Father And Son Theme

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Given the barbaric post-apocalyptic setting, a heartwarming bond between a father and son is a story the reader would least expect. The isolation in the barren dystopia makes the bond between the man and the son even more genuine and rare. McCarthy uses these characters to complete the novel as a whole. He uses them to develop the novel and reveal major themes. As these two journey to the south there are many obstacles but they remain devoted to each other and they work together to carry the fire. In the midst of strife these two rely on each other to stay alive and along their journey they learn lessons of love, sacrifice, and morality. In the beginning of the novel it is evident to the reader that the man worries for the boy. Their relationship …show more content…

There is a clear definitive line between the two according to the boy. The “good guys” are those who do not kill and eat other people for survival. They represent goodness and perseverance in this cold world and they are what the man and the boy strive to be. Because the man can be steadfast when it comes to keeping the boy safe, his morality can be tested so McCarthy uses the boy to develop the theme of morality. The boy’s innocence is authentic and he often questions why his father harms others for survival. He pleads with his father to spare and even help a thief towards the middle of the novel. The boy believes that the “good guys” should perpetually do good and he reminds his father of this on many occasions but boy learns that a person’s actions alone do not define someone as a “good guy” or “bad guy”. The Road is a story of suffering and hardship, but underlying this is a tender story between a man and a boy. Their journey reveals universal themes that are pertinent to all parents and children. While the setting may not be the same to current day, the themes of love, sacrifice, and morality all hold true. The man and the boy are an exemplary example of a strong relationship and all parental figures and children should strive to follow their

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