The endearing father-son relationship seen throughout the book shows that all they need is each other in order to live in a post-apocalyptic world. “What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you” (McCarthy 11). The father demonstrates his love for his son at a level of self-sacrifice. It shows that he is unwilling to live in a disappearing world without the presence of his son, and the only reason he is still alive is because of their devoted bond. His child, being his noble reason to live, shows that his only purpose in life lies within his son. “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” (McCarthy 29). The father and his son suffer from exposure to cold and lack of food. Although these detrimental factors have weakened the father, he still strives to live and remain hopeful for his son. Love is rare and precious in such a chaotic world, but the father and his son continue to survive for the sake of each other. The constant threat of death makes simple actions of love seem quite extraordinary.
I agree with Kelsie that the man and boy both need each other in order to survive, but I also believe that as the story progresses the boy becomes more independent. The man cares for his boy so much that he would do anything for him. “When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him.” (McCarthy 1). The author shows in this sentence that the world around the two characters is nasty, cold, and depressing but the man and the boy still love each other. The man only has the boy left and the boy only has the man left. They both care for each other dearly and the man never wants to see anything harm his boy. McCarthy shows this by writing “They lay listening. Can you do it? When the time comes?” (McCarthy 96). The boy means so much to the man that he says he questions if he could kill the boy if anyone was going to harm the boy is worse ways. The man also is trying to teach his son lessons for the inevitable day that he dies, the father is making sure his child will be successful and live on. The father does this because the boy is the one person he has left in the world. As the plot comes to a close the man dies but the boy still remembers his father for the loving, caring, and compassionate person he was. “He walked back into the woods and knelt beside his father. He was wrapped in a blanket as the man had promised and the boy didn’t uncover him but he sat beside him and he was crying and he couldnt stop. He cried for a long time. I'll talk to you every day, he whispered. And I wont forget. No matter what. Then he rose and turned and walked back out to the road.” (McCarthy 286). The father would have done anything for his child, and he did by fighting through this torn world scavenging for food and teaching him lessons so that his child could live. In the end the boy understands his dad and he had such a strong bond that could only be inseparable through his death, but the boy will never forget the person his dad was and all he taught him.
I agree with Kelsie Uno, as the end of the book is near, the plot dramatically changes. "Please, Papa. I can’t. I can’t hold my son dead in my arms. I thought I could but I can’t You said you wouldn’t ever leave me.” (Page 91 - The Road PDF) This shows that the bond between the boy and father is very strong because the boy rely on his father to survive and the father relies on the boy to have a reason to live, however, tragically, the father cannot survive anymore. This impacted the plot because most of the time, the father and the boy would isolate themselves from others to prevent themselves from being vulnerable to other people. As the father dies and the strong bond between the father and boy has collapsed (due to father's death), the boy just gave up from isolating himself from other when on page 92-94, he saw a stranger coming and instead of reacting, he just stood there and just let the stranger talked to him and he followed the stranger. The boy however, still loves his dad, the bond has impacted the plot deeply.
I agree with Kelsie Uno. When thinking about the man and boys bond, the first quote to pop into my mind was, “What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you” (McCarthy 11). This statement does not change for the man, if at any point the boy would have died, the man would have too. I agree and like how Kelsie talks about the man’s love toward the boy, and what he is doing for him in this chaotic afterworld. I think your comment was pretty strong. I also completely agree with Matthew Walawender. His statement that “I also believe that as the story progresses the boy becomes more independent”, is definitely justifiable. In the earlier parts of the novel, the man was always spoon feeding the boy, but as the story progressed, we saw the man teaching the Boy survival, and how to be independent. “Can I go with you? No. I want you to stay here. I want to go with you. You have to stand guard.” The man is making the boy stay alone for a small time period. Gradual moments like these continue on in the book, causing the boy to be more independent due to his father’s teachings. I would also like to agree with John Nguyens comment. “What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you” (McCarthy 11). Earlier on in the novel, they are ready to die, if the other does. But as John said, at the very end, the Man wants the boy to continue living. The isolation part of your comment was a little weak, but the rest was good.
The endearing father-son relationship seen throughout the book shows that all they need is each other in order to live in a post-apocalyptic world. “What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you” (McCarthy 11). The father demonstrates his love for his son at a level of self-sacrifice. It shows that he is unwilling to live in a disappearing world without the presence of his son, and the only reason he is still alive is because of their devoted bond. His child, being his noble reason to live, shows that his only purpose in life lies within his son. “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” (McCarthy 29). The father and his son suffer from exposure to cold and lack of food. Although these detrimental factors have weakened the father, he still strives to live and remain hopeful for his son. Love is rare and precious in such a chaotic world, but the father and his son continue to survive for the sake of each other. The constant threat of death makes simple actions of love seem quite extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kelsie that the man and boy both need each other in order to survive, but I also believe that as the story progresses the boy becomes more independent. The man cares for his boy so much that he would do anything for him. “When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him.” (McCarthy 1). The author shows in this sentence that the world around the two characters is nasty, cold, and depressing but the man and the boy still love each other.
ReplyDeleteThe man only has the boy left and the boy only has the man left. They both care for each other dearly and the man never wants to see anything harm his boy. McCarthy shows this by writing “They lay listening. Can you do it? When the time comes?” (McCarthy 96). The boy means so much to the man that he says he questions if he could kill the boy if anyone was going to harm the boy is worse ways. The man also is trying to teach his son lessons for the inevitable day that he dies, the father is making sure his child will be successful and live on. The father does this because the boy is the one person he has left in the world.
As the plot comes to a close the man dies but the boy still remembers his father for the loving, caring, and compassionate person he was. “He walked back into the woods and knelt beside his father. He was wrapped in a blanket as the man had promised and the boy didn’t uncover him but he sat beside him and he was crying and he couldnt stop. He cried for a long time. I'll talk to you every day, he whispered. And I wont forget. No matter what. Then he rose and turned and walked back out to the road.” (McCarthy 286). The father would have done anything for his child, and he did by fighting through this torn world scavenging for food and teaching him lessons so that his child could live. In the end the boy understands his dad and he had such a strong bond that could only be inseparable through his death, but the boy will never forget the person his dad was and all he taught him.
I agree with Kelsie Uno, as the end of the book is near, the plot dramatically changes.
ReplyDelete"Please, Papa.
I can’t. I can’t hold my son dead in my arms. I thought I could but I can’t
You said you wouldn’t ever leave me.” (Page 91 - The Road PDF)
This shows that the bond between the boy and father is very strong because the boy rely on his father to survive and the father relies on the boy to have a reason to live, however, tragically, the father cannot survive anymore. This impacted the plot because most of the time, the father and the boy would isolate themselves from others to prevent themselves from being vulnerable to other people. As the father dies and the strong bond between the father and boy has collapsed (due to father's death), the boy just gave up from isolating himself from other when on page 92-94, he saw a stranger coming and instead of reacting, he just stood there and just let the stranger talked to him and he followed the stranger. The boy however, still loves his dad, the bond has impacted the plot deeply.
I agree with Kelsie Uno. When thinking about the man and boys bond, the first quote to pop into my mind was, “What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you” (McCarthy 11). This statement does not change for the man, if at any point the boy would have died, the man would have too. I agree and like how Kelsie talks about the man’s love toward the boy, and what he is doing for him in this chaotic afterworld. I think your comment was pretty strong. I also completely agree with Matthew Walawender. His statement that “I also believe that as the story progresses the boy becomes more independent”, is definitely justifiable. In the earlier parts of the novel, the man was always spoon feeding the boy, but as the story progressed, we saw the man teaching the Boy survival, and how to be independent. “Can I go with you? No. I want you to stay here. I want to go with you. You have to stand guard.” The man is making the boy stay alone for a small time period. Gradual moments like these continue on in the book, causing the boy to be more independent due to his father’s teachings. I would also like to agree with John Nguyens comment. “What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you” (McCarthy 11). Earlier on in the novel, they are ready to die, if the other does. But as John said, at the very end, the Man wants the boy to continue living. The isolation part of your comment was a little weak, but the rest was good.
ReplyDelete