The Road

I really liked how “The Road” sounded. I have never read any of Cormac McCarthy’s works, but judging from the descriptions of two of his books, I think maybe I should start. I watched the movie version of No Country for Old Men, and the book’s description sounds about like how the movie played out. Both No Country for Old Men and The Road seems to have a sense of hopelessness, and endings that kind of leave the reader hanging. The Road really appealed to me though because of its sense of darkness. Not only is the physical setting supposed to be dark and covered in ash, but apparently the subject matter of the novel is also very dark. Based on the description of the group that presented in class, I imagine that the book would feel similar to 28 Days Later, I Am Legend, and Children of Men. Most stories about apocalypse portray the characters as fighting desperately to live, but at the same time, knowing that their own death is imminent. I think that The Road would be heavier than the other films I have mentioned because of the young boy. It is scary to think about being alone in a hostile world, but it is far scarier to picture yourself having to protect someone you love. The helplessness of children always complicates survival situations, but at the same time gives hope for a new beginning. I would like to read this novel, and I will definitely check out some of the other novels written by Cormac McCarthy.