TEAR: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
In his disturbing novel, The Road, Cormac McCarthy uses the death of the boy’s father to convey how love overcomes adversity. In a world where the cruelty of nature and the principles of survival of the fittest has taken over, the boy’s father shows unconditional love for him even at the hands of death. Being alive in the post apocalyptic earth portrayed is a constant conflict that the two face every waking moment, with every breath taken. In an argument with his wife, she clearly shows signs of desperation and desire for death while the father fights for life. She points out that the boy is the only thing standing between him and death. This truth is evident across the entire piece. Early in the newly deformed world, the woman has already given up. The man loves his son to such great lengths that he stands strong even after the suicide of his beloved wife. He understands that his son is new and innocent life in a time of pure darkness. This love continues to influence the father’s trek across a desolated landscape. The first conflict faced by father and son is when one of the “bad guys” grabs hold of the boy and threatens his life in light of the father aiming his revolver at him. Without hesitation, the father shoots and kills the “bad guy”, splattering blood and death on his son. For the first time in years, the father encounters another human being. His paternal love for the boy pushed him to make extremely difficult decisions, especially with the risk of making a fatal mistake for both the boy and himself. With such a terrifying realization of what has become of the human race, the man insists on survival and ensuring the safety of his son, despite the lack of assurance of any kind of sanctuary anywhere. At the close of the novel, the father lies in death’s grip and implores the boy to continue speaking to him, even after he’s passed. He has selflessly given everything to his son. Through years of constant struggles and countless brushes with the evils of an ashen world, the love the man had for the boy overcame any sense of desperation and shattered the magnitude of any challenge. McCarthy teaches an immeasurable lesson of strength through love, and the father’s death solidifies the lesson. In a frighteningly realistic portrayal of the worst possible scenario for the human race, he boldly acknowledges the mortality of man and infectious evil. The father fought and died for his son, the ultimate display of unwavering love, and the boy will continue the legacy of strength through love in the world stripped of it.
