Since reading this book over a decade ago, it has haunted me with the depths of darkness. As I've grown up and have come to see the depth of darkness in humanity, however, I see this as a study in human resilience, innocence, love and the fight to keep light inside of us in the darkness. The struggle to do that is a heroic battle.
It is undeniably grim, but not explicitly so—something I appreciate, given how often modern books become unnecessarily graphic. I see where you are coming from, particularly in terms of resilience and love, but I’m not quite convinced by the idea of heroism. To me, The Road felt more like an exploration of the conscious choice to remain moral and ethical in a world that offered no reward for it. Not due to heroism, but perhaps as a reflection about "nature vs nurture" (i.e., 'morality' can be our nature too).
Another great 'undoing' of a great book!
Thank you! If I'm honest, I'm still debating whether I should podcast about this one and expand the ideas.
Since reading this book over a decade ago, it has haunted me with the depths of darkness. As I've grown up and have come to see the depth of darkness in humanity, however, I see this as a study in human resilience, innocence, love and the fight to keep light inside of us in the darkness. The struggle to do that is a heroic battle.
It is undeniably grim, but not explicitly so—something I appreciate, given how often modern books become unnecessarily graphic. I see where you are coming from, particularly in terms of resilience and love, but I’m not quite convinced by the idea of heroism. To me, The Road felt more like an exploration of the conscious choice to remain moral and ethical in a world that offered no reward for it. Not due to heroism, but perhaps as a reflection about "nature vs nurture" (i.e., 'morality' can be our nature too).