Summary of The Road Essay

The Road Summary

The Road is about an unnamed father and son traveling south together in post-apocalyptic time across a deserted highway. They are traveling south because they cant survive another winter. Nearly all of the few human survivors are bandits or cannibals. The father coughs blood every morning and knows he is dying, yet he struggles to protect his son from the constant threats of attack, exposure, and starvation. On their journey, the two scavenge for food, and encounter several raiders and cannibals. They struggle throughout the whole novel. Although the man and the boy eventually reach the sea, neither the climate, nor availability of food has improved. The man dies due to his illness, leaving the boy alone and clueless. Eventually, the boy encounters a man who has been tracking the father and son. This man, who has a wife and two children, invites him to join his family. The boy accepts and goes with them.

Through this book, the father and son struggle for survival. One passage gives an idea of how brutal their struggle was. "You wanted to know what the bad guys looked like. Now you know. It may happen again. My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? (McCarthy 65). The father shows concern even though he just fought off a cannibal. He tries to teach the boy that they have to fight to survive because they will die if they dont fight.

This book was thrilling and pretty intense at times. I really enjoyed reading it and I can see why it is a bestseller. I found the authors style interesting, especially how he gave none of the characters any names. Compared to other books I have read, this one is the least boring one. It has action and the author made it quite thrilling. He made me feel like I was there with the father and son at times. I would recommend this book because it is a great story and it really grabs your attention.