Religion in The Road In The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, one of the most recurring themes is religion. Although it is an underlying theme, it is also one of the most critical. The author tries to show that even in a post-apocalyptic world, where everybody has nothing, and things are beyond tough, religion has a way of coming back so people have hope, and somewhere to put there faith into. Cormac McCarthy uses symbolism, metaphors, and imagery to strongly encourage this theme. In the beginning of the book, the world is shown to be hellish. There is nothing but ash, and dirt, and essentially nothingness. However when the boy is introduced, he is shown to symbolize God. He is pure and innocent and filled with nothing but love and compassion.
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For example, when the man and boy meet Ely, he says, “There is no God and we are his profits” (McCarthy 170). He is comparing them to profits of God, although they are really just people trying to survive in a hellish post-apocalyptic world. His statement however is contradictory because he believes there isn't a God, yet they are his prophets who carry His word. In Ely saying there isn't a God, he is essentially proposing the atheistic religion. This shows the religious theme is not based upon one specific religion, but instead all of them. Another example of religion shown through metaphors is when they first meet Ely. He thinks the boy is an angel, because when “… I saw him I thought that I had died… You thought he was an angel?” (McCarthy 172). Metaphorically speaking, while the boy isn't really an angel, he is a symbol of hope, innocence, and purity. He is being compared to an angelic being because Ely never could have believed that there would be a child at a time like this. In saying this, it shows that through the harsh times of their journey, a symbol of hope arises, and religion finds its way back into their …show more content…
However the most important one was religion because of the extent the author went to to bring it up again and again. McCarthy used many literary devices such as, symbolism, metaphors, and imagery to establish this theme, and in that he showed through the harshest of times, religion has a way of coming back so people have a sense of hope and security. It may just me human nature to follow some religion when there is nothing
For example, when the man and boy meet Ely, he says, “There is no God and we are his profits” (McCarthy 170). He is comparing them to profits of God, although they are really just people trying to survive in a hellish post-apocalyptic world. His statement however is contradictory because he believes there isn't a God, yet they are his prophets who carry His word. In Ely saying there isn't a God, he is essentially proposing the atheistic religion. This shows the religious theme is not based upon one specific religion, but instead all of them. Another example of religion shown through metaphors is when they first meet Ely. He thinks the boy is an angel, because when “… I saw him I thought that I had died… You thought he was an angel?” (McCarthy 172). Metaphorically speaking, while the boy isn't really an angel, he is a symbol of hope, innocence, and purity. He is being compared to an angelic being because Ely never could have believed that there would be a child at a time like this. In saying this, it shows that through the harsh times of their journey, a symbol of hope arises, and religion finds its way back into their …show more content…
However the most important one was religion because of the extent the author went to to bring it up again and again. McCarthy used many literary devices such as, symbolism, metaphors, and imagery to establish this theme, and in that he showed through the harshest of times, religion has a way of coming back so people have a sense of hope and security. It may just me human nature to follow some religion when there is nothing