Counihan 1
IRE Quarter 4 “The Road”
When an author writes a novel, he or she is always trying to place things in the story to help keep the reader to keep reading. Without these important moments in stories, readers would definitely not be as interested. Memorable moments in such stories often contribute to the overall meaning of the story and are key in the effectiveness of the story and its plotline. The novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy has several unforgettable scenes that help with the story’s overall meaning. The Road involves a father and son and their journey to safety after a catastrophe caused nearly all of civilization to be destroyed[J1]. A memorable scene from this novel is when the father and son find a soda machine that had a can of Coke of it and the father gives it to his son in order to give his son something pleasant and give him a glimpse of the world prior to the tragedy. This scene is quite notable and helps contribute to the novel’s meaning.
One of the more memorable scenes that is found in the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy involves the man giving his son a glimpse into the past and gives him some comfort and the horrific situation that they have been in. [J2]In the scene, the man finds a soda machine in a grocery store and, “…ran his hand around the works of the gutted machines and in the second one it closed over a cold metal cylinder. He withdrew it slowly and sat looking at a Coca-Cola,”[J3] (McCarthy). This drink helps the boy stay somewhat calm and gives him a pleasant break from the insanity and tragedy that is happening around them. This scene shows how deeply the man cares for his son, as he wants him to keep calm and serene in the face of danger and fear. One of the main purposes of this novel was to show the caring that this father has for his son and how he wants him to be okay and have a good life even though it is very difficult in the situation that they are in[J4]. Also, in this scene, the father wants the son to experience what life was like before the apocalyptic-type scenario occurred. Having him drink this beverage from the previous era helped the son learn how much nicer and convenient life was before the catastrophe. The father is able to show him that life was much more pleasurable and enjoyable back then and he wishes that he could take his son back to the time before all of this occurred. [J5]However, although the father is unable to do such, he still wishes to make the best out of their situation.
Overall, the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy is about a man trying to make the best out of a bad situation in order for his son to hopefully live a good life and be able to overcome the overwhelming catastrophe that they faced. What McCarthy was trying to show was that no matter how horrible something may seem, something good could always come out of it.
[J1]What caused nearly all of civilization to be destroyed? It is never specifically mentioned in the novel.
[J2]This idea of the man giving his son a drink from the soda machine is significant because it shows what the father really cares about in this unspeakable catastrophe, and that is his son. He wants his son to survive and hopefully have a better life than what they are currently in.
[J3]This quotation is significant and relevant because it shows what the father is doing in this scene and helps the reader understand what is happening and places them in the father and son’s situation. It helps one to understand the importance of the scene and why the father is doing this for the son.
[J4]This scene is just very powerful in how it shows how selfless the man truly is and the great caring that he has for his son.
[J5]This is interesting in that the man is trying to have the boy experience life before the unprecedented disaster that nearly destroyed all of civilization.