Not so advanced
The narrator reveals that in the post-apocalyptic society, there were two groups of people: the ones living in a hierarchical society and the Forest People, a society completely different from the first. The Forest People are portrayed here as being savages, not knowing how to read the Old Words, not knowing basic skills such as spinning wool and eating grubs from trees instead of cooked food. The idea the author wanted to transmit here is that the society in which he lived was more advanced than the tribes that had no type of hierarchy.
First contact
The narrator describes the first time he saw as a young boy the dried bones of a dead person inside the house he or she used to live. John was scared when he first saw the bones, lying untouched in a corner of the house and he was amazed to see how the bones remained in the same position for maybe hundreds of years. The image portrayed here has the purpose of showing just how cruel the society in which John lived was and how little they cared if a person died or lived. For them, what was important was ensuring that at least a small portion of the population could continue to live on thrive.
Going in one direction
When John thinks about which way he should take, he tries to guide himself after the path the animals around him take. The animals that pass him all seem to go one direction, that is east and the way they go there is reminiscent to the way all the animals on earth gathered in the Biblical story of Noah in front of the ark. What the narrator wants to portray here is a sense of impossibility, an image taken from a book and introduced in real life.
Imposing man
John describes his father vaguely in the story and the way he is described is important because he influences John and the decisions he takes in life. John’s father is described as being a stoic man, someone who is not influenced by what he sees around him and someone who is not afraid of anything. Despite this, John also describes him as being a mellow man, someone who cares about his children and who wants to offer them a good education and a better chance in life. Because of this, John is very attached to his father and he doesn’t hesitate to express his positive sentiments for him.
