The Road Quotations Explanations

This is my child, he said. I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair. That is my job.

The word 'my' is a possessive pronoun, it shows the belonging of the boy to the man. Also the use of short sentences adds a slight tension to the possessiveness, almost as if he is feeling threatened and therefore must stand his ground. Due to the use of the word child we can assume that the man is the boys father, however using the word child makes it sound like a distant relationship in comparison to a more affectionate addressing of 'son'. This quote states, 'a dead mans brains' this could indicate to the reader a sense of danger but also that of intrigue at the mystery of what is happening to the father and son. Moreover the father describes this act as a 'job', this could suggest purpose in his life, as those who work feel like they have purpose and this is what he feels is his. However the word 'job' can also be associated with negative feelings as some people find a job like a chore, the man could be comparing him looking after his son to a tiresome task. 

Yes I am, he said. I am the one.

In this quote, the way 'I am' is written and repeated could imply a sense of self confidence. Also of power as the 'I am' isn't abbreviated, almost emphasising the fact the he is the one. The short sentences used could suggest certainty as there isn't any explanation needed moreover it shows even more confidence as he doesn't feel the need to explain himself. Also it indicates to the reader that someone is asking for someone 'the one' could be suggesting someone of high power. 

Tomatoes, peaches, beans, apricots. Canned hams. Corned beef.

The start of this quote is a list because of this the reader could assume that the person saying this is quite familiar with these objects and therefore reads them off very quickly, much like most lists that are repetitive and monotonous. However when it comes to 'canned hams' and 'corned beef'  they are now structured in short sentences creating longer pauses between each sentence, this could suggest unfamiliarity with these items and also some pleasant surprise. It could also indicate to the reader what kind of situation the characters are in as they seem to be getting excited about foods that people would deem as everyday and boring. 

Are we still the good guys, he said.

This quote is said by the boy to his father. It shows the boys doubts about both himself and his father. The fact that he asks his father for reassurance could suggest moral fear. He doesn't want to be seen as a bad guy which also highlights the boys age, as when you are a child you always want to be seen in a good light. His doubt could suggest that the characters have done something wrong which is suggested also by the word, 'still' being used.


We should go, Papa, he said. Yes, the man said. But he didn't.

This quote is a conversation between the father and son. The son address' is father as 'papa' which shows his affection towards him. Also its a kind of role reversal as its the son telling the father that they should leave, this could show a certain level of maturity that the boy has because of the situation that they are in, as he can sense danger or a situation when they are vulnerable. However the use of the word 'should' could suggest that the boy knows his place as he doesn't tell the father to get out but instead suggests it to him. The fact that the father says yes and then doesn't leave suggests that their relationship isn't a strong one, as the son clearly shows signs of fear and wants to go but the father chooses to ignore his judgement. 

The snow fell nor did it cease to fall.

The way this quote is written makes it sound like a beautiful scene at Christmas which is far from the reality of it. In fact during this novel snow is an extreme danger to the two characters. The use of the word 'fell' makes it sound delicate however the past tense of that word, 'fall', then makes it sound hard hitting and uncontrollable. The contrast between these two parts could be related to the world the two characters are living in (if you can call that living) as in that even though its very bleak, there are moments when hope is restored like the delicate shower of snow and then is quickly buried like the heavy fall of snow. Its uncertain and not long lasting. 


They sat on the edge of the tub and pulled their shoes on and then he handed the boy the pan and soap and he took the stove and the little bottle of gas and the pistol and wrapped in their blankets and they went back across the yard to the bunker.

This quote is very long and boring. The use of 'and' eight times could suggest how tiresome it is, as if there is just one thing after another, much like their journey - one bad thing after another. It's hard to tell whether McCarthy would want us to read this quickly or slowly. In this case I think that it should be read quickly, almost as if to get it over with because the task they are achieving is incredibly slow and a task that people would not usually tell others of. Therefore suggests that they have so little to tell that they must tell of these simplistic tasks.

Tolling in the silence the minutes of the earth.

The silence in this quote could refer back to the lack of life that there is and silence is usually a time of peace and serenity however within in this context it could suggest that the silence is almost deafening as that it all there is to the earth that they live in now. Plus it could imply danger, as silence is often used in high tension scenes in films because silence scares people. 

She was gone and the coldness of it was her final gift. 

For me, this is the most beautiful quote in the entire book. It seems such a simplistic way to describe someones death as 'she was gone' but by using only those three words McCarthy can evoke such emotion from the readers towards the characters. It also symbolises how precious life is within the novel, it takes a moment to read, it can take a moment to happen in the novel and the characters can be gone within the blink of an eye. Her death is described as her 'final gift' which suggests to the reader a sacrifice in which she made for the benefit of her family (although this could be argued). Also the use of the word 'coldness' suggests the lack of warmth coming from that character, the soul is sometimes connected to someones warmth, so it could imply that the characters soul was cold, much like the world in which she lived in. It almost implies that the world the characters were encased in is so bleak that it freezes souls (which could also be linked to the lack of soul within society e.g cannibalism)