Limited Palette

The pared down language of the narrative reflects the pared down life the characters have to live- essentials only

• We as readers are only told what McCarthy thinks we need to know, the descriptions are very basic and only important details are given " In the knapsacks were essential things. In case they had to abandon the cart and make a run for it..."
• It could be said that the details are not important to them, as characters there only worry is their survival, so if the details are not important to them, then why should we be told them, they are no importance to us, as readers "They ate their poor meal cold...." There is no indication of what they ate, this reflects the idea that their only need is to survive and what the food is, is not important. There is no importance to them so why should there be any importance about it for us?
• The gaps in time during the novel reflects the unimportance of the events between two points " They bore on south in the days and weeks to follow..." Yet again there only worry is their survival. Between this point and the previous point nothing of importance has happened. McCarthy has also probably done this to speed the story along and to keep the reader interested and wanting to read on. 
• The language is very simplistic which reflects their simple lives, they go day to day just trying to survive. It could also reflect the increasing tiredness of the pair and how they just continue a long the road, day after day. "They kicked snow over the fire and went on through the trees and circled and came back." Covering up their tracks is yet again a part of their survival and their simple lives, it has become routine to them.

Avoiding emotional language and keeping it simple makes the narrative all the more emotionally engaging

• At first glance there seems to be little or no emotion in this narrative, especially when it comes to the father "We have to go...." Their is no ergency in his voice, yet again trying to keep them both same has become normality, there seems to be no fear anymore.
• There are hints of emotion however, when we look deeper and 'read between the lines' "It'll be okay..." This line is an example of the hidden emotion that can be found in the narrative. The father loves his son dearly and sees it as his job to protect the child from harm. On the other hand, he does not want to become to emotionally attached to the child because, he knows that there is a chance that either the child or he himself will die and he believes that if there is no strong bond between them it will some how be easier emotionally if something does happen to either of them.
• The aspects of emotion during the novel shows the struggle that the father faces to hide his emotions from his son "If you died I would want to die too." This quote in particular shows the struggle that he faces, it also shows his love for his son. By keeping the emotion to a minimum it makes the novel more engaging and it makes us want to read on as readers, almost in hope that the father will begin to show more love and emotion towards his son.