The Road: week 2
Post your second response by Tuesday, February 13. Throughout the week, engage in discussion by replying to a combination of six posts and replies.
The Road: Week 3
Post your second response by Tuesday, February 20. Throughout the week, engage in discussion by replying to a combination of six posts and replies.
In the book “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, from page 102 to 185 was action packed. More context clues were given, and the man and the son were on the verge of death. On page 104, the boy asks, “If they see our tracks. Will they know what we are?”. I couldn’t help but question of the people that are after them are different - as if those that are after them aren’t even human. There was also a lot of talk about how the boy would be raped if he were caught, so I question why. Are they trying to mix races? On page 113, the father is actually telling the boy how to kill himself and making sure that the boy does it before he gets caught in such a situation. It’s graphic and cruel as the father says, “You know how to do it. You put it in your mouth and point it up. Do it quick and hard.” Saying such a thing to such a young boy of course would make him cry, but the father doesn’t want him to go through such graphic and something so cruel as rape. Those are after them must be monsters - or at least that’s how they’re portrayed. On page 127, the boy asks, “They’re going to eat them, aren’t they?” The father replies yes, and I question why these things that are after them would eat the humans that they found. There’s a lot of characteristics and actions added onto these things that are after them that we didn’t previously have. We still don’t quite know what they are, but now we have an image of how cruel these things are and why this father and son are afraid of them. I’m also worried about the father because he keeps having such a bad cough. I wonder if he has pneumonia. Going untreated with that, he could die. If he does the boy will be left alone. Does the boy have a chance of surviving even if the father dies?
ReplyDeleteI began to have the same thoughts on how the boy would be able to go on with himself if his father were to die of the unknown sickness, knowing all of the surrounding that he is going through and also if he would be able to turn to anyone or if he would have to run the other way because of the cruel things that the boy is getting put into his head. I also had the thought of would the boy result to suicide because of what his father is informing him on?
DeleteThat's definitely an interesting question. The boy did talk about wanting to kill himself a lot throughout the book. I questioned a few times whether or not the boy suffers from depression. We know the mother died but we don't know what of either, so I wonder if depression is given to him through genetics from his mother. Maybe not, but it's jsut a thought. I can't help but firmly believe that if the father died and the boy was left alone, he would definitely die and I believe he would die from suicide.
DeleteI also thought the same thing, but also would the boy try and live with the skills that his father has taught him?
DeletePages 102-185 of “The Road” were very intense. It begins with the two discovering a basement of people who are being held captive by others, calling out for help. “A bearded face appeared blinking at the foot of the stairs. Please, he called. Please. Hurry. For God’s sake hurry.” (111) Instead of helping, the two quickly leave and run so they too, don’t get locked in that cellar. After this, things only get darker and darker for the man and the boy. As they are running, the Father is so fearful for the boy that he gives him the gun and instructs him to kill himself should the bad men find them. “You know how to do it. You put it in your mouth and point it up. Do it quick and hard. Do you understand? Stop crying. Do you understand?” (113) He is so scared that he would rather the boy die, and maybe even kill him himself to avoid whatever horrors were in store. The boy begins asking lots of questions in this section, and it seems harder for the man to answer sometimes. He doesn’t answer honestly sometimes, but it is to calm the boy or to protect and not frighten him. “If you’re on the lookout all the time does that mean that you’re scared all the time? Well. I suppose you have to be scared enough to be on the lookout in the first place. To be cautious. Watchful. But the rest of the time you’re not scared? The rest of the time. Yeah.” (151) The boy goes on to ask about birds, more about the people in the world, and more about death. It seems he is learning more and even points out that he knows his Father is lying to him sometimes. “You don't believe me. I believe you. I always believe you. I don't think so. Yes I do. I have to.” Implying the boys knows that his Father doesn’t know everything or that he gets told lies, but has no choice but to listen to him since he has no other insight.
ReplyDeleteFrom pages 102 to 185 of “The Road”, it was quite more fulfilling for a story than the first 100 pages. Such as finding a group of people trapped in a locked basement and almost getting caught by the owners of the people, “Huddled against the back wall were naked people, male and female, all trying to hide, shielding their faces with their hands. On the mattress lay a man with his legs gone to the hip and the stumps of them blackened and burnt.” (112). It is clearly stated that cannibalism is at large in this world as both plants and animals can’t survive at all. The man soon tells the boy how to commit suicide with the gun, “You know how to do it. You put it in your mouth and point it up. Do it quick and hard.” (113). All of that to make sure the boy doesn’t suffer through things worse than death. The man and the boy, however, did struck a sort of luck after escaping the cannibals along the way. After starving for several days, they found a few places with bad, yet still good food and water. Searching a farm, both the barn and the house, only a few things were good enough for them to take. Then, after digging in the ground, the man found a completely untouched bunker, everything on the shelves collecting dust since the beginning. Despite all the harsh realities they face together, there are some good things to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that these new characters we were introduced to were clearly not doing well. They weren't thriving well on their own. I found it interesting that even though they were all adults, they weren't doing as well as the boy and the man who were alone.
DeleteHow do you think the boy having to almost commit suicide affected him? Or when they found all the food? You say they have some good things to enjoy, which I agree with. Do you think it affected them largely in terms of their character?
DeleteTo the first comment: It's as though there was a divine intervention for the two that could led them in a better direction. As they only wanted to survive without hurting people, and doing so if need.
DeleteTo the second comment: If the boy committed suicide, I have a feeling the man would not only be upset, but a bit relieved that the boy doesn't have to suffer any longer or under circumstances that other unfortunate souls experience.
DeleteThroughout pages 102-185 of “The Road” were much more interesting than the first few pages. This time there are these things coming after them and they could be on the verge of their death. This time there are a lot of things that's making them regret a lot of things, because of everything that is going on around them the father is having a hard time trying to get a grip on everything. At one time in theses pages the father is trying to give his son tips on how to get out of sticky situations and one way to do that is for him to commit suicide. How can a father tell his son that? Yes I realize that their situation is incredibly horrible and they are having a hard time trying to get a grip on everything, but suicide is never the answer. Another thing that i have been worried about is if the father caught the “disease or what is the matter with him. If he goes without treatment he will not have much longer to live. What would he do?
ReplyDelete