Cormac McCarthy's fictional novel “The Road” is based on a post-apocalyptic setting in which it portrays a journey of a father and his son. Throughout the novel McCarthy creates a mournful yet optimistic tone in order to demonstrate the relationship of the father and son in their challenging journey on the road. The meaning of work that is manifested throughout the novel is the relationship between the man and the boy however, the boy confides a main aspect that illuminates hope for guidance for his father. Although the dialogue isn't quoted, the son ask: “ What would you do if I died?” (11) The father agrees that he will die with him in order to remain with him in the after-world.This conversation expresses the unconditional love and an unbroken bond between the father and the son. Later throughout the novel in a scene in which the boy is being attacked, the man says: My job is to take care of you.I will kill anyone who touches you”(65). The man validates on how he will do all he can in order to protect his son and establishes that throughout this confrontation they can only really depend on each other to live and carry on to their journey. Towards the end of the novel, the man gets shot and discusses to his son towards enlightenment by telling him: "You have my whole hearts. You always did. You're the best guy. You always were" (279). Due to unconditional love the father tells his son that in order to comfort his son that the journey that they made so far was because of the boy. The boy gave the man a sense of motivation in which that is the reason that the journey between lasted for a really long time.