In the story ‘’The Road’’ by Cormac Mccarthy, fire is often used as a symbol, and fire is represent survival. From the beginning of human’s civilization, fire has been using by human for live and survive, and the fire in the story was not an exception. In the path of the father and son, there were many obstacles that stand against them, yet they did not give up to live and fire is become their assistance. An example for fire became a symbol of survival was when it states, ’’The night they camped in a ravine and built a fire against a small stone bluff and ate their last food’’(page 80). Fire is what comes to ignite their will, it produces flame to warm their food and keep their life going. Fire also is a symbol of the immortal will when it said, ‘’ They slept through the night in their exhaustion and in the morning the fire was dead and black on the ground’’(page 93), ‘’He got a fire going and walked out to the edge of the woodlot and stood looking over the country. (page 93-94). When the fire of hope slaked, it awoke again; it is mean that the fire of hope will be endlessly protected to father and son.
On another hand, fire is a symbol of hope. In the darkness the fire of hope will set them free, and hope is what has brought them to this journey. For instance, ’’ What is it, Papa? Nothing. We’re okay. Go to sleep. We’re going to be okay, aren’t we Papa? Yes. We are. And nothing bad is going to happen to us. That’s right. Because we’re carrying the fire. Yes. Because we’re carrying the fire.’’( page 87). An other example was when it states,’’ In the evening they tramped out across a field trying to find a place where their fire would not be seen.’’(page 92) The farther and son believe that fire is the protection also hope for them. At night no people or adversaries are going to hurt because the fire is invisible and keep them in safe.
