Confused about a few things in The Road By: McCarthy?

Question

In the book towards the beginning of the book when did the mother come into it. I must of missed something but did they meet up with her or was it the father thinking back to what happened before. Because the book didn't start with the mother. It was just the father and the boy or am i wrong.

Please help thanks.

Answer 1

the dad sometimes have flashbacks to the memory of his wife/son's mother to explain what happened to her

she took her own life, according to those flashbacks

i love that book.

its quite depressing, but it makes u think alot

Answer 2

They indeed are flashbacks! The mother represents one of the greatest conflicts in the book. i.e. Was the father morally correct to bring his boy thru h**l with a minimum chance of survival?

In my opinion the mother did not believe so.