There are two things that keep the father motivated to
survive in contrast to the son. The first is that he has experienced the world before
the disaster. He has knowledge of the pre-apocalyptic world unlike the son who was
in-utero when disaster struck. He may have some hope that the old world will be
restored in some form. One of the events though that seems to contradict this is his
willingness to leave behind some important remnants of civilization. At one point he
sits down on the side of the road and empties his wallet. He leaves the contents
(including a picture of his wife) behind. He can't imagine a world in which a driver's
license or money or credit cards would ever be worth anything
again.
The most important reason though for the father to
survive is his son. He tells his son that they "carry the fire," a symbol for goodness
or hope. The father is in constant state of vigilance in order to keep his son alive
and headed for the coast. Without the presence of the boy, the man would probably have
long ago taken his own life as his wife did. He survives so that his son, and
everything he represents, will survive.
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