SMITH, CHRISTINA JEAN. What Disappears and What Remains

can of Coke is like the gifts of a thousand Christmases," David Hellman observes.And, on this level, McCarthy is using the highly recognizable product as a succinctmarker of the mighty but fallen "world of goods" in which this micro-society must operateand upon which it must feed. This realm, like the derelict houses and towns, has completelycollapsed in McCarthy's post-apocalyptic scenario, and the father and son are left to searchfor the errant canned foods that might sustain them for another few days. On a moreemotional level, the alien beverage allows the father to bring to life for the boy some smallpart of a "planet that no longer (exists)" except in his own memories (153).He gets that chance again when the duo encounters an underground cache of cannedgoods, paper plates, and other supplies. The boy is uncomfortable from the outset with thesmall room, though it provides them with much needed shelter and food as well as theopportunity to bathe and restock their supplies. The father is bolder and relishes, at first, thesights and smells of his old life. 17However, he eventually becomes uncomfortable in thebunker. "This was not hiding in the woods. This was the last thing from that," (144) hethinks, and soon he is visited by strange dream-creatures who exhort him to leave:All that was left was the feeling of (the dream). He thought perhaps they'dcome to warn him…that he could not enkindle in the heart of the child whatwas ashes in his own. Even now some part of him wished they'd never foundthis refuge. Some part of him always wished it to be over (154).For the man and boy, McCarthy suggests, any return to the plastic comforts of the old worldmust be temporary and must be coupled with a sense of unease. For while they incorporate17 It is interesting to note that the two drink "Coca Cola out of plastic mugs" (148) while they are in the bunker despite theboy's earlier observation that he would "(never) get to drink another one" (24). The bunker is so filled with the fare of theold world that they can both partake in the treat; and they can eat a breakfast of fried ham, scrambled eggs and coffee andtake hot baths.33