Cormac Mccarthy Dreams In The Road

In the third section of The Road, Cormac McCarthy continues his scrutiny of dreams and their true meaning. As the novel progresses the man’s health continues to deteriorate. The man’s poor health adds to the tension and suspense in the book. As his health degenerates the man’s dreams become more peaceful. Earlier in the novel the man stated that he believed that the more positive and peaceful the dreams were the more he was dying. The man’s own death has become the focus point of his dreams. He now dreams about his dead loved ones and a happier life with them. The man is sure that this change in his dreams is death calling to him. The man tells his son that his bad dreams are a sign that he still wants to live: “When your dreams are of some world
However, death in McCarthy’s world is a good thing. Death is still seen as a good thing. Death takes away all of the pain and all of the struggles; death is a gift. In the section of the novel the man and the boy spend an extended period of time in the bunker that they previously found. Eventually the man decides that they must move on and continue their trek towards the coast. On the road to the coast the man and the boy come across a man named Ely. The boy begs his father to help the old man, so the man and the boy give him food and invite him to eat dinner with him. The boy wants to take the old man with them to the coast, but the man and Ely are reluctant. Ely shares his views on death and how he wishes everyone died. The man and the boy leave Ely behind and continue their route towards the sea. On their way to the coast they run into a small group of men carrying pipes, but the group lets the man and the boy ass because the father threatens them with the pistol. The man’s health continues to diminish and he catches a fever. Both the man and the boy begin to struggle with their dreams. As the couple travels they feel like they are being