CARRYING THE FIRE: MORAL RESILIENCE AMIDST BRUTALITY AND CANNIBALISM IN CORMAC MCCARTHY’S THE ROAD

Abstract [English]

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is a profoundly bleak exploration of human survival and resilience in a post-apocalyptic world stripped of civilization and morality. The novel follows a perilous journey of a father and a son who endure a scorched landscapes devoid life, facing starvation and constant threat of violence. Despite the gloomy nature of story the novel explores the enduring nature of human spirit and the drive to survive. A father’s commitment to protect his son and the boy’s innate sense of compassion and love underscore a form of resilience rooted not only in physical aspects but also in emotional and moral perseverance. The novel portrays the idea that when the human race is faced with the threat of extinction humanity finds alternatives to adapt and adopt to the changes in one’s lifestyle or behaviour in order to survive. The aim of this paper is to examine the strategies and psychological shifts necessitated for human survival in a post-apocalyptic context as presented in Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road. Through the lens of trauma, survival and morality this paper will make an attempt to examine how survival becomes both a physical necessity and a moral challenge in a world where traditional structures—social, familial, ethical—have collapsed.