A narrative of a father and son traversing a ravaged landscape, an examination of family and devotion in the bleakest of environments and circumstances. In a burned-out America, a father and his young son walk under a darkened sky, heading slowly for the coast. They have no idea what, if anything, awaits them there. The landscape is destroyed, nothing moves save the ash on the wind and cruel, lawless men stalk the roadside, lying in wait. Attempting to survive, the young boy and his protector have nothing but a pistol to defend themselves. They must keep walking. In this study of the best and worst of humankind, McCarthy depicts a future without hope, but one in which this young family finds tenderness.