The Road :: Journal 2

Pages 94 - 118.
Questions:

- Why is the boy starting to question his father so much?
- Are they tracking where they are going?

Parallel:

- During this passage one sentence caught my eye. The father and son were awoken by a loud sound. The boy asked what it was and the father said, "It's the trees. They're falling down"(97). This paralleled to a very good quote that the father said on page 35, "It's just a tree falling, he said. It's okay. The boy was looking at the dead roadside trees. It's okay, the man said. All the trees in the world are going to fall sooner or later. But not on us". He is trying to let the boy know that everything will be alright. I also interpret it that since they have faith, then they're faith gives them favor and protection.

Contrast:

- The dialogue on page 100-101 contrasts conversations that the son and father have had before. Instead of the father covering up the truth, he and his son are being very truthful and direct to each other. His father has no problem saying to his son that he has lied to him. I think it is the fact that they have to survive, so they want to know what could happen. The father is trying to protect the son but also let him face reality.

Pages 119-135.
Questions:

- Why does the boy still want that little boy to be with him? As a companion?
- Do we know if there were people buried in the yard in front of the house?

Parallel:

- On page 129, while the father and son are talking. The son says "Because, we're the good guys... And we're carrying the fire." I thought this paralleled with the symbol of fire in this book again. I think they are trying to say the fire is their faith and religion. With their faith they can keep going and by their faith they are the good guys. Even though the father had just dropped the lighter, they still have their flame.

Contrast:

- On page 130 McCarthy says, "He sat awake for fear the dream would return". This dream is actually old memories and once again this is a contrast of past and present. He doesn't want to fall asleep because he will dream of when the world was a better place, and he doesn't want to have to wake up to reality. He feels as thought this abandoned world is just one big nightmare.

Pages 136-160.
Questions:

- Does the crow symbolize anything?
- Are they wearing doctor masks?

Parallel:

- In this book the father has always cared for his son, but his affection has grown towards him even more on this journey it seems. On page 149 he "kissed the boy and crawled into bed". The only other time that McCarthy had shown him doing this was on page 137. It was right when they found this cellar of goods. I think he is really trying to get the readers even more emotionally involved and show the compassion and care the father has for his son.

Contrast:

- In this passage the father and his son come upon a cellar that is full of food and water and everything they would need for survival. As they are listing off the foods, McCarthy says, "The richness of a vanished world"(139). He is saying this because there is almost no food that is still around to eat. This comes from before the apocalypse happened and it is now in the new world. They get to reminisce on the world at this time. The boy is so baffled he says, "is this real?" as if it were a dream.

Pages 161-184.
Questions:

- What does Ely mean by "There is no God and we are his prophets"?

Parallel:

- I notice on page 172 that the father once again responds with "I'm not anything." When asked what he is. This parallels with page 64, when the traveler that they shot asks if he is a doctor and the father responds with "I'm not anything."

Contrast:

- On page 170, after meeting the old man Ely. They start talking and the old man says, "there is no God". This is the first time we ever have a counter argument to the faith that the son and father have. It is the only thing that has been keeping them going. The idea that something better is going to come. This man also says that "we are his prophets" which kind of confused me. How could there be no God, but prophets?

Pages 185-210.
Questions:

- Why does the boy want to take the old man with them?

Parallel:

- On page 187, its says "his dreams brightened". This is referring to the father's dreams. Meaning they came back. On page 18, the whole page was about his dreams and how he constantly had dreams of fantasy worlds. Now his dreams are back.

Contrast:

- On page 192-193, the dialogue between the boy and the father is very different than what it has been the entire book. They are talking to each other like true travelers. In this part of the book they are in danger and looking for higher ground. The son is the one who noticed the people following him. His experience on this road is paying off.

Pages 211-230.
Questions:

- Why does the boy start crying when he gets out of the water?

Parallel:

- Throughout the whole book I notice the constant usage of the word hiss. On page 219 it is used for when the water hits the shore. In previous passages it was when the fire was lit or when the cold wood and the fire reacted. Also the father was described as hissing at the boy. It is very interesting and seems like it is has constantly being used in this book.

Contrast:

- On page 215 the father and son finally get to see the ocean and to their disappointment its not blue. They boy is the most disappointed because his father has told him stories of how blue the waters are. The father is also sad that the boy will never get to see a blue ocean like it once was in the old world. Now it is black.

Pages 231-259.
Questions:

- Why does the father wake up in the middle of the night with the boy and they both just say "yes"?

Parallel:

- In this passage the boy keeps saying "you won't go away." and the father responds with "I won't go away"(247). The same thing happens on page 246. The boy is scared his dad is going to die and he doesn't want him to "go away" and the father tries to reassure him and let him know everything is going to be okay.

Contrast:

- On page 241, the boy says that there is nobody to signal to. Meaning that if they use the flare gun that no matter what nobody will see it. He isn't being his optimistic self like usual, and it shows how he has changed through the beginning to the end of this novel.