The Road by Carmac McCarthy - and yes it has been a while

Where in I talk about both the book and the movie...So here I am, it's around midnight, my youngest son is in the hospital 500 miles away gettng treated for dehydration (we will consider it luck if that is all it is) and I'm going to discuss one of the most depressing stories I've ever heard/seen.

THE ROAD

I listened to this book about a year ago, having been sucked into the post-apocalyptic genre thanks to Fallout 3, and it reminded me of all the dry boring books I was supposed to read in high school english. Funny how that works out. I listen to these books now and can appreciate the style of writing and the actual story. Now I don't know jack about literary style and all that, but I know what I like. And I like this book in all its depressing glory.

The story goes like this: After a apocalyptic disaster, mankind struggles to survive. Only this story doesn't focus on every single person involved, impossible escapes, breathtaking explosions, etc, etc. It focuses on The Man and The Boy and what happens as they make their way south to survive on the onset of winter. It's brutal.

This a movie I didn't really want to watch with my wife, so I waited until she went out of town. Oh, she would be all for it, but after watching Donnie Darko with her, my love for that movie and my desire to discuss it was dashed to pieces when she found it so depressing and never spoke of it again. This story would require medication and she'd still have nightmares for weeks.

Which is understandable. I know it may come off as self-import? but you will only get the full brunt of this movie if you have kids. Had I watched this childless, I know I would not be as moved as I was. Hearing and seeing the desperation and fear of the Man who's only mission, it seemed, was to get his son to safety and protect him from those who would do him harm.

You know what's messed up? While most people worry about paying the bills, worrying about there kids, etc, etc, I'm worrying/planning for the zombie apocalypse or a cataclysmic event. Seriously. I'm constantly running scenarions in my head regarding a home invasion in the middle of the night; do I hide out in the bathroom and jump them?, do I run to my kids bedroom and hold them off there?, do I finally get a shotgun and prone from the top of the stairs taking their knee caps out? That's what's running through my mind at night or driving to and from work.

That said, holding a gun to your sons head in the event that you will kill him rather than let him fall in the hand of cannibals? No father or mother should have to think of such things. The choices the Man makes for the sake of the Boy can be seen from both sides: as a father I can emphasize with distrusting everyone, especially in the position he finds himself. As someone who trys to be the good guy, I can side with the boy; looking and seeing when to help people in need.

There's a part in the book where a man has stolen everything from the Man and Boy. Once the Man finds out they get on the guys trail. When they finally catch up to him, the Man is so angry and scared, he makes the man relinquish all that he has stolen and strip naked. The thief at first puts up a front but soon crumbles and begs mercy, citing that the Man would do the same in his position (all starving/in need). He mentions that he just wanted the stuff, that he didn't hurt the Boy. The Boy is begging his dad to "Look at him! He's scared! Don't do this papa", but the Man is set on depriving this man of everything.

You see examples of the Boy, who knows nothing of life before the cataclysm (having been born just after), being the conscious of the Man, when his methods seem to strain the principles of right and wrong he's taught his son. In the end, the fear drives the Man to do whatever he thinks is right to protect his sone, the Boy brings him back when he's gone too far.

This is a depressing book and the movie is a faithful adaption; visually stark, bleak, and gray. Did I mention I find enjoyment in movies with depressing endings? I like to think that no matter what happens in my life, it can't possibly be worse than an airplane engine falling from a wormhole into my house and onto me. Or the hardships that befall the Man and Boy. I've seen the bad the world has to offer and am content with what I have to deal with.

Ok, now I'm rambling. I'm waiting for an update from my wife but I'm tired and going to bed. I was going to wait until Conan was back on the air to start up the blog again, but I caved.

In the end, The Road is ridiculously depressing. But it was enjoyable for me to read and think about. To put myself in those positions and make those choices added another dimension to the whole story. Whould I help some dude I just met? Whould I make sure that my children or wife did not fall into the hands of those who meant harm? Those kind of decisions I hope to never have to make. Yet this story asks those questions and demands an answer.