In Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road, family becomes the central theme that shapes the world in the novel. A reader follows the story of a single-parent family: father and son travel across the post-apocalyptic country and fight day after day for survival. While the father is a loving and caring person devoted to his child, the mother prefers to withdraw and commit suicide. In this dog-eat-dog world, these characters reveal their nature and prove to be polar opposites through a broader lens. The author contrasts the paternal and maternal roles and presents them as two possible attitudes towards life's difficulties. While the mother is the person who cannot stand hardships and escapes, the father figure is the one who demonstrates unconditional and invisible love through typical family activities, new world behavior and advice. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay The image of the mother is blurred and a few details suggest that she is the personification of those who are unable to adapt to external brutality. conditions and choose to give up. From the first moments of the story, we notice its absence, and there is always a gap that the characters feel deeply. One night, after another coughing fit, the father speaks to the boy saying he is sorry for waking him up, and the boy suddenly admits that he would have liked to be with his mother. Although father and son rarely speak about it out loud, they both think about it often. This memory is torturous, but it gives them a chance to continue moving forward because they have nothing left. For the father, this memory recalls his inability to take care of his wife and leave her to die alone somewhere, and the vivid dreams intensify the suffering. For the son, once again, it is natural to dream of his presence, as any orphaned child does, even if he tries to keep his face straight. Thus, the figure of the mother becomes the evocation of the past which nourishes the characters. However, beyond the desire for family, there is another idea associated with the mother figure: the attitude towards struggle and hope. The woman expects the worst – to be captured, raped and killed at some point in the family's existence, and she can only find comfort in controlling her own life through suicide: "As for me, my only hope is eternal nothingness. » It is the lack of faith in the face of the absence of hope that distinguishes the wife from her husband. She is unable to move beyond the present because there is no evidence of future well-being. In other words, the maternal role is specific because it involves protection, as the woman actually believes, which objectively has nothing to do with maternal love. Through the mother figure, the writer describes the opposite of hope rather than true motherhood. Unlike women, men have the best qualities of a father. The multiple situations described in the story identify him as a person of sincere love, courage and self-sacrifice. The book contains several moments in which the writer exposes the ideal relationship between a father and his son who belong to a normal world, spared from catastrophe rather than to a post-apocalyptic and hostile environment. For example, it is common for a father to teach his child to swim – in today's world. As part of The Road, such events are extraordinary and their value increases. In this episode, the father acts as a caring and supportive parent who encourages his son and ensures there is no threat: “The man came back for him. He held it and made it float... Youdo good, said the man. Are you doing well. This moment proves that the characters' family ties are strong, and the simple activity becomes substantial evidence. Another example depicting the closeness of father and son is when they come across a bunker with many useful supplies. Even though both are on guard because “bad guys” might appear, that doesn’t stop them from resting. The father shaves and cuts his and his son's hair, and these seemingly ordinary activities turn out to be a precious moment of long-awaited tranquility and uneasy family happiness. Such episodes prove that the father's attempts to please his son are sometimes successful, even if only momentarily. On the one hand, the book offers nothing in the way of escape or comfort. On the other hand, one cannot ignore such moments because they provide the reader with firm proof that the man managed to do a lot for his child. Moreover, the father not only engages his son in enjoyable activities but also protects him throughout the story until his last breath. Indeed, it is the only possible way of survival for a small child, and man has taken care of him since his birth. It is strange that he must give birth while the catastrophe takes place, and the fact that the clock stops could be a powerful symbol of the new marking of time - which now takes into account the presence of the son and takes care of him . From that moment on, the terrible conditions and greater responsibility demand specific behavior, and it's not always about being heroic or having fun together. Practical matters, such as foraging, become one of the most urgent activities. In the new world, there are still opportunities to find forgotten places where cans and other supplies are available. The father is not worried about himself – his main concern is about his child's food. The little details show that it grabs every straw when it comes to obtaining food, as is the case with the old apple orchid: "It felt the spaces around the trunks and filled its pockets and he piled the apples in the hood of his parka behind him. his head and carried apples stacked along his forearm against his chest. As a man of the new world, he understands that he must take advantage of every opportunity because he must feed his son. In addition to these prosaic details, the author also demonstrates that the father's behavior changes when certain circumstances put his son in danger. Probably the most telling example is when he shoots one of those bad men who were threatening his son and uses a precious bullet because, as he tells the boy, his job is to take care of him: "I have been appointed to do this. by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Indeed, the boy is the father's only reason for living, therefore, he must keep his boy alive no matter what. Overall, it is the new global reality that requires man to seize every opportunity to survive, whatever the cost. He is not afraid to lower his son's esteem and kill someone because, in his worldview, his son's life is the most precious thing. Finally, the father serves as a teacher to the boy, not only in terms of material matters, but also shaping his worldview and answering his questions about life. The dialogue in the dark helps the reader scrutinize the relationship between father and son: What would you do if I died? If you died, I would want to die too. So you can be with me? Yes. So I could be with you. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article now from our editors.