The Road, Second Set of Prompts

1. In class last week we discussed how in an allegory, the characters are often symbolic of certain traits or virtues. Having read further, what do you believe the boy represents? Point to specific examples in your answer. In particular, pay attention to moments where the boy seems to see or understand things that his father does not.

2. The man doesn't kill his son when the moment comes (after they enter the cannibal's house/base and find the prisoners) even though he believes they are going to be caught and eaten. Then he teaches (reminds) the boy how to kill himself and gives him the gun, but he doesn't end up leaving. Interpret this scene (110-114). Why doesn't the man kill his son? Why doesn't he leave? Does he just freeze? Is he delirious? Ground your answer in the text. Don't just speculate.

3. When the man and the boy meet "Ely" on the road, he tells them, "There is no God and we are his prophets" (170). What does this mean? Do you think McCarthy believes this? In other words, is this the worldview of the novel, or is it at odds with its worldview? Relatedly, what does the man mean when he asks Ely, "What if I said that he's a god?"

4. McCarthy writes in a lyrical style that is quite poetic at times. Last time we decided that the fragments were appropriate for the book's content. By that same logic, then, do you feel like the poetry is at odds with the content? (Read pages 180-81, for example, the paragraph that begins "They began to come upon from time to time small cairns of rock by the roadside." This paragraph, like so many others, is horrifying yet beautifully-written.) Is it a mistake to describe horrific things with beautiful language? What effect does this have on you as a reader? Why do you think McCarthy chooses to write in this way?

5. In class last week we discussed the tension between survival and altruism, and we also discussed the themes of love and charity. How are these elements developed in this section of your reading?

6. On 196, there is a paragraph that begins, "Do you think that your fathers are watching?" Interpret this paragraph. Who is speaking, and to whom? What does it mean?

7. In literary fiction, there is no guarantee of a happy ending. These characters may very well die at any moment. At this point in the novel, do you believe that these characters are going to reach the coast, that they are going to survive? If so, what has led you to that belief, that faith? If not, what has led you to doubt? How has your belief risen or fallen as you've read? What would be your reaction if they did not survive, if your faith were not rewarded? Or, conversely, what would be your reaction if they survive despite your doubts?