Between the Lines discussion

I have heard a great deal about McCarthy, and heard it speculated that he will become a modern classic, I have also heard that his books tend to be quite bleak and dark which had stirred my intrigue. Than I saw the previews for the movie The Road, and was able to borrow a copy of the book from my sister, and so I set myself to reading the book before seeing the movie.

I have to say it really is quite an easy and fast read, as well as being rather engaging. I really enjoy the narrative style of the book, there is a minimalist quality to it, that works quite well with the story. Considering the nature of the story, he does quite well in keeping it from really seeming to drag. To write a story wear really nothing actually happens, and still keep it interesting would be quite the task.

One of the things I find most interesting about the story is the way in which the main characters a man and his son, are never named and throughout the story are referred to simply as "the man" and "the boy" I think doing this serves two different purposes. For one thing it speaks of the loss of identity, in a world that itself has been erased of its identity, and is cast in nothing but the constant grayness, the things of which a person uses to define themselves have disappeared and the importance of some idea of individual self no longer truly matters.

This idea of "who is anybody" anymore is one that does recur through the story. There is one rather interesting scene in which the man fails to recognize his own reflection in a mirror.

The other reason for this lack of assigning a specific identity upon the characters is the way in which it becomes than, that it could be any man, any boy, anyone. The reader can attach their own personal identities upon the characters.

Another interesting facet of the story is the way in which it is not explained just how what happened came to happen (at least not from the point in which I am at) The reason why is rendered insignificant, all the matters is that it did happen. I think this is another way of trying to make the story more personalized. By refusing to propose any particular ideology or theories in what led up to this bleak state of the world, no one can than feel isolated from the event. Each individual can interpret their own personal causes or reasons for why it happened, so no one is removed from the story by being given a scenario that is in contrast to what they believe.

I've just mooched this, and am looking forward to reading it. I have just finished Riddley Walker -- a book by one of my favourite authors that I've been meaning to read for literally years, and am glad I finally made it. It's the same scenario (England after some unspecified holocaust) but it's quite unique in the way it's written -- the language itself is part of the story. Not an easy read, but mesmerizing -- I really enjoyed it.

This was one of those books that forever sticks with you.

I have heard a lot of people say that. It certiantly was quite interesting, and I rather did enjoy it.

I had a thought after reading "The Road." The world has changed (due to a nuclear war, perhaps), and the man belongs to the old world. Therefore, he cannot continue although he insists that the boy go on. The boy will continue into the new world, whatever it will turn out to be. The "rescue" of the boy at the end seems to add just a glimmer of hope. But what a commentary about survival and caring! The man says they are looking for "goodness." Even in his despair, he still looks for goodness.

Through all the grayness, the bleakness, and fear of the unknown, LOVE exists between the father and son.
'Til his last breath the father never gave up HOPE for a brighter tomorrow, and he passed that HOPE to his son. The WILL and the COURAGE to persevere, the strong sense of self-preservation was never lost when the father died. The boy carried on with only the knowledge and love his father gave him.

I truly enjoyed this novel. It was an amazing post-apocalyptic novel that totally blew me away. There were some pretty scary scenes in there that sent shivers down my spine.

The beginning is a bit slow for those who are used to immediately being thrown into the action in a book but it's definitely worth it to keep reading.

I agree with Vonney. As human beings, our instinct for survival is strong in this post-apocalyptic world. The father's worsening condition throughout the book does not change that nor does it change his instinct to care for and protect his son. Very moving...

It would take too long to address each of the points you raise, but I think you may be trying to read too much into the story and should just take it for what it is, a father and son's struggle to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic world despite the overwhelming hopelessness of the situation. I'm not sure what part of the ending you have an issue with, but it made perfect sense to me. Hey, to each his own, right? I loved the book.

I think the man tracking the father and son may have been aware of what was happening to the father and wanted to make sure the boy was with the good people at the end. I don't think the man would have ebeen willing to approach sooner for fear of the response.

I don't think the book is supposed to leave you with good feelings at the end, only that the boy may at least be with good people when it's all over for him. It is not meant to be uplifting or to wrap up neat and tidy. I think the ending is pretty fitting for what came before.