In The Road, how would you describe the man and the boy's character?

There is an obvious difference between the man and the boy
in this excellent novel as they embark together on their journey. We can usefully
utilise opposites to describe them and shed light on their character. For example, we
can relate the state of innocence to the boy. He, throughout the novel, wants to help
the people that they come across and lacks the kind of cynicism and instinct for danger
that his father possesses. The father we could relate to the state of experience. He has
witnessed the kind of behaviour that has accompanied the apocalypse that has reduced the
world to its present state and is incredibly suspicious of everyone and thing in his
attempt to ensure the survival of his son. A classic example of these two differing
states of being comes when they encounter the old man, travelling by himself. The
father's automatic thought is that he is a decoy, whereas his son just wants to help
him. Note the conversation that occurs during their
dinnertime:

I
know what the question is, the man said. The answer is
no.

What's the question?

Can
we keep him. We cant.

I
know.

You
know.

The boy automatically
believes in people and in their innate goodness, whereas the father automatically
distrusts such instincts. Interestingly, at various points in the novel, the son almost
seems to perform the function of reminding his father of his humanity. This, I would
argue, is the crucial difference between these two characters.