“We wouldn’t ever eat anybody would we?” (pg 128) 

“There were times when he sat watching the boy sleep that he began to sob uncontrollably (…) he thought it was about (…) goodness” (pg 129) 

“And we couldn’t help them because theyd eat us too” “And that’s why we couldn’t help them” (pg 127) 

“Is it okay for us to take it” (pg 139) 

His father shelters and protects the boy in order to preserve his innocence. He does this by lying and constantly reassuring him that they are going to be okay and that they are the good guys. 

(139)     Is it okay for us to take it? Yes. It is. They would want us to. Just like we would want them to. They were the good guys? Yes. They were. Like us. Like us. Yes. So it's okay. Yes. It's okay 

They're going to kill those people, arent they? Yes. Why do they have to do that? I dont know. Are they going to eat them? I dont know. They're going to eat them, arent they? Yes. And we couldnt help them because then they'd eat us too. Yes. And that's why we couldnt help them. Yes. Okay.(127) 

The boy is still able to maintain his humanity and compassion towards others because the man shields the boy from the atrocities humans are capable of and keeps him away from witnessing the cruelty of mankind. 

1.       Examples of humanity in the boy: “Is it okay for us to take it? Yes. It is. They would want us to. Just like we would want them to. They were the good guys? Yes. They were.” (140) “Are they going to eat them? I don’t know. They are going to eat them, aren’t they? Yes. And we couldn’t help them because then they’d eat us too.” (127) “We wouldn’t ever eat anybody, would we? No. Of course not.” (128) 

He is constantly experiencing the feelings of affection and empathy from his father, so he might reflect these feelings outwardly to others even though he rarely encounters other humans besides his father. 

“’We wouldn’t ever eat anybody, would we?... Even if we were starving?” (128). “Is it okay for us to take it?” (139). Perhaps the author believes that humans are innately good. The boy is uninfluenced, so he still has his humanity. Otherwise, the compassion and humanity comes from good parenting of the father to the son. 

“’We wouldn’t ever eat anybody, would we?... Even if we were starving?” (128). “Is it okay for us to take it?” (139). Perhaps the author believes that humans are innately good. The boy is uninfluenced, so he still has his humanity. Otherwise, the compassion and humanity comes from good parenting of the father to the son. 
 

“’We wouldn’t ever eat anybody, would we?... Even if we were starving?” (128). “Is it okay for us to take it?” (139). Perhaps the author believes that humans are innately good. The boy is uninfluenced, so he still has his humanity. Otherwise, the compassion and humanity comes from good parenting of the father to the son. 

This does mean something different now after the cellar scene. It is known that the lighter was left behind which was the physical light they kept with them. Knowing that the literal fire was left behind, one can see that the “fire” is figurative and is within the man and the boy themselves, representing hope that is still being carried with them. Relating to the slide above, it shows he may be more insecure about whether what he is saying is really something he truly has in mind. 

In a practical sense, the gun would provide safety for them. They would be able to stay in the shelter and eat all the food they possibly can, stay warm, take hot baths, have lights and such, basically they would be able to have everything they need. The only reason they cannot stay is because people can invade the shelter and attack them. If they had a gun, they could defend themselves. McCarthy did not want to provide them with safety and comfort. 

 

1.       pg.128 the conversation about eating when he mentions ”we wouldn’t ever eat anybody would we?” 

pg.139 the conversation about eating the food in the bunker “ is it okay for us to take it (the food)?” and on pg 140 “they were the good guys?” yes they were. Like us. Like us yes.” 

The boy is just a boy, and the father has raised him in a somewhat better environment  than most people during this world catastrophe. 

Goodness/ life: violence/ death 

LAMP : PISTOL  ::  Life: Death

The fire still has the same connotation for the boy. The man becomes emotionally stronger by the boy’s empathy. The boy still sees that the hope in going to the coast but still needs the “fire” to continue their journey.  

- There would be no gun because they are the good guys and they would keep being so (ref. question 4)

- They would be forced to leave the shelter with no gun (moves along the story line)

1.       pg.128 the conversation 
about eating when he mentions ”we wouldn’t ever eat anybody would we?” 

pg.139 the conversation about eating the food in the bunker “ is it okay for us to take it (the food)?” and on pg 140 “they were the good guys?” yes they were. Like us. Like us yes.” 

The boy is just a boy, and the father has raised him in a somewhat better environment  than most people during this world catastrophe. 

Lamp: Pistol: Life: Death. The lamp is the “fire” that the boy needs to continue their journey. The pistol signifies the deaths and hardships which the man and the boy had to face. These both tie into how the life of the man and the boy changes and what they see in the current life and the past life. 

Post cellar scene, “we’re carrying the fire” loses the meaning of hope, but it still means goodness. In the page before, the boy talks about their goodness. Previously, they had hope, but after the cellar scene, they lose hope in humanity, but keep the goodness within them. 

Lamp is to pistol as innocence is to protector as boy is to man. The lamp is the fire that the boy holds and represents the innocent goodness in the boy. The pistol represents the ‘protect at all costs’ mentality the man has for the boy. 

1.       They are no longer carrying the fire, that cellar with evil stole their most important piece of hope. This changes the symbolism of the fire from the lighter to which is now the boy. When he talks about the beauty, he is talking about the boy which makes the reader think that the new fire is the boy which will ultimately help them both survive. 

The boy still has his innocence.