Aspects of Narrative

Beginnings:

• Beginning of the journey "Like pilgrims in a fable swallowed up...."
• Sea creature foreshadowing the dead animals later in the novel "And on the far shore a creature..."
• Introduced to the father and then the son later "He woke in the woods....the child sleeping beside him..."
• Introduced to their way of life "....stinking robes and blankets....any light but there was none..."
• The memory of his wife in his dreams "....In his dreams his pale bride came to him...."
• Shown aspects of his previous life "Its the house where I grew up..."
• Introduced to the idea that God doesn't exist "He raised his face to the paling day....Are you there?"

Endings:

• World is ending- the light is disappearing "...cold glaucoma dimming away the world..."
• Loses faith in God "If he is not the word of God God never spoke..."
• Can't let go of his old life "This is where I used to sleep....My cot was against this wall..."
• Rhetorial Question- Debating whether he can kill his son or not " When the time comes? Can you?

Characterization:

• Lack of emotion in speech- father does not want to become to emotionally attached to his son in case something bad happens "Are we going to die?... Sometime. Not now..."
• Child is innocent and needs reassurance "Im really scared....Its alright. We shouldnt have come..."
• No names- no identity "He"
• Subtle hints of emotion "...he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping....sat with his arms around the boy trying to warm him...."
• Link between the child and Jesus "He knew only that the child was his warrant..."
• Weather- "cold glaucoma"

Settings:

• Key setting- the Earth "Tolling in the silence the minutes of the earth...."
• Woods- "When he woke in the woods...."
• The Road- also a major key setting "....walked out to the road..."
• The petrol station- "...they came upon a roadside gas station..."
• Father's childhood home- "...they came upon an old frame house....It's the house where I grew up..."
• The shore- their final destination- " ...they were sitting on the beach....Cold. Desolate. Birdless...."



Destination:

• The South is the basic destination
• Note: The sea links to the memories of the uncle and better times, he thinks he goes to the sea it will be a better life for them both
• Always turn to the road in the end

Journey:

• "They were moving south" (physical destination)
• Emotional journey- whether the Father can kill his son or not when the time arrives
• Unsteady- unplanned route- not really sure where they are or where they are going; just need to head south

        Time:

• "...taking in the silence of the earth..." (just waiting- not time)
• never ending- monotonous "They bore on south in the days and weeks to follow"
• Time no longer means anything- key is survival