Water, cleaning and washing- Water is generally associated with cleansing of the soul- in Christanity, water plays a role in baptism and christianings which is a way of forgiving sins. There is a continous search for water in the novel, which could be interpreated to be a search not only physcially for survival but maybe the wipe away the days horrors and begin fresh new start. This is supported in the novel, as when the man and boy arrive at the beach, it seems to be a sort of santuary, as they do not encounter any danger there. The boy also pleeds to swim in the water, even though the water is dirty, maybe inferring that the boy wishes to make a new start and wash away the horrors and deeds his father has comitted out of his life.
The mountain-
The sea- Is the destination throughout the novel. The sea could be seen as the symbol of achievement and also hope for the furture. The landscape of the beach acts as a sort of santcuary for the man and boy as they encounter no danger there, only along the road. Reaching the coast, is escapism for the man and boy as they leave the road, the end of the country could be the end of diaster, as the sea holds nothing 'bad' in it.
The colour gray-
Fire-
Sight/sightlessness-
Seeds-
Music/musical instrument/ animal imagery-
Religious imagery-
The Coca Cola can- This could act as the symbol for American culture.
Wednesday 21 December 2011
Monday 19 December 2011
Symbols and Metaphors in the novel
'The Road' as a symbol
It functions literally and symbolically as well as structuring the narrative
a. The road or journey has often been used as a metaphor for life itself-the journey from birth to death.
'Th Road' could be described as a path of guidance. As the man and boy travel along the road, they begin to let go of the past and move on into the future, like people do in life, as they grow older. 'Then he laid it down in the road also and then he stood and they went on' Th road is not just a physical feature of the desolate landscape and a remander of humanity but is a symbol metaphorically for a journey of strength, and a battle for the good 'You must carry the fire' as the man and boy strive to keep themselves as optimistic as possible. It is often said there is a good path and a bad path in life and it is up to you which you follow, in the case of the 'bad guys' they follow the 'bad path' whilst the man and boy try to remain 'good'.
b.American culture, the road is in an important symbol-symbolising a pioneering spirt
America is a large continent and symbolically represents the land of hope and freedom. The many states in America are linked by 'roads' bringing the country together as a whole. The road is important in American history as many people travelled West to seek prosperity and fortune for a new, better life and travelling along the road or trails was the only way to find it. This is supported in 'the road' as the man and boy do follow the road acting as a path of guidance like the pioneers would have used to go West. A strong part of American culture is being a democracy, having the right to free speech, and being independent.
Ironically in the novel America has lost the identity of a democracy and a of being a place of freedom as their is no rights anymore, everyone is out for themselves for survival. This is shown with the 'roadrat' sequence when he infers that he will eat the boy 'Whatever we can find'. There are no rights anymore in what was once a 'free country'.
The aspect of 'everyone was created equal' in American society has also been lost in the novel, as some parts , people have turned back in time to slavery 'Huddled against the back wall were naked people,male and female,all trying to hide,shielding their faces with their hands'. The nature of this once developing country has become primitive and feral.
c. An epic journey, comparing to ancient literature
'The Road' does not show doesn't not explicity resemble a novel about defeating a monster or taking part in challenges, however it is apparant that at some points of the novel the man and boy do face challenges along the road, for instance the encounter with the 'roadrat', when the boy is threatened, the man takes on the challenge of trying to save him 'The man had already dropped to the ground and he swung with him and leveled the pistol and fired...'. However the main challenge the man and boy face is to reach their destination of the beach, constantly using the road as their path of guidance to complete their quest. 'The Road' could be compared to novels like 'The Odyssey' as the challenges the man and boy face are both mentally distressing, for example seeing the baby on a spit but also physcial demanding with the constant journey on foot to get to the beach. The novels desolate and eary existance can be compared with narratives like 'The Divine Comedy'. From this journey the man and boy learn not only about society and a world without humanity, but also about themselves ' I am the one'.
d. The journey as a structure has a particular pattern, episodes along the way
From each event in the novel, the man and boy seem to learn something new about humanity or each other or themselves. This is demonstarted when the man begins to see that his son is the hope and optimusim left in the world 'You have to carry the fire.'. The novel does not seem to have a precise pattern, but there is an array of events which reveal to the reader, the man and boy's strength and reflection on the degrading society around them, an apperance of the 'bad guys'.
It functions literally and symbolically as well as structuring the narrative
a. The road or journey has often been used as a metaphor for life itself-the journey from birth to death.
'Th Road' could be described as a path of guidance. As the man and boy travel along the road, they begin to let go of the past and move on into the future, like people do in life, as they grow older. 'Then he laid it down in the road also and then he stood and they went on' Th road is not just a physical feature of the desolate landscape and a remander of humanity but is a symbol metaphorically for a journey of strength, and a battle for the good 'You must carry the fire' as the man and boy strive to keep themselves as optimistic as possible. It is often said there is a good path and a bad path in life and it is up to you which you follow, in the case of the 'bad guys' they follow the 'bad path' whilst the man and boy try to remain 'good'.
b.American culture, the road is in an important symbol-symbolising a pioneering spirt
America is a large continent and symbolically represents the land of hope and freedom. The many states in America are linked by 'roads' bringing the country together as a whole. The road is important in American history as many people travelled West to seek prosperity and fortune for a new, better life and travelling along the road or trails was the only way to find it. This is supported in 'the road' as the man and boy do follow the road acting as a path of guidance like the pioneers would have used to go West. A strong part of American culture is being a democracy, having the right to free speech, and being independent.
Ironically in the novel America has lost the identity of a democracy and a of being a place of freedom as their is no rights anymore, everyone is out for themselves for survival. This is shown with the 'roadrat' sequence when he infers that he will eat the boy 'Whatever we can find'. There are no rights anymore in what was once a 'free country'.
The aspect of 'everyone was created equal' in American society has also been lost in the novel, as some parts , people have turned back in time to slavery 'Huddled against the back wall were naked people,male and female,all trying to hide,shielding their faces with their hands'. The nature of this once developing country has become primitive and feral.
c. An epic journey, comparing to ancient literature
'The Road' does not show doesn't not explicity resemble a novel about defeating a monster or taking part in challenges, however it is apparant that at some points of the novel the man and boy do face challenges along the road, for instance the encounter with the 'roadrat', when the boy is threatened, the man takes on the challenge of trying to save him 'The man had already dropped to the ground and he swung with him and leveled the pistol and fired...'. However the main challenge the man and boy face is to reach their destination of the beach, constantly using the road as their path of guidance to complete their quest. 'The Road' could be compared to novels like 'The Odyssey' as the challenges the man and boy face are both mentally distressing, for example seeing the baby on a spit but also physcial demanding with the constant journey on foot to get to the beach. The novels desolate and eary existance can be compared with narratives like 'The Divine Comedy'. From this journey the man and boy learn not only about society and a world without humanity, but also about themselves ' I am the one'.
d. The journey as a structure has a particular pattern, episodes along the way
From each event in the novel, the man and boy seem to learn something new about humanity or each other or themselves. This is demonstarted when the man begins to see that his son is the hope and optimusim left in the world 'You have to carry the fire.'. The novel does not seem to have a precise pattern, but there is an array of events which reveal to the reader, the man and boy's strength and reflection on the degrading society around them, an apperance of the 'bad guys'.
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