A Section of Misery

The journey along the path of sorrow, and I suppose some remnants of fire, is continued despite our main characters finding a reserve of food in an underground bunker. They have this immense amount of resources yet; they continue moving hoping to find something. That something is still a question I am searching for an answer for. They keep mentioning the ocean but where are they really going to go! So why is McCarthy sending these character’s along a road of destitution and death to find essentially nothing? I believe it is a meaning of survival and surviving with somebody you love. Obviously our main characters haven’t died yet, which would make an immensely tragic and lame ending in my opinion. Nevertheless, the direction of the novel is really just on the survival of the man and his son and the people around them. Fire keeps them alive, the son talking keeps them alive, the road for them to walk on keeps them alive, and finally the hope to find the good guys keeps them alive.

What I find interesting about the son is his change over time and understanding of the situation he is in. The boy early in story is along for the ride, living off his father merely doing what he is told. Now however, he thinks “we should thank the people,” (145) a caring thought for a young, starving child. The boy’s simple word choice has expanded to individual thoughts that praise people that have kept him alive but also to a religious level. His way of thanking ends with “we hope that you’re safe in heaven with God” (146). This aspect of religion has been mainly shown by the father, demonstrating his faith. Now, however, the son has adopted his father’s ways and feels it is appropriate to thank these people even though he does not know them. A very mature thought in my opinion. Nevertheless, the boy still says things like “my feet are cold,” (147) showing he still is a kid but has matured over time. Although there seems to be no time, just constant days with movement, becoming of age and learning from others is a theme in this story. The boy even repeats things like “tracks dont stay in the ash,” proving one of his own points but learning from his father. The boy is making educated conclusions showing this change since the beginning on the lonely road.

However, they are not so lonely as they have come across a variety of people, one who I find quite interesting is the old man. The boy sees the old man on the road and they decide to talk to him and give him some food. They know they cannot support him the state he is in but they still are caring for him for that night. He brings up a variety of themes that are shown through the novel. First being one I have touched on a bunch which is movement. The man “was always on the road” and he “just keep[s] going” (168). A very similar story to our main characters. Next is the theme of death and the inevitability of it. The old man says “I might wish I had died. When you’re alive you’ve always got that ahead of you” (169). The boy had said in the beginning he wished to die and now this old man has similar ideas. The father even says “some part of [me] wished it to be over” (154). Also, being surrounded by death can also contribute to this theme. Their impending doom is around them and they are taking a road basically to death. There is no real safety other than that of heaven which is reached through death. This religious aspect is even continued by the old man who says “there is no God and we are his prophets” (170). I find this phrase interesting because he doesn’t believe in God but he says “we are his prophets”. Whose prophets are we? McCarthy does not capitalize this “h” in his so it does not signify God. Could this be referring to death and that everybody alive is a prophet of death? The old man poses many questions, but ultimately says to our characters that you are going to die.
Movement, death, and religion are all present throughout the novel. McCarthy uses certain characters to show each important theme in the novel. However, he also ties each theme to the character in their own way and opinion. The endless search for humanity and refuge continues for our characters, but hope is fading fast.