Good vs. Evil

For Cormac McCarthy's novel, the Road, there are many reoccurring themes present in the literary piece. One of which places itself at the top of the list is the idea of "Good vs. Evil". It is true that death is also a major concept as well, but--personally--I believe that the idea falls under the same category as "Good vs. Evil", as it can be perceived as either good (for instance with the man's wife) and bad (in reference to the man and the boy).  

 "They keep walking, the man coughing blood, dying, envying the dead."

"Billions of people have died, all animal and plant life, the birds of the air and the fishes of the sea are dead: 'At the tide line a woven mat of weeds and the ribs of fishes in their millions stretching along the shore as far as eye could see like an isocline of death.'"

 Based upon this, I feel that death has somehow embodied itself into a being, for it is 'evilly' taking the lives of the world: and still taking.
There's one instance in which McCarthy clearly gives the impression of good vs. evil when the boy and the man encounter the band of 'marchers' on the road.

"'Were they the bad guys?'

'Yes, they were the bad guys.'

'There’s a lot of them, those bad guys.'

'Yes there are. But they’re gone.'

The overarching theme in McCarthy’s work has been the face-off of good and evil with evil invariably triumphant through the bloodiest possible slaughter. Had this novel continued his pattern, that band of marching thugs would have been the focus."

 And another instance, similar to the one mentioned above, is used later:

“We wouldn’t ever eat anybody, would we?”
“No. Of course not. ...”
“No matter what.”
“No. No matter what.”
“Because we’re the good guys.”
“Yes.”

Because the concept of the everlasting battle is mentioned throughout most of the book, I think that it is a main aspect to the Road.


Source: New York Times - Review of "The Road"