The Danger Word and The Road

From the moment Kendrick and Grandpa Joe set off in the car without Kendrick's parents, I was reminded of the novel, The Road. The main character is in a similar sort of post-apocalyptic world, albeit one without zombies, just people desperate to survive. In both stories, the man tries to teach the boy what he can in the time he has in order to try to ensure the boy's survival after the man's passing. However, in The Road, the man and the boy attempt to find other good people still out in the world, while Grandpa Joe instructs Kendrick to shoot first and ask questions later. Another stark contrast between these stories is that in The Road, the ending is hopeful. The Boy is left with a caring family who take him in after the man's death, while it is up to the reader to decide who walked away at the end of "Danger Word," Kendrick or his grandfather.