The Good vs. The Bad in The Road: Which Would You Do?

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Imagine a desolate and dismal world that deteriorated with scarce supplies of food and shelter and there is only a few survivors left--including yourself and one of your family members. In hopes of survival, what measures would you take? Would you go to the extreme by cannibalism or committing suicide? On the other hand, would you choose to be on an ethical route by grasping on life delicately? In the midst of the unflinching and empty world with virtually no hope, the father and son in the novel, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, choose to be the “good guys” by staying alive and refraining from cannibalism and thievery. They tried desperately to remain alive by roaming as nomads looking for shelter, edible foods, and avoiding the “bad guys” from preying on them for food. The unconditional love between the father and son sustained their struggle to live and try to stay ethical as possible.

The father and son search for shelter and food in idle commercial stores and the son encounters many dead bodies and questions whether if they were also going to die. The boy is paralyzed by the adversity and suffering he had faced throughout his ruthless journey with his father. The boy questions their fate. He is implying that he is worried for the future. When the boy woke up from his tranquil sleep, he innocently asked his father if “[they] were going to die” (11). His father retorted, “Sometime but not now” (11). The father bluntly answered the question, knowing that he could not hide the inevitability of death. However, the father insisted that they shall strive to stay alive regardless of how poor the circumstances will entail. The father wants to hold on to life delicately, even in the midst of a dangerous and isolated world. The father’s motive to stay alive is to spend time with his son and not to lose hope.

The father was very adamant about keeping the fire alive and keeping hope to stay alive. The son believes his father and follows his ideals of keeping the determination. His mother, unfortunately, lost the hope. In the midst of contemplating on suicide, the mother states that “sooner or later they will catch [them] and they will kill [them]. They will rape [her]. They'll rape [the boy]”(101). The mother confidently states that they will be raped and killed by the blood-hungry thugs.

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