Opening section

Key features	Examples
Use of language	"cold glaucoma dimming away the world" - The light and sense of hope left is rapidly deteriorating. The descent into emotional and physical darkness is implied as the man's health is getting weaker, and they're only just surviving in a bleak world. "tolling in the silence" - Death bells are ringing in an empty world. A pilgrimage to death is suggested as that's all that's left now the apocalypse has wiped out everything else.
Sentence structure and lack of punctuation	The sentences are long and winding, which indicate that their journey will be never-ending. Repetition of "and" is frequently used to show the weariness the journey is causing. "Looking for anything of color. Any movement." - McCarthy uses fragment sentences to point out exactly what the characters are doing. It's disjointed to reflect how people really communicate, but also how desperate the road dwellers have become. Only full stops are utilised regularly, to convey the idea that all the complexity and beauty of the world has gone. All that's left is the determination to survive.
Setting	"the road passed through a stark black burn" - The road itself is an integral part of the story so description of it is necessary. It becomes the third main character as we follow it constantly. The setting is stark and desolate with not much to indicate life was ever there at all.
Characterisation	"each the other's world entire" - The boy and the man have a strong bond/relationship because they have no-one else left, so have become completely dependent on one another. Their characters need and rely on each other to get through the horrors they encounter. They can only trust each other, due the existence of "bad guys". "His hand rose and fell softly with each precious breath" - The man is fiercely protective of the boy and will do anything to keep him alive. Life is still valued  in a hopeless, "Godless" world.
Imagery	"stinking robes and blankets" - The idea that the man is the "King" of a dead world is emphasised here. Him wearing "robes" gives the reader the image of royalty. However, this contrasts to the fact that the robes are dirty and "stinking". This contradictory description implies that there's no need for hierarchy or royalty anymore. "Charred and limbless trunks of trees" - This nature imagery links to the gothic genre. The devastation that's been caused by the apocalypse is shown through the extreme decay of nature. Only the remnants of life can still be seen. This gives the reader a vivid image of just how terrible the catastrophe must have been.
Narrative	"He was a long time going to sleep." - McCarthy utilises a third-person omniscient narrator. The events are observed from the outside, such as when describing the boy not getting to sleep. This allows McCarthy creative freedom within the novel to tell all aspects of the story. "Nothing to see. No smoke." - Sometimes McCarthy adopts the narrative voice/thoughts of certain characters. It's as if we're seeing the journey from the perspective of the character, which allows the reader to immerse themselves more.
Conversation	"So we'll be warm." "Yes." "Okay." "Okay what?." "Nothing. Just okay." - The dialogue within the novel isn't complicated. It's just about determining the best way to survive and the reassurance between the man and the boy. The pattern of conversation is very "to and fro" with short replies, suggesting that they have bigger things to worry about than talking.
Tone	"gray light" "soft ash" - There's a strong sense of melancholy due to the hopelessness of the situation. Everything is gloomy and miserable as it's a post-apocalyptic setting. Even the light doesn't signify optimism anymore.

Characterisation

One of the most important features of The Road is how McCarthy presents the characters. The characters, particularly the man and the boy, are integral to the plot as it's them we follow and their experiences we read about. McCarthy develops them interestingly as the reader can identify very human characteristics within the man and the boy, like the desperation to survive. By giving them relatable traits and a strong father/son relationship, we're more likely to be drawn into the story. This is significant because by giving us this insight, we can imagine their hopes and fears more vividly.


Imagery
Imagery is an important feature utilised in The Road because it helps us to imagine the situation and setting the characters are in. The road itself plays a major part in the story, so description of it is vital, and McCarthy gives us this. Through describing the "charred limbs" of trees it's possible to envisage just how desolate this world is and how everything is decaying. It's not what humanity currently experiences, so this feature is significant as it ensures the reader can understand what the characters are seeing.