The Opening

- we learn the characters are a man and a boy.
'he'd reach out to touch the childsleeping beside him'
- he fears losing the child.
-he fears losing him so we get the imporession it could be his child.
-he cares for him alot wants him to be safe.
-emotionally attatched.

Dramatic opening, we understand the post-apocalyptic style.

'night dark beyond darkness.'
McCarthy uses a limited linguistic pallete -
'more gray each one'
Uses dark colours like grey and black to describe what the world is like now. So we get the impression  something has defiantly happened to it.
It could represent a loss of hope. As the days get darker more hope dissapears.
'tollinmg in the silence the minutes of the earth' - time stands still. There is nothing to hope for nothing to look forward to. -emptyness -lost -desolate -post-apocalyptic.
'there'd be no survivng another winter here' , the reality of their life.
-panic -desperation -empty souls, wandering on without a cause now everything is lost.
'this was not a safe place' - we get the impression  no where is safe now. There life is a constant struggle.
fear of the unknown? They dont know what they fear but they do know that nothing is safe now.
'barren, silent, godless' there life is empty. What is there to live for? each other?
'glaucoma' -dull.

Change of mood..
-'when he got back the boy was still asleep' . There is a relief the boy is still there.
Doesnt trust anything or anyone.
Never rest's as he is always alert and ready to protect the boy.

 'we have to go back' -intense, raises questions. why? Builds tension.

As the man talks about his dream..

'and on the far shore a creature' 'crouching there pale and naked translucent' 'pulsed in a dull glass bell'

-luminal state.

-supernatural

-dull

-gloomy

-meaningless

- His dreams are empty and bleak exactly the same as his life now.  Could be like a nightmare? He is living in a nightmare? 

 Back on the road. Desperatly searching for food. Their days are always the same.-constant struggle.
-slowly giving up throughout the novel.
Always looking back in his mirrors.Always looking through the binoculars 'he got the binoculars'
-Somebody watching them?
-Can't protect themselves anymore?
-Always on edge.
-Doesnt trust anyone.