Not a lot of information about the father is directly presented in the book; …show more content…
In “The Road” the father has to take on many difficult tasks. He is all alone with his son and does not have his wife with him to help take care of the boy. “In trying to fulfill his parental responsibility, the father displays virtues in human nature like responsibility, love, perseverance, and self-sacrifice (Guo 3). The father wants to make sure that the boy always has something to eat, the father is selfless. The father found a Coca-Cola and insisted that the boy drink it (McCarthy 23). The father has to play various roles such as being a father, a mother, and a role model for the boy. “After his wife’s death, he is forced into the role of sole guardian, protector, and teacher of their son” (Guo 3). One could suggest that the father is playing the role of the mother, because he has to cook, take care of, and clothe the boy. Often times these are tasks one thinks of to be performed by a mother figure. The little boy’s mother is not present, thus requiring the father to also fill that spot. However, the father still has to perform his duties as a father. The father is the one navigating them on the journey, and encouraging him not to give up. Several times throughout the book he tells the boy not to be scared. When the boy falls ill the man is there to take care of him and help nurse him back to health. (McCarthy 248). The man is upset when the boy becomes sick, and wants him to feel well again. The man cares for the boy so much that he would do anything for him. From the way he cares for the boy many character traits are revealed. This illustrates that the man is a very caring and compassionate