Dear Mr. McCarthy,

I have recently read your book, “The Road”. Because of the nature of the book, I didn’t believe I would read the whole way through, but I did. The first in a few years actually! I am writing in order to share some of my thoughts and self-reflections on your book.
Before I read “The Road” I had imagined what the world would be like if anything were to happen, that wiped out all but a few living creatures. It was not pretty, but I couldn’t put a picture in my mind of what the trials would be like. Not to sound cliché, but the wealth of this nation is taken for granted by not only me, but almost everyone that surrounds me. We are able to rush home from our shopping to warm up in our houses, whether they are large and fancy, or small and dusty. Not a worry about crossing paths with a cannibal group passes through our minds. My mind has change for the better now, after reading and reflecting on the book. Gratefulness comes easier now that I have felt another’s pain as I’ve gotten to know the characters and became emotionally attached to them.
The world I’ve never noticed is in front of my eyes. When using my smart phone, there is easy access to global news and information, yet I am not interested because it does not apply to me or my life. There are situations similar to that of the book, but they are not capitalized on daily. I never realized how bad some situations are for people of different countries. Some have dictators, some are communist, some have kings and queens, and some are a democracy. In “The Road”, the roads are crumbled and ash is everywhere. No one has proper clothing and the cold takes many lives. It sounds like a few countries around the world doesn’t it? It is sad to see others suffer yet not be able to help themselves. I couldn’t imagine the government being much help either, depending on the country. It also makes me feel a bit selfish. Everyday comforts here in the U.S. mean a house to take shelter in, a bed to call your own, and food on the table at meals times. I realize there are other who struggle with those simple comforts, but my eyes had not been open to recognizing the real world examples that can be easily compared to the book.
It is rare to pick up a book and read it front to back. I get side tracked and distracted and honestly just bored with it. “The Road” was an easy read, with punctuation that would only confuse the reader. I enjoyed reading the simple text with no names or hard to comprehend words and phrases to complicate or diverge from the message of the story. This is meaningful because struggling to understand the plot line and message being given is an annoying process that ruins the entirety of the book. The layers of significance in “The Road” are appreciated because they show different qualities of a father-child relationship that should be replicated. I’ve learned from that aspect of the story.

I have learned to be more aware of my blessings and the world around me. I also make sure to keep in consciousness how grateful I should be for my family and friends that surround me on a daily basis. “The Road’ has not changed my life, but it has made me look at my reactions very critically and the world in a different way.


Sincerely,