Father for Son.

Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

Son
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
if you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.
(Son-- Away Away Away, I know I have to
Make this decision alone - no)
Son
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them They know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
(Father-- Stay Stay Stay, Why must you go and
make this decision alone?)

Cat Stevens

These father-son situations are not exactly the same. Still while I read I could not help but think about this song. The lyrics state a father son problem in which they argue because the father is trying to protect his son from the “out side” world telling him there is no rush into growing up. The son tries to tell him that he has to let go and that that is the only way that he will learn. The son feels that all his life has been about doing what his father wants, in fact most kids and even myself think that in one point of our life. What we don’t know or it takes us a long time to figure out is that they only do it for our benefit, our protection. In The Road this is also seen. Even though the child is small and does not argue with his father, we can see how throughout the novel Papa is always worrying about the boy and tries to protect him. “if they find you you are going to have to do it. Do you understand? Shh. No crying. Do you hear me? you know how to do it. You put it in your mouth and point it up. Do it quick and hard. Do you understand?” (113). The boy probably does not understand why his father would tell him to kill himself but he only does it for his protection, so that if something were to happen to him the boy would not be left alone. Both, the song and the book represent what parents always do, and if even if we as kids don’t agree with them we must think that it’s always for our benefit.