•Department of English , Central University of

Jammu
•Course tittle – Eco-literature .
•Course code – PGECL2F002T.
•Semester - 2nd.
 TOPIC – “The Road (2007) and the Limits of Humanism”
• Definition And Theory Of Humanism:
• Generally humanism means a discourse that and the values that exclude anything
that is not human.
• Term was coined by ‘Friedrich Niethammer’ at the beginning of 19th century. It
lacks environmental ethics .
• ‘Abraham Maslow’ proposed “A Theory Of Human Motivation”in which he stated
that human motivation is based on people seeking fulfillment and change
throughpersonal growth. Self – actualized people are those who were fulfilled
and doing all they were capable of” (wikipedia, ).
• ‘Carl Rogers’(1902-1987)was a humanistic psychologist who agreed with main
assumptions of Abraham Maslow, but added that for a person to “grow”, they
need an environment that provides them with genuineness,acceptanceand
empathy .
Humanism And Anthropocene.
• Anthropocene is relating to current geological age,which viewedthe
period during which human activity has been the dominant influence
on climate and the environment.
• It means to disfigure the natural look of nature.Human imprint on the
physical body of Earth.
• Human beings are depleting sources at a faster rate and this possesa
question to humanism .
• Fire,Smoke,Desert,Pollution,Cannibalism,Dry,Dust,Smoking through
out the year,Minus-Nature,Eradication of Biodiversity,Snowfall.These
are some of the anthropocentric activity results shown in the novel.
The Road
• The Road is set in post-apocalyptic world .
• There is a sign of development and hope in the Novel.
• “You can’t. You have to carry the fire. It’s inside of you.It was always there
.”(278).
• Struggle for survival ,travel and death in the Novel.
• Some of the conflicts in the Novel : 1.)Man vs Nature:The father and son
survive in a freezing winter and firestorms after a catastrophic event .
2.)Man vs Man: The father tries to protect the boy from cannibals
(cannibalism) Body /mind . 3.)Man vs Man:The father tries to keep boy
away from strangers but the boy wants to help everyone who comes by.
 Quotes
• “Are we still the good guys ?He said. Yes. We’re still the good
guys.And we always will be .Yes. We always will be .Okay (77).
• It’s because it’s here. There’s nothing to talk about (56).
• The wall beyond held a frieze of human heads, all faced alike, dried
and caved with their taut grins and shrunken eyes.(90).
• Those who have a ‘why’ to live can always bear with almost any
‘how’.
• You have my whole heart.You always did. You were the best guy. You
always were.(279).
Conclusion
• In this novel ,there is relationship between past and present humanity
which in contrast discuss with the bond that father shares with his
son.
• As father is a kind of past for his child .Child do not know about the
‘fire’. So father tells him about it.
“Pastness of the past and its presence.”

Submitted by: Sonika Bansal Submitted to: Dr.Jeet Singh