Setting & World
What substance covers the road, buildings, and landscape?
Ash
What is the man’s relationship to the boy?
He is the boy’s father.
How old is the boy described as being?
About ten years old.
What object do the man and boy use to carry their belongings?
A shopping cart
What is the most important resource to secure first in a survival situation?
Water
What color imagery is repeatedly used to describe the world?
Gray
What weapon does the man carry?
A pistol
What emotion does the boy show toward others that contrasts with the man?
Sympathy / compassion
What does the phrase “carrying the fire” represent?
Being good / holding onto morality.
Why is staying in a group usually safer than being alone during an apocalypse?
Strength/Protection in numbers and shared responsibilities
What season are the man and boy traveling during at the start of the novel?
Winter
How many bullets does the man have?
Two
What question does the boy repeatedly ask to judge their actions?
“Are we still the good guys?”
What phrase do the man and boy use to describe people who are dangerous?
"Bad guys"
What is the safest time of day to travel?
Daytime
What natural resource is scarce and carefully guarded by the man?
Clean water
What physical symptom suggests the man’s health is failing?
He has a constant cough.
What rule does the boy remind his father they must follow?
They do not eat people.
What item does the man insist on keeping dry at all times?
The blankets
Why should fires be kept small and controlled in a survival situation?
Large fires attract attention and waste resources.
What evidence shows that society has completely collapsed?
Abandoned cities, dead forests, empty houses, no electricity, no government, no laws.
What skill does the man frequently use to protect them while traveling?
Constant vigilance / scanning for danger / planning escape routes.
What does the boy fear losing more than food or shelter?
Their moral goodness/being "good"
What does the pistol symbolize beyond physical protection?
Control over life and death.
What is one major reason abandoned buildings can be dangerous to enter?
Structural collapse or hidden threats.