The Road takes the reader into a futuristic post-apocalyptic America were a man and his son struggle to stay alive by enduring the elements and fighting off other hostile waste Landers as they move south hoping to escape the wasteland. The main characters of the story is the father and the sun but Cormac McCarthy (the author) chose to keep there names hidden and didn’t give to many physical descriptions but instead relied on describing there experiences and the world around them.
The Road uses the theme of love to make the readers feel emotion between the father and son. The father shows his love in many ways from there conversations for instance he says “I will kill anyone who touches you” (77), and “If you died then I would want to die” (34). The father also shows his love with his actions like when a hostile waste Lander attempts to take the boy hostage so the father shoots him in the head leave one bullet left in the revolver. Another way he shows his love is when ever they find a rare type of food or drink he always gives it to the boy, and the fathers only real reason for trying to stay alive is so the boy can live. Cormac McCarthy dose a very good job of using realistic details, character development, and a hopeful ending.
The Road is a great book for readers who enjoy realistic fiction, great description, and the struggle for survival. Fans of the Hatchet series would also enjoy it because both Brian and the father are poorly equipped and have to use there brains and bravery to survive. Overall it was a very good book and we will be expecting much more form Cormac McCarthy.