The Road is a post-apocalyptic novel about a nameless father and son who are traveling to the coast in the south. The author, Cormac McCarthy, neglects to inform the reader as to the causes of the apocalypse but it is inferred that it was caused by man. The nameless son was born in this world, not knowing what a pre-apocalyptic world was like but only knowing the drained world he was born into. Before the son's mother committed suicide due to the extreme environment their family was put in, she advised them to travel south because the weather was more livable. The father and son have nothing but a pistol loaded with only two bullets to defend themselves with against the anarchic and ruthless population. In "The Road", by Cormac McCarthy, a 21st century writer, demonstrates how when survival is at stake, people dehumanize one another. .
Cormac McCarthy is a well renowned 21st century writer. Cormac McCarthy is an American writer known for stylistically complex novels, such as The Road and Blood Meridian. He was born Charles McCarthy Jr. on July 20, 1933, in Providence, Rhode Island. As he developed as a writer, McCarthy's novels began to become more and more popular for its relatable fictions that connected with the 21st century society. "McCarthy published his debut novel, The Orchard Keeper, in 1965, and was awarded the William Faulkner Award for it (Mote 1). After this award, McCarthy became more of a known name and many critics began to pay attention to his works. "The Road was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction in 2006 and, in 2007, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Since then, the novel has been adapted to film, and was released in 2009" (Mote 2). After the release of this novel, McCarthy's book became very successful and is now read in high schools in America and Canada. .
Cormac McCarthy presents a lot of what is happening in his life in "The Road".