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That ending in 'The Road' where the boy meets the family - hopeful or a trick?
I was at a coffee shop in Portland last month reading 'The Road' and got to that final scene where the boy meets the family with the new gear. On one hand, it feels like a tiny bit of hope after all that darkness. But then I thought, what if those people are just pretending to be nice and they'll hurt him later? The book leaves it so open. Which side do you lean on: is it meant to be a happy ending or a scary cliffhanger?
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stella2792mo ago
...and I had this dream that night where I was the kid's dad for some reason and I woke up thinking it was all a trick. But then I remembered my uncle used to tell me that in real life, sometimes hope is just hope and you gotta take it. So I lean hopeful even though it feels sketchy. Makes me wonder if McCarthy just wanted to give us a break.
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allen.quinn2mo ago
I've always leaned toward it being hopeful, but like, cautiously hopeful. The way the family takes him in with the food and all, that's the kind of thing you can't fake for long, right? Plus the boy carrying that little bit of fire his dad talked about, it feels like McCarthy wanted us to believe it meant something real. Still bugs me that we never find out what happens next.
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