The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a novel that focuses on family as the main theme. The reader is taken on a journey with the single-parented family. The father and son are traveling across the postapocalyptic landscape and fighting for survival. The father is a caring and loving person who dedicates himself to his son, but the mother retreats and commits suicide. These characters are polar opposites in this world of dog-eats-dog. The author contrasts maternal and paternal roles as two possible approaches to life’s challenges. The author contrasts the paternal and maternal roles and presents them as two possible attitudes toward the life hardships.
The mother’s image is blurred and some details suggest she represents those who cannot adjust to harsh external conditions and give up. The characters are always left with a gap, even in the beginning of the story. The father, who has been waking the boy up with coughing fits, apologizes and tells him he is very sorry. The son then admits that he misses his mother. The father and son seldom speak of her but they often think about it. The memory is painful, but they can’t do anything else. This vivid dream intensifies the pain of the father who is reminded of how he was unable to care for his wife. Again, for the father, this memory is a reminder of his inability to take care of his wife and letting her die alone somewhere, and vivid dreams intensify the suffering. In this way, the mother figures become the source of inspiration for the characters.
But beyond this, the mother’s role also embodies a struggle for hope and a desire to protect her family. The woman is prepared for the worst, expecting to be raped or killed at one point in her family’s history. She can only comfort herself by taking her life. She can’t look past the present as she has no hope for the future. Other words, the mother’s role is unique because, according to the woman, it implies that she will protect her child, which has nothing objectively to do with maternal love. The writer depicts motherhood as the opposite, rather than the true thing.
The man has more qualities than the women. The story describes him as someone who loves with sincerity, is courageous, and has sacrificed himself. The author has created several scenes in which he shows an ideal relationship between fathers and sons that would be found in a world without catastrophe, not the hostile post-apocalyptic one. It is common for fathers to teach their children how to swim in today’s world. Such events take on a new significance in The Road. In this story, the father shows a nurturing, supportive role as he encourages his child and ensures that there are no threats: “The guy went back to get him. The man said, “You are doing well. The man replied, “You’re making good progress.”
The moment they discover a bunker filled with useful items is another illustration of their closeness. The father and son are still able to relax, despite being on guard for the “bad guys”. This seemingly mundane activity of shaving and cutting the hair of both father and son turns out to be an important moment for the family’s uneasy happiness and tranquility. In such episodes, the father succeeds in delighting his child even if only for a brief moment. The book is not a comforting or escaping read. These moments cannot be ignored, as they are proof that the father has done a lot to help his child.
In addition, he does not just engage his son in amusing activities; he also watches over him from the beginning of the story to the end. It is true that the father has taken care of the child since birth. The man is peculiarly forced to deliver a baby during a catastrophe. In fact, the clock’s stoppage may be interpreted as a powerful reminder of the new time marker – which now takes into account his son’s existence and care for him. Since then, the appalling situation and increased responsibility requires a specific response. It’s no longer just about being heroic and having fun. The most important thing to do is to find food and other practical things. There are still places in the new world where you can find supplies and cans. He is not concerned about his own food, but rather that of his son. In the old apple blossom, the father is desperate to obtain food.
The author illustrates that the father changes his behavior when he is in danger of losing his son. The most dramatic example is the time when the father shoots at the man who threatens his son. It’s an expensive bullet but, as the father tells his boy, it is his duty to protect him. I will kill anybody who touches me.” In reality, his son is the only thing that keeps him alive, therefore, he has to do whatever it takes to keep him alive. The new reality of the world is what makes him use any means to survive, no matter the cost. In his view, the life of his son is more important than anything else.
The father also serves as a teacher, not just in material terms, but by shaping the boy’s worldview and providing answers to his life questions. The dialog helps readers examine the father’s relationship with his son.
So you can be with me, yes? You could be here with me.
This man tells his son that he cannot imagine life without him. In order to keep his son safe, he will try to provide him with food, shelter and safety. In his own words, he teaches honesty, acknowledges he is not an expert, and tries to explain why sometimes life can be difficult. The father reassures his son and continues to be a good parent until the end. Author shows the differences between them, not just in their views on parenthood but even how they view harsh reality. The father figure represents the parent-fighter. He will do anything to protect the child he loves, even if the family is facing challenges. Love is what makes him strong and determined. The woman is weaker than her husband because she can’t accept a new world where danger and death are everywhere. This is a stronger feeling than what one would expect from a mother. So, fraternal roles and maternal ones are ambiguous in their meaning. They refer to real-life relationships but also represent abstract views of the world.