Cormac Mccarthys the Road- Theme of Hope - 1230 Words

The Road Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is set sometime in the future after a global catastrophe. The Road follows the story of a nameless father and son, possibly the last of the â€Å"good guys†, as they travel along an abandoned stretch of highway populated with occasional marauders and cannibals. The post-apocalyptic setting plays upon the public’s fear of terrorism, pandemics, genocide, and weapons of mass destruction. Since the cause of the destruction remains unanswered, it is left open to the mind to make assumptions. The Roadi is set somewhere in the south eastern United States. There is mention of distant mountains, several rivers and creeks, and a coastline. The landscape and the air are soaked in thick, gray ash. Vegetation has been†¦show more content†¦The blind man then says, â€Å"There is no god and we are his prophets† (170). This shows that the old man has lost all faith in god. He believes that they have been left there to fend for themselves. The father says nothing to oppose the statement and seems to push it in to the back of his mind. The old man later mention, â€Å"Where men can’t live gods fare no better† (172). Referring to how it is near impossible to keep your faith in such hard times. Later in the novel when they find a flare gun, the father shoots it off as a celebration. His son asks if anyone could see it, to which the father asks â€Å"Like god?† (246). The flare is symbolic in the sense that they shot it in to nothing but smog and pollution but could still make it out, even though no one from any further away would be able to. This make the father realize that god can work in the same way, and even though you can’t see him, he could still be present. Over time, the boy’s optimism starts to work on the fathers hope in the future. He starts to trust in his son and understands that he is able to make the right decisions. He also regains some of his hope for the future through it all. â€Å"We’re still here. Alot of bad things Abraham 3 have happened but we’re still here† (269) His love for his son continues to make him strong and he braves each day even though he knows he will die soon from sickness. At one point the boy asks him what the bravestShow MoreRelatedCormac McCarthy: Explorer of Humanity’s Core Essay1718 Words   |  7 Pagesthe human soul and how society is easily susceptible to ruin, both spiritually and physically. As today’s most important Southern Gothic writer, Cormac McCarthy crafts works and themes which delve into the nature of humanity, explore the depravity, futility, and, ultimately, reveal the hope that exists inside each individual. A common sight within McCarthy’s novels is a human committing some sort of violent or depraved act against another human being. Lester Ballard in Child of God acts in a mannerRead MoreThe Road Interpretation Of The Ending1308 Words   |  6 PagesThe Road Interpretation of the ending The road written by Cormac Mccarthy; one of the most praised contemporary novels. The road tells the story of a man and a boy traveling in a post apocalyptic world. â€Å"Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world†(Mccarthy1). The world is now filled with ash and inhabited by cannibals and bandits. The boy and man’s goal is to get to the south as they think it’llRead MoreMorality Is The Standard Of Right And Wrong1651 Words   |  7 Pages Significance of Morals in The Road Trapped in a post-apocalyptic world besieged by nothingness and stripped of morals, a man and his son have hopes of finding a better life. Traveling a treacherous road leading south, they encounter cannibals, burnt bodies, and the ruins of former cities. Society does no longer exist and the majority of the remaining population has succumbed to desperate measures resulting in amoral actions. Morality is the standard of right and wrong which influence a person’sRead MoreCormac Mccarthy s The Road1302 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen recently. One of the most prominent of those is Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Separating it from the flood of numerous other books in its genre McCarthy and The Road challenges existing motifs of post-apocalyptic literature. The Road uses these themes to focus on the central idea of good vs evil. The struggle between good and evil in The Road is shown through many common themes that we see in the post apocalyptic genre. There are multiple themes that show the dynamic of good and evil the first isRead MoreLife Without Hope Analysis871 Words   |  4 PagesLife without hope is a journey without a compass. In  The Road  by Cormac McCarthy there are numerous instances that occur in which all seems lost, but in those moments hope carries through and thrives. The dystopian novel narrates the tale of a man and a boy who are trying to survive in a world where moral and order have disappeared, driving humans to commit acts of cannibalism and murder. It also shows the strong bond between an unnamed father and his son. The man’s son and the appearance of colourRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy896 Words   |  4 PagesIn Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road, it is very important to both the man and the boy to distinguish between good and bad people. In this post-apocal yptic world, it is very difficult to survive while continuing to remain a good person. The importance of the separation of good and bad people is shown through a possible theme, the conflict between good and evil. It’s also shown through and example of symbolism, the fire that the boy says they must continue to carry. Finally, dark imagery shows thatRead MoreAnalysis Of Cormac Mccarthy s The Road 2759 Words   |  12 PagesAnalysis of The Road Cormac McCarthy’s 2006 novel, The Road, is set in a post-apocalyptic world where an unspecified disaster left very few people and resources. The novel focuses on the journey and survival of a father and son, who are never given names, as they travel in search of the coast. They believe if any hope of rescue or a better life exists the coast is their best option. Every day is cold and gray, which begins to take a toll on their bodies physically and mentally as hope wanes withRead MoreEssay about The Road by Cormac McCarthy: Is There a Quest For God?1234 Words   |  5 PagesSome readers of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (2006) have disputed that the characters in the novel are on a â€Å"Quest for God† especially when the future looks so bleak and hopeless as it does in this novel. Why would McCarthy be on a quest for God? For instance, Steven Frye (2009) believes there are a deeper human experience and reflection is what McCarthy writes about and not a â⠂¬Å"Quest for God†. Frye refers to this passage in The Road,† Just remember that things you put into your head are there forever†¦YouRead MoreThe Road1543 Words   |  7 Pages The Road written by Cormac McCarthy is a post-apocalyptic novel about a man and a boy travelling down across what seems to be a bleak and dull land. In this book, we see a world that seems to have a bleak and dark future without a lot of hope. Land is somehow destroyed, perhaps by a natural cause. The cycle of seasons has been completely altered and there is a lack of civilisation. Although the book is constantly depressing and dark, there are moments that we have some glimpse of hope, and momentsRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1281 Words   |  5 PagesTitle of the Work: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: September 26, 2006 (September 26, 2006) Genre: Novel Historical information about the Setting: The novel takes place in the Southeastern part of United States. The characters take a journey, passing Texas, the post-apocalyptic landscape. During this time the novel is taken place, the country was experiencing depression and poverty. When McCarthy was writing this book, he was thinking about the future environment of