"Man's worst enemy is himself" is a statement that came to my mind when I began to read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Nuclear winter is what I assume occurred, thrusting my interest to read carefully for hints of when, how, who, and why. Soviet Union, North Korea, China, Pakistan, India, or even the United States all come to mind. Mutual Assured Destruction describes best what appears to have happened. A random spark of notion is the authors last name, McCarthy, which could possibly have influenced the era of the book. The road is hope and they follow it despite its possibility of never ending abyss. An interesting hypothetical opportunity arises from the books setting... everything gone and yet the belief in a single God still exists. Do you think organized religion would be wiped out of humanity if a nuclear apocalypse were to occur?
the thing that doesnt make sence to me is most roads are never ending. and like Shipley said, they were trying to find the coast but that doesnt make sence to me since "all roads lead to Rome" so are they going to Rome or are the roaming. they both are different.
From what I have gathered from reading, "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, I obviously assume something horrifying happened. It could have been a man-made destruction, or an illness. Yet, when ever the two people are looking for some kind of direction, they walk on the road. To me the road is a symbol of hope. That as long as they follow it, they will find their way. I also do not understand how people can still believe in a God when He has been so cruel to them, and taken everything. How is it that people still believe what God is doing is for the right thing and it is all for a reason?
Im not sure its actual belief in god or just the father (who's name is never spoken by the way) trying to instill morals, values, and hope into his son. Despite the fact that he may not have faith, it seems he could not come up with any other way to instill these morals since the mother died. The format is a bit confusing but it does take you INTO their reality.
The road leads no where mentally but obviously somewhere physically. For some reason when reading this, I think Southern United States and leading to the Gulf Coast... perhaps it is their Rome?
I found a quote while reading the first 45 pages that can be a foreshadowing clue towards the man and the kids journey. "I had a dream that this penguin that you wound up waddle and flap its flippers. And we were in that house that we used to live in and it came around the corner but nobody wound it up and it was really scary." (36) From this i think that sometime while they are making their journey south they will encounter something bad and ultimately something bad will happen to them. Any one agree? Or am i just completely insane!
From the first 45 pages of the book, it seems like the boy and his father are survivors of a nuclear war because of the way everything is described as covered in ashes. Also, the format of the book is confusing to understand because there's a lot of parts where you can't figure out who's saying what. For instance "Nothing to see. No smoke. Can I see? the boy said. Yes. Of course you can." (8) From the tone of the book, it seems like the road is their sign of hope, and as they walk along it they hope to reach a type of civilization.
While I was reading the first 45 pages of the Road, I found it very weird how everyone else had died except for the man and his son and all the others it seems are living like they are. One comment the father said really got me thinking though.."You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget."(page 12). I think they are in the United States because at one point the father says how there used to be many states but now they are all one. I also think that the switching back and forth from the fathers present to past memories could possibly have something to do with the outcome of their journey. Maybe his wife and the childs mother will come to him in a memory that will help them if they become worse off than they are?
While reading the first 45 pages of the road two major questions came to mind...who is "the boy?" and "the man", or "papa?" and where exactly are they going? They are traveling south but eventually the road has to lead somewhere.
This book in kind of hard to read because of the formatting.While writting Cormac McCarthy didn't put quotation marks when people are talking and it can get comfussing! Sometimes i don't know who is talking and if someone is talking!
Other than that, i think this book is interesting so far and deffinatly makes you want to keep reading to find out more!
From the first 45 pages of The Road I would have to agree with Neda in that it definatley seems like there was some sort of nuclear war. Also it seems like that group might have taken over and are the only ones left. God and the road symbolize their only faith and hope, and the coast symolizes salvation.
From reading the first 45 pages of "The Road", i definitely agree that there has been some sort of nuclear war, but if there was wouldn't everything be in ruins, not just covered with ash? Also, i am really confused are there other people still alive or just them?
I also agree with Jessica, because Cormac McCarthy does not use quotation marks, sometimes it was really hard to understand if it was duologue or not.
I think that the road symbolizes a pathway of their hope to reach civilization.
While i was reading the first 45 pages, i agree to i think that there is some type nuclear war going on, but like i don't understand why they keep wandering on this aimless road and stopping to all sorts of places, can anyone explain to me what they are trying to reach or do., and also the tone of the book is kind of mellow and but it can get pretty intense do to their discoveries.
i agree with tori about how could it be a nuclear war if everything is just covered in ash and not ruined. and i also kinda disagree with charlie about the tone being mellow. i think its more fearful because the father is always on the lookout to make sure they're not being followed. he uses a mirror on the cart to see behind them, he doesn't want to start fires in certain places, and also he and his son carry their important possessions in their backpacks.
i agree with tori also. if its a nuclear war why is it that there is just silence. if it was a war there would be fighting and not silence. this is basically the end of the human race and the end of the world.
When reading the first 45 pages of The Road by Cormac Mccarthy, I did realize, as most people did that there was some sort of nuclear apocolyptic war. But while reading it, so many questions ran through my head. Why are they the only ones alive? Are there other people that they don't know of yet? It's scary to think of yourself in their postion, knowing that you could be the only people alive. Also, the boy is really curious. He always asks his dad questions. This could end up being trouble because everyone knows, curiousity killed the cat. One thing that stood out as being strange was when he didn't know what Coca Cola was. Maybe he was too young to try it but he didn't seem to know what is was at all. I believe that the road is a symbol of safety and hope. It allows them to feel secure in a world where they don't know what could happen next.
I agree with everyone else that there must be some kind of nuclear war going on during this time. I am confused about where the boy and dad thing they are going to end up. Why do the boy and the dad keep traveling on the road when everyone around them is dead? I feel that they are going down a path of devastation because bad things come from wondering too far. I feel that the road symbolizes their faith in happiness because by following it, they might somehow find sort of good. Although the boy and man know that the road may end at any moment and bring them nowhere, they follow it anyway because they have hope that it will end in good things.
In the Road there is some type of nuclear war going on. One thing i am confused about is where are the boy and his dad headed? If there is no one around why do they keep walking south looking for things and people. What is the point? But anyways i think the tone of the book is like devastating and sad because the boy is stuck with just his dad and that just plain sucks cause he doesn't have any one else
I dissagree that there was a nuclear war that happened prior to the beginning of the book. I think it is similar to I Am Legend, in the respect that there are some people still living, but everyone is very hostile towards each other (or perhaps they are dark seekers like in the movie!). It is obvious that the boy and the father are trying to keep away from the other survivors of this accident. And i agree with jule in the fact that the road on which they travel symbolizes some kind of hope. Why would they waste their time and energy searching for something that doesnt exist. there must be something out there that they are looking for.
Cormac McCarthy first wrote this as a blurb in his journal about ten years prior to the actual writing of the novel. At the time of the journal entry he was staying in Albuquerque, NM in a hotel room with his then 1-2 year old son (McCarthy was in his sixties when the boy was born). As his son slept in the bed, he looked out over the desolate NM sunset. His journal entry was a reflection of his thoughts about his son and the responsibility of fatherhood. Also, about the barren scene that lay before him. What would he do if they were truly alone - adrift.
Well after reading the first 45 pages, I have come to a conclusion that there has been some sort of crisis. Well the story begins with a very mellow tone but it begins to change to a sad tone when the father begins finding his old memories like his house. It shows how difficult their life was getting when they were crossing the mountain and found a truck to sleep in during the rain. There were a few "reliefs" throughtout the pages. Like when the son first tried Coca Cola it wasa nice break from what was really occurring. Also, the river or lake with the water fall seemed like the only time they were actually at peace in their journey. I would also like to add that the penguin dream was just adorable. =]
(Sorry, i accidently put this in p.6 last week) I thought that the story so far is very well detailed, the author uses all five of the senses and uses many similes. I wonder if the boy and dad will survive to the coast, possibly only the son and the father chooses to die to have his son live or something of the kind. I get very strong images from the amount of detail placed into the writing that makes it appear as a movie in my head, something i have never truly had before while reading a book.
Why does the father always make references to his wife?
From the begging of The Road I can only assume that some kind of nuclear winter has happened. It is a father taking care of his son and trying to protect him. I think that it will be powerful and meaning but it kind of bores me. I liked the Kurt Vonnegut story better The Interloper it was very powerful for a short story and it foreshadowed the high power of government. I know that this story has a meaning and there is constant foreshadowing but still… it seems dry to me. Something is missing. I think its because it’s a depressing book. But it does make you scared. I hope this will never happen in my life time
In my opinion, the boy and the father have a very different relationship than your average father and son have. The father feels obligated to protect his son, but his son has little hope in surviving to the Gulf of Mexico (i assume it is the gulf they are trying to reach) and their bondage is somewhat weak.
Reading so far in this book, the father and the son have been traveling through the hazardous days of foot while pushing a cart. The son has horrible tremendous dreams the terrify him and his father. The son is onlys been afraid of everything like walking in the house and swimming in the cold river. So far in this novel, it is a very sad story that they are traveling somewhere for something for low food supply.
27 comments:
"Man's worst enemy is himself" is a statement that came to my mind when I began to read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Nuclear winter is what I assume occurred, thrusting my interest to read carefully for hints of when, how, who, and why. Soviet Union, North Korea, China, Pakistan, India, or even the United States all come to mind. Mutual Assured Destruction describes best what appears to have happened. A random spark of notion is the authors last name, McCarthy, which could possibly have influenced the era of the book. The road is hope and they follow it despite its possibility of never ending abyss. An interesting hypothetical opportunity arises from the books setting... everything gone and yet the belief in a single God still exists. Do you think organized religion would be wiped out of humanity if a nuclear apocalypse were to occur?
-AF
the thing that doesnt make sence to me is most roads are never ending. and like Shipley said, they were trying to find the coast but that doesnt make sence to me since "all roads lead to Rome" so are they going to Rome or are the roaming. they both are different.
Hey People!
Who gets this book im so lost. Is it like the end of the world?
Did everyone die!! ahh that sucks.
And who gets the vocab in the book i have to look like every other word up in a dictionary and im tired of it so HELP me please!
What does tolling, flues paling and murk mean?
~ a
From what I have gathered from reading, "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, I obviously assume something horrifying happened. It could have been a man-made destruction, or an illness. Yet, when ever the two people are looking for some kind of direction, they walk on the road. To me the road is a symbol of hope. That as long as they follow it, they will find their way. I also do not understand how people can still believe in a God when He has been so cruel to them, and taken everything. How is it that people still believe what God is doing is for the right thing and it is all for a reason?
Im not sure its actual belief in god or just the father (who's name is never spoken by the way) trying to instill morals, values, and hope into his son. Despite the fact that he may not have faith, it seems he could not come up with any other way to instill these morals since the mother died. The format is a bit confusing but it does take you INTO their reality.
The road leads no where mentally but obviously somewhere physically. For some reason when reading this, I think Southern United States and leading to the Gulf Coast... perhaps it is their Rome?
just my two cents
I found a quote while reading the first 45 pages that can be a foreshadowing clue towards the man and the kids journey. "I had a dream that this penguin that you wound up waddle and flap its flippers. And we were in that house that we used to live in and it came around the corner but nobody wound it up and it was really scary." (36) From this i think that sometime while they are making their journey south they will encounter something bad and ultimately something bad will happen to them. Any one agree? Or am i just completely insane!
From the first 45 pages of the book, it seems like the boy and his father are survivors of a nuclear war because of the way everything is described as covered in ashes. Also, the format of the book is confusing to understand because there's a lot of parts where you can't figure out who's saying what. For instance "Nothing to see. No smoke. Can I see? the boy said. Yes. Of course you can." (8)
From the tone of the book, it seems like the road is their sign of hope, and as they walk along it they hope to reach a type of civilization.
While I was reading the first 45 pages of the Road, I found it very weird how everyone else had died except for the man and his son and all the others it seems are living like they are. One comment the father said really got me thinking though.."You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget."(page 12). I think they are in the United States because at one point the father says how there used to be many states but now they are all one. I also think that the switching back and forth from the fathers present to past memories could possibly have something to do with the outcome of their journey. Maybe his wife and the childs mother will come to him in a memory that will help them if they become worse off than they are?
While reading the first 45 pages of the road two major questions came to mind...who is "the boy?" and "the man", or "papa?" and where exactly are they going? They are traveling south but eventually the road has to lead somewhere.
This book in kind of hard to read because of the formatting.While writting Cormac McCarthy didn't put quotation marks when people are talking and it can get comfussing! Sometimes i don't know who is talking and if someone is talking!
Other than that, i think this book is interesting so far and deffinatly makes you want to keep reading to find out more!
From the first 45 pages of The Road I would have to agree with Neda in that it definatley seems like there was some sort of nuclear war. Also it seems like that group might have taken over and are the only ones left. God and the road symbolize their only faith and hope, and the coast symolizes salvation.
From reading the first 45 pages of "The Road", i definitely agree that there has been some sort of nuclear war, but if there was wouldn't everything be in ruins, not just covered with ash? Also, i am really confused are there other people still alive or just them?
I also agree with Jessica, because Cormac McCarthy does not use quotation marks, sometimes it was really hard to understand if it was duologue or not.
I think that the road symbolizes a pathway of their hope to reach civilization.
While i was reading the first 45 pages, i agree to i think that there is some type nuclear war going on, but like i don't understand why they keep wandering on this aimless road and stopping to all sorts of places, can anyone explain to me what they are trying to reach or do.,
and also the tone of the book is kind of mellow and but it can get pretty intense do to their discoveries.
i agree with tori about how could it be a nuclear war if everything is just covered in ash and not ruined. and i also kinda disagree with charlie about the tone being mellow. i think its more fearful because the father is always on the lookout to make sure they're not being followed. he uses a mirror on the cart to see behind them, he doesn't want to start fires in certain places, and also he and his son carry their important possessions in their backpacks.
i agree with tori also. if its a nuclear war why is it that there is just silence. if it was a war there would be fighting and not silence. this is basically the end of the human race and the end of the world.
When reading the first 45 pages of The Road by Cormac Mccarthy, I did realize, as most people did that there was some sort of nuclear apocolyptic war. But while reading it, so many questions ran through my head. Why are they the only ones alive? Are there other people that they don't know of yet? It's scary to think of yourself in their postion, knowing that you could be the only people alive.
Also, the boy is really curious. He always asks his dad questions. This could end up being trouble because everyone knows, curiousity killed the cat. One thing that stood out as being strange was when he didn't know what Coca Cola was. Maybe he was too young to try it but he didn't seem to know what is was at all.
I believe that the road is a symbol of safety and hope. It allows them to feel secure in a world where they don't know what could happen next.
I agree with everyone else that there must be some kind of nuclear war going on during this time. I am confused about where the boy and dad thing they are going to end up. Why do the boy and the dad keep traveling on the road when everyone around them is dead? I feel that they are going down a path of devastation because bad things come from wondering too far. I feel that the road symbolizes their faith in happiness because by following it, they might somehow find sort of good. Although the boy and man know that the road may end at any moment and bring them nowhere, they follow it anyway because they have hope that it will end in good things.
Hello my fellow class mates
In the Road there is some type of nuclear war going on. One thing i am confused about is where are the boy and his dad headed? If there is no one around why do they keep walking south looking for things and people. What is the point? But anyways i think the tone of the book is like devastating and sad because the boy is stuck with just his dad and that just plain sucks cause he doesn't have any one else
I dissagree that there was a nuclear war that happened prior to the beginning of the book. I think it is similar to I Am Legend, in the respect that there are some people still living, but everyone is very hostile towards each other (or perhaps they are dark seekers like in the movie!). It is obvious that the boy and the father are trying to keep away from the other survivors of this accident.
And i agree with jule in the fact that the road on which they travel symbolizes some kind of hope. Why would they waste their time and energy searching for something that doesnt exist. there must be something out there that they are looking for.
Cormac McCarthy first wrote this as a blurb in his journal about ten years prior to the actual writing of the novel. At the time of the journal entry he was staying in Albuquerque, NM in a hotel room with his then 1-2 year old son (McCarthy was in his sixties when the boy was born). As his son slept in the bed, he looked out over the desolate NM sunset. His journal entry was a reflection of his thoughts about his son and the responsibility of fatherhood. Also, about the barren scene that lay before him. What would he do if they were truly alone - adrift.
Well after reading the first 45 pages, I have come to a conclusion that there has been some sort of crisis. Well the story begins with a very mellow tone but it begins to change to a sad tone when the father begins finding his old memories like his house. It shows how difficult their life was getting when they were crossing the mountain and found a truck to sleep in during the rain. There were a few "reliefs" throughtout the pages. Like when the son first tried Coca Cola it wasa nice break from what was really occurring. Also, the river or lake with the water fall seemed like the only time they were actually at peace in their journey. I would also like to add that the penguin dream was just adorable. =]
(Sorry, i accidently put this in p.6 last week) I thought that the story so far is very well detailed, the author uses all five of the senses and uses many similes. I wonder if the boy and dad will survive to the coast, possibly only the son and the father chooses to die to have his son live or something of the kind. I get very strong images from the amount of detail placed into the writing that makes it appear as a movie in my head, something i have never truly had before while reading a book.
Why does the father always make references to his wife?
From the begging of The Road I can only assume that some kind of nuclear winter has happened. It is a father taking care of his son and trying to protect him. I think that it will be powerful and meaning but it kind of bores me. I liked the Kurt Vonnegut story better The Interloper it was very powerful for a short story and it foreshadowed the high power of government. I know that this story has a meaning and there is constant foreshadowing but still… it seems dry to me. Something is missing. I think its because it’s a depressing book. But it does make you scared. I hope this will never happen in my life time
In my opinion, the boy and the father have a very different relationship than your average father and son have. The father feels obligated to protect his son, but his son has little hope in surviving to the Gulf of Mexico (i assume it is the gulf they are trying to reach) and their bondage is somewhat weak.
Does anyone else agree?
Reading so far in this book, the father and the son have been traveling through the hazardous days of foot while pushing a cart. The son has horrible tremendous dreams the terrify him and his father. The son is onlys been afraid of everything like walking in the house and swimming in the cold river. So far in this novel, it is a very sad story that they are traveling somewhere for something for low food supply.
:/
P.S. this is an A+.
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