then quickly takes over as he grabs the boy and they both run. Again they ignore the plea's of help, which may seem harsh, but the man knows that if they do not leave that they will soon join them. Many religious refrences are used "Christ" "Jesus" "God" but these are used in a negative way which could suggest that the man see's no hope in God or faith, and has given up/ has no faith in God's help. There is more panic and fear as the boy sees the "bad guys" coming back towards the house. This creates alarm as there is a threat that the boy and man could be caught and end up like the people in the cellar. This is shown when the dad asks the boy to shoot himself as he would rather them die then be in the cellar. This is an extremely unthinkable decison to ask of a young child, and is also a heartbreaking decision for a parent to have to make. "You put it in your mouth and point it up.....Do you understand? Stop crying" the dad is being heartless in the way he speaks because he tells his child to "Stop crying" when the boy is so scared and probarly doesn't understand the enormity of what his dad is asking him to do. The dad is trying to be strong for the both of them so he has to hold himself together. McCarthy does this to show the measures they were willing to go to and how bad their situation has become. There is a change of the style of writing when the dad is thinking to himself about what he should do. "Could you crush that beloved skull with a rock?" the dad here is questioning himself of how far he would go to prevent his child from harm, which would mean killing him himself. McCarthy does this to give the reader a insight into the mans thoughts, and to put the reader in the mans shoes "You" is directed at the reader, could you do this to your child? This is very personal as we as reader get to witness the true fear and normally hidden emotion of the man. The man realises that he could not do kill his son, so instead he does his beat to reassure him and to comfort him. "Kiss him" "I won't  leave you" this is a more caring, improved side to the relationship as we see the man try his best to make his son feel safe and secure. This episode disturbed me as the treatmeant of the people in the cellar was appaling, even though it is about survival of the fittest, the actions that people took shows the horror of the world they live in.

- the baby on the spit (pp. 210-215)
This episode is very distrubing as we see the harsh reality and lengths that people are going to in order to survive. The silence creates an eerie atmosphere and creates tension becasue we are waiting for something bad to happen, like the people cooking to come back and capture the man and boy. However we do see the dad actually listen to the boy this time "It could be a trap papa" "Okay lets wait a while" this shows that the dad is taking into consideration about how the boy feels in situations like this and to make him feel at ease, he agrees with him. The boy see's the baby first, but no description is given. This creates tension as the readers wonder what the boy has seen. The baby is described as "Headless and gutted and blackening on the spit" this image is dreadful and shocking. The treatment of adult like this would be seen as horrific, but it is so much worse that it is an infant. This infant is innocent, to young to do any wrong so the fact that an innocent baby would have been put through this torture is awful The readers would be disgusted by this image and would realise how bad humanity has become.  The man repeats "I'm sorry" this could suggest that he filled with guilt that the young boy has seen so much bad, becasue of him.This was too much for the little boy as he doesn't speak. When he does speak, it is about the baby which tells us that the image of the burnt infant has been playing on his mind. The does not seem to pushing to boy to talk, and its like he's realised that its alot for a young child to take in. The questions he asks show is innocence "Where did they find it? Could there be another one somewhere?" his questions show that he really is too young to be understand the complictions of the events. The odd things that are scattered by the side of the road show that life had once taken place, the abandoning of them shows that life itself has been abandoned, like there was no need for "tools" in the same way there is no need for life. This episode for me was very distressing as the idea witnessing that sight is too much. Its alot to take in for me as a reader, so its not possible to imagine what its like for the boy.


 - getting to the shore (pp. 227 - 230)

The arrival to the shore is built up as being something great, like theres hope at the shore. McCarthy does this to build up the hope of the father and son and the readers too as we don not know what to expect at the shore so its possible that something good could be there. Its does bring relief as the boy and man are able to stcok up on blankets and canned food which makes their chance of survival a little bit higher. "We did good, didnt we Papa?" this shows that the boy is proud of thier achivement together and perhaps he is seeing his father as a "good man finally" this suggests that the boy is a little happy which makes the reader feel happy that things are looking up for them. While the boy is more optomistic, the dad has doubts that good will come form the shore. "He knew he was placing hopes where he'd no reason to" this shows that man knows that the worst is still not over, this creates tension as the readers wonder what could possibly be worse than what has already happened to them. His doubts are shown through the description of the people that had died through the "cholera epidemic" McCarthy creates a grim atmosphere by desrcibing the dead "The dull green antique coppers spilled from out the tills of thier eyesockets onto the stained and rotted coffins" this suggests that the man can see himself becoming one these dead people, as he is described as "Like a man waking in a grave" this shows that death constantly surrounds them. Life is never described which makes the description of death appear to be normal. The actual finding of the shore is sudden, there is no dramatic build up. McCarthy does this to highlight how the shore brings no hope, its just the same as every location. The suddeness of it is a harsh reality to the man and boy that the shore brings no escape. "He could see the disappointment in his face" this shows that the idea of the shore had been so great, and brought hope that the boy was let down by it. "I'm sorry its not blue, he said" this tells us that the man feels guilty that he made this big build up to the shore, and he feels he has let the child down as it was not what they expected. "Cold. Desolate. Birdless" this description of the sea tells us that it was bleak and no different from the other places. The reader feels sorry for the man and the child as they thought that the shore would have brought some good to them, seeing as they traveled so far. This episode to me, although a the shore was a disappointment, brings a bit of relief as they find more food and supplies even though they soon run out. For me it shows that there really is no escape for these two people and I feel that they will be stuck in this situation.

- the theft of the man and boy's belongings (pp. 270-278)

The discovery of the theft of their belongings is sad as all their supplies that help them to survive have gone. This creates tension becasue we wonder if they what will happen to them without their belongings and if they can survive any longer. Anger takes over the man "You stupid ass" whilst the boy beings to cry. This shows that the man is capable of doing something bad, as he is very angry and would want revenge. There is a build up of tension as they go looking for the cart becasue they don't know if one man has taken it or there is a group of people which would be dangerous. The tension is built up further as the day is ending which creates panic as they are running out of time. The man has a weapon which could indicate that he is willing to murder them to take their belongings. This shows the desperateness of thier situation as people are willing to commit murder for a limitied supply of food. The thief is portrayed as the "bad guy" becasue he has taken thier food. However the role is reversed when the dad orders him to hand over his belongings. This is seen as harsh and unfair, but the man is trying to teach the man a lesson. The boy would see now see his dad as the bad guy becasue he pleads with his dad not to hurt the thief or take his clothes. "Papa please dont kill the man" but the man does not appear to take notice of the boys pleas which suggests that he is trying to appear strong infront of his son by not letting this man go without punishment. This again reinforces the message of "Every man for himself". The man does appear bad infront of his son becasue he "Steals" the thiefs clothes. The boy would not think that his father is a good guy anymore becasue he has himself commited a crime.The reader may see the stealing of the thiefs clothes by the man as harsh, but McCarthy does this to show that the bad guys must be punished for thier actions in order for the good guys to survive. The boy is more saddened by the action of his father than the theft of thier belongings which suggests that he expected better from his father as he thought they were the good guys. The man does not seem to realise that his actions affect the way his on thinks about him, becasue the boy probarly thinks the man is now bad, when infact he was just angry and wanted to punish the thief to ensure their personal safety. The convasation that takes place after they have retrived their belongings shows how the boy really feels about the relationship he has with his father. "Your not the one who has a worry about everything" "He looked up, his wet and grimy face. Yes I am, he said. I am the one" the boy thinks like this becasue his father acts quite reckless in the way he handles situations and the decisions he makes. Becasue the man never lets his emotions show, the boy thinks he is the one who worries the most about things. But the dad has to remain strong to get them through the tough times, so he feels like he can't let his son see him as weak otherwise they wouldn't survive. This episode made me feel anger towards the thief as he had no right to take their things. However I do not think it was fair for the man to take the thiefs clothes becasue he had already got his own belongings back  so why would he steal someone elses? This makes him, in my eyes, appear just as bad as the thief.



Remember to write about 


How the episode impacted on you?
What was the writer doing to evoke this response?
Plot progression (what will happen next?)
Your experience (change of mood? A ligher moment? Increase or release of tension?)
How does this develop character and their relationship?
The techniques employed by McCarthy. Is the language in keeping with the rest of the novel? Are there particular symbols or images that are foregrounded?
Is this in fact a key episode? What makes it important? How does it stand out in a novel without chapters or chapter titles?

Key Episodes

- coming across the man who has been struck by lightning (pp. 50-53)

This part of the book shows the how the child doesn't understand what he has just seen becasue he is desperate to help the man, however the dad is reluctant becasue he knows that there is nothing he can do for him. This shows the true adult and child relationship as the boy is more emtional because he is just a child whereas the dad has to be the stronger one so he doesn't let his feelings show. This part may be shocking to readers as we visualise this burnt dying man, however the readers feelings are overshadowed by how the man is not effected by this sight of the burnt man, which gives the reader the impression that this is a normal sight for them. The dad tells his son that the man has been struck by lightning, but he is telling a lie to protect his son from the dangerous truth. This gives the dad a more caring, protective image as he is trying to shield his son. However the man could be seen as heartless as the child pleads to help the burnt man, but the dad is adamant that nothing can be done. McCarthy does this to show the harsh reality that it really is everyman for himself and that no one can be trusted. It hits home that the child is very vunrable and just wants to help others like a child would, but the dad knows that he has to care for the two of them in order to survive. The dad is almost desperate to justify why they couldn't help the man as he keeps explaining to the boy why they had to leave him. As the boy is so sad, it seems the dad does not want himself to be the cause of his son's sadness, so he keeps repeating "There's nothing we could have done" like trying to get the message through to his son. This creates tension between the dad and son because it shows the difference in emotions and roles they play within the book. The boy uses the "Papa" often in this part which could suggest that he is looking up to his dad to be good and help the burnt man, however when the dad says they can't help the man, the boy does not use Papa which could suggest that he is ashamed that his father didn't help, as the boy felt like something couls be done. Many references are used which would continue to remind us of the burnt man and death. "Black" "shrouded" "ash" "Charred"  these word are used to purposely remind the reader of what they have left behind, and perhaps tell us that the burnt man will remain on the dad's conscience as he couldn't help him, and on the boys conscience becasue he was so desperate to help. When the dad lays his possessions out on the ground it symbolises him getting rid of his things that identify him, like his drivers license. This shows that he is becoming a nobody as in a destroyed civilization identity is not a necessity survial is. It could portray that he feels like his identity is being lost along with the world that they live in, and that he needs to get rid of his past in order to survive the life he lives in the present. This episode made me think about what I would do in that situation and although is seems harsh to leave the man, I would probarly do the same because in this world you have to put yourself first otherwise you won't survive.

- shooting the 'roadrat' (pp. 62-69)

This episode creates tension as he come face to face wih a dangerous person. The start is very sudden "Something woke him" as we as readers do not expect this nor does the man. He has his pistol in his hand ready which again creates tension as we can sense danger. There is sense of urgency which causes panic as the even the emotionless dad appears to let his emtions slip as he seems scared "Run, he whispered" McCarthy does not normally describe how things have been said so "whispered" tells us the dad is trying to be quiet to remain safe from the threat. "They both froze" is another moment where we can see fear from the dad. This is unusual as we are expecting him to be the strong one, so when he shows any signs of emotion we as readers can suggest that something bad is going to happen. The build up to the meeting with the "Roadrat" is very tense as there is alot of speech from the dad which is unsual from the rest of the book as when he talks with his son thier convosations are very limited.The questioning of the dad to the roadrat suggests he is wary of him and does not trust him, which tells the reader that he not a good man, however he learn that the dad is being clever by gaurding his replies to the roadrats questions "Are you a doctor?" "I'm not anything" which shows that is again is loosing his identity by letting go of the past as his past defines him. The repetition of the roadrats suggestion that he won't shoot him implies that the roadrat thinks the dad is weak and will not kill him, so the reader gets this impression too. However when the dad does shoot him when the roadrat grabs his son, it is not a suprise becasue we as readers expected him to go to any lengths to protect his child from danger. It is not suprising because the dad has always tried to show the boy that no one is to be trusted, so the killing of this dangerous man only seems fair in order for there survival. His reaction to the roadrats actions are very quick which tells us that he knew what he was doing and suspected him to be bad. The image of the boy after the shooting is disturbing as "the boy clutching his forehead, covered with gore and as mut as a stone" is shocking as we can see that the boy is in pure shock at the events becasue he doesn't portray any emotions becasue he hasn't quite got the sense of what has just happened. The dad tries to comfort him "It's okay, he said. It's okay" but from the events we can see that it really isn't okay that a child should have to go through any thing like that. McCarthy does this to show that the world in which they survive in is a extremly dangerous place, and that even if there are children involved no sympathy is spared. Also is shows that no one can be trusted and this message is passed on through the dad to the boy by him killing the roadrat. This espisode shows the true motivations of people, and how their need for survial has taken over the morals and emotions that they once possessed.

Quotations- Expectations

It is essential you recognise Cormac McCarthy's crafting of sentences in "The Road". Read the following extract out loud, pay attention to the sounds of the words and the rhythm of the writing.


This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair. That is my job.
This quotation is the father trying to justify the experiences he is putting his son through, this is shown through the use of punctuation. The full stops after every statement highlights the duties a father has for his son, and how the man is pushing himself to believe that what he is putting his son through is right. "This is my child" is the man protecting his son, "my" is the sign of ownership, and his duty to protect and care for his child. The use of the word "Child" is detatching away from identity. By calling him "Child" it takes away the personal connection between the reader and the character as we do not get to know him, therefore we will not create a deep bond with him. The style in which it is written suggests that the man is trying to remain calm and act as if this is normal for the sake of his son. "That is my job" makes it sounds like washing a dead mans brain out of his hair is something he is not phased by. There is lack of fear and distress in this quotation which makes it appear a perfectly normal thing to do, as you would expect emotion of some sort if you were in the man's situation. "I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair" creates a sinister and distrubing image for the reader, as the idea of a young child being in that situation puts makes the reader feel sympathy for the boy becasue we witness his vunrability and his childhood being lost by horrific memories.


Yes I am, he said. I am the one.
This is said by the man in a very cold emtionless tone. The repetition of the word "I" tells us that it is only him and his son and the isolation that surrounds them both as they only have each other. "He said" shows that he is just talking in a expressionless way which suggests that he does not want to give any emotion away to his son as he has to be the strong one and care for his child. "I am the one" is a factual statement as he is emphasising how he is the only one which again creates a very lonely atmosphere.


Tomatoes, peaches, beans, apricots. Canned hams. Corned beef.
The use of the listing of words is to show the desperation of hunger from the man and boy. The list tells us that the food has surrounded them and they are almost overwhelmed by the amount that they have. This shows that they are so relieved by the food that they have they can't wait to eat it. By not describing the food shows that they are just  comforted by the food, and becasue it is a nessecitity they will eat whatever they can find. The use of comma's shows that they are in a small way, excited, that they have found somethings to eat becasue the comma's could signify the rush of getting all the words out.


Are we still the good guys, he said.
This quotation appears quite child like "good guys" is a term a child might make which creates a innocence in the question, as it shows that the child does not quite understand what is going on. The question itself raises the idea that there is little hope/faith in themselves if they have to question whether they are still good or not, which could suggest that they have done something wrong which has made him say this. The boy can identitfy what is right and wrong therefore making people either bad or good by asking if they are still the "good guys". There is no question mark which suggests that the boy does not want to know the answer perhaps, as he feels that they are not good anymore. Or the boy is doubting the whether the man is good anymore becasue he is the adult who makes their decisions and maybe the boy thinks that some of the mans decisions have been bad. The relationship is strained becasue the boy has little say in the decisisons the man makes for the both of them, so if he doubts his father has been good he may doubt himself being good making him say this question.

We should go, Papa, he said. Yes, the man said. But he didn't.
The boys speech creates a sense of danger. They boy is scared and we can see this by the word "Papa" as he looking to his father for reassurance and protection. It is almost like the boy is being the responsible one here as he can sense that there may be danger, so they need to leave. "Yes, the man said. But he didn't" this shows that how the man makes the decisons, potentially putting them both in danger. The use of the full stop and then "But he didn't" builds up tension as the reader is left gripped by what will happen next. The agreement by the father and then then action of disagreement he makes creates a further distancining between him and his son as the boy feels unprotected by his fathers decision to stay. The father could be ignoring the child as he a young boy who doesn't really understand what is happening. The bravery of the father and the fear of the child highlights the how real the situation they are in and the contrast bewteen them. The father is willing to stay to face the possible danger whereas we can see the vunrability of the boy as he is scared and wants to go.

The snow fell nor did it cease to fall.
The snow's neverending falling could signify how the man and his child are falling deeper and deeper into a hopeless situation. The snow could also signify the falling of the country in which they travel across and how its fallen and may never pick itself up again. "fell" is past tense and "fall" is present, this wording of time emphasises how the snow has not stopped falling from then to now, and we begin to see as readers how desperate their situation is becoming.

Okay? Okay.
The use of the question mark on the first ok, tells us that the man is perhaps questioning the boy on his doubt. As the boy replies with "Okay" we can see that he is maybe just going along with the whole thing just to stop any disagreement with his dad. The use of the full stop after the word okay gives the sentence a finality like the boy does not want to talk anymore. This simple word does not allow any emotion to get through, so it does not give away how the boy is feeling. This may fustrate the dad as he trying to do his best for his son, again putting strain on thier relationship becasue they cannot seem to communicate their emotions. Maybe the boy has witnessed the way in which his dad behaves which is with no emotion, so he tries to do the same in order to appear strong like his dad.


They sat on the edge of the tub and pulled their shoes on and them he handed the boy the pan and soap and he took the stove and the little bottle of gas and the pistol and wrapped in their blankets and they went back across the yard to the bunker.
The repetiton of the word "and" makes it seem like they have alot of possessions, when in fact they have very little. This creates sympathy as we can see that they are in a desperate situation. The "pistol" is perhaps the most important item as it guarnatees some protection for the man and the boy. The rest of the itms are normal, but then you get to the "pistol" and you suddenly are thrown back as you realise there is constant danger around and the threat of being hurt or killed is surrounding them which creates a tense atmosphere. How they carry very little with them could also suggest the fear of being discovered  which again creates tension.

Tolling in the silence the minutes of the earth.
This quotation shows the bleakness of the world. The world should be thriving with people, animals e.c.t, however this empathsises the death and destruction as the world is being described as silent, which would be impossible, but becasue of the destruction it it. "The mintues of the earth" could be refered to the earth being like a "Time bomb" as it is ticking time away until it will completely destruct. "Tolling" is saying that the silence is so loud its ringing out which is ironic as silence is no noise at all. This again highlights the isolation and desperation of the world in which they are trying to survive in.

She was gone and the coldness of it was her final gift. 
"Coldness" being a gift tells us how there is no emotion in the death of the women, and how no emotion was her gift, she was saving them from feeling anything towards her incase  it made her death harder to bare. The sentence does not elaborate at all on any emotion or identity which would again make her death appear easier to handle as she wasn't talked about or they had nothing to remember he by "She was gone" there is no attachment to this woman which gives us the impression that, "that was that" and they would have to get along without her. The way in which she had just "gone" signfies how this was normal amongst them, almost like it wasn't that big of a deal to loose another person, even if it had been somebody they had once loved. "Final gift" gives a fianlity to the sentence, the word "gift" appears to be seen as a good thing that they should be thankful for and enjoy.


What does these extracts tells us about;


- the type of novel it might be (the genre/s it seems to draw on or fit with)
- the story (what might happen)
- themes (the ideas it might raise)
- characters and relationships
- the way the story might be told.