REMEMBER OR FORGET?

As The Road continues, we realize that that the father and the son are going south in order to escape from the cold harsh winter. The author doesn’t tell us where, the only thing we know is that it is somewhere south. In their way to the south they are forced to overcome several issues and see disturbing images through the road. One of this is when they pass through the city.

“They passed through the city at noon of the day following. He kept the pistol to
hand on the folded tarp on top of the cart. He kept the boy close to his side. The
city was mostly burned. No sign of life. Cars in the street caked with ash, everything
covered with ash and dust. Fossil tracks in the dried sludge. A corpse in a doorway
dried to leather. Grimacing at the day. He pulled the boy closer. Just remember that
the things you put into your head are there forever, he said. You might want to think
about that.
You forget some things, dont you?
Yes. You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to
forget.” (The Road, pg. 6)
This part of the book really shocked me since it is really sad to see that the children has to see all this tragic things being so young. I really like the way McCarthy describes everything so good that you get a clear picture of the setting in which it all is taking place.
As well, in the last part of this quotation, it says that “you forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.” I thought this was extremely interesting since its true that somehow, and for some strange reason, we always forget the thing we want to remember, but always remember those things that we wish had never happened. I think this mainly happens due to the fact that the things we remember are the ones which were most shocking and transformed us the most.