Hello!

Let me start off saying that I absolutely love "The Road". Cormac McCarthy performed an excellent job writing this novel, especially with his use of diction. One literary element that plays a significant role in "The Road" is the novel's use of characterization.
In the post apocalyptic world of "The Road", a boy and his father travel down a road to reach the coast. Along their journey they struggle to find the bare resources they need to survive. They meet a lot of "bad" people, but they never meet a lot of "good" people. The father, a man who lost his wife, only aims to stay alive because of the boy. As stated, "The boy was all that stood between him and death" (p.29). The father thinks logically through situations, accepting the emotional hardships they have to face.
The boy represents the innocence of mankind. At such a young age, he still has hope that everything will be all right. Throughout the story, while the boy wishes to help others out, his father forces him to dismiss these thoughts, as they will get them killed.
The Road is a fantastic novel, unlike any other novel. The minimalistic writing style portrays so little, but so much at the same time. I would recommend this book to anyone.