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“Nights dark beyond darkness and the days grayer each one than what had gone before” (1). Visualize a dark world in chaos; Cannibals out of control, violence for protection, and murder for the sake of survival. A world where most human beings no longer value faith due to savagery and the loss of civilization. Despite faith shining through a little glimmer of light, that is more than enough to the man. The faith through the eyes of the boy’s youth continues to strive. Lit by faith in the majority of the pitch black signifies hope for humanity. Although the man believes that death is inevitable, he continues to live for the sake of the boy. In Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, the author conveys that love overcomes hardship and despair with a little faith.
Through the eyes of the man, he views the boy as a symbol of hope. As long as he loves the boy, he will maintain faith towards surviving. The man holds the boy dear and that gives purpose for the man to live in order to protect the boy. No matter the situation, he will protect the boy at all cost. When a gang member posed a threat to the boy, the man hurried and grabbed his gun to take a headshot. It’s the man’s job to protect the boy, “My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you” (77). Before the man avoided violence and murder. For him to protect the boy, he must take extreme measures by accepting his role by loving the boy. Authorization of God helped the man decide whether or not to take action for the sake of the boy.
The boy and the father have a strong relationship. As a result, the man is willing to sacrifice his own life to make sure the boy survives. When the bad guys were after the boy and the man, “I was going to run to try and lead them away. But I can’t leave you” (113). The man desires to continue to watch the boy until he knows that the boy will survive on his own. Death is not an option, “That the boy was all that stood between him and death” (29). The relationship between father and son needs each other. Without each other, there is no bond and no hope. Also, the boy wants the man to stay by his side at all times. This helps him feel comfortable and safe. The boy’s mind is filled with the fear of the cruelty. However, the man tries his best to comfort the boy through exaggeration. If the man says something, the boy believes him.
Again, the man thinks about the feelings of the boy. The boy felt scared and disgusted, “He turned and looked again. What the boy had seen was a charred human infant headless and gutted and blackening on the spit” (198). The man hurries to apologize, “I’m sorry, he whispered. I’m sorry” (198). This horrific scene touched the boy’s heart. Once the scene is seen, the image stays in the boy’s mind. The boy comes to a realization of the world’s savagery. Individuals with animal instincts. With the presence of the man, the boy is content. The man tries to avoid exposing the real world to protect the boy’s innocence. They care for each other.
When there was only one option available, the man chooses the boys life to have more value than his. The man made his decision, “In an upper window of the house he could see a man drawing a bow on them and he pushed the boy’s head down and tried to cover him with his body” (263). The man wants to take all the pain thrown at the boy. He wants to protect the boy until the very end. The life of the boy is precious and will carry on his legacy. In his final moments, “I know. I’m sorry. You have my whole heart. You always did. You’re the best guy. You always were. If I’m not here you can still talk to me. You can talk to me and I’ll talk to you” (279). As the man gives his last words, he truly believes that the boy deserves comfort. When the son breaks down in tears, the boy realizes that he must carry the fire.
Love is the driving force for both the man and son to continue their path forward and to stay alive. Their bond in life gave meaning to life. It is all about the love and the little things that are to appreciate. No matter how rough the obstacles are, overcome it with love and enjoyment. Never take life for granted, instead, take the moments to remember. Comfort from love promotes the ideal environment to learn from. The connection from one and another helps the understanding from a mutual point of view. Clearly, the man and the boy share meaningful experiences which help build their relationship stronger. The boy learned through the man’s way of life. Without the strong relationship between the man and the boy, there will be no light but darkness roaming free.