In "The Road," Cormac McCarthy explores the nature of memory and how it can distort the original experiences it reflects. The protagonist reflects on the act of remembering, likening it to a game where information is passed along, inevitably changing with each retelling. This suggests that memories are susceptible to alteration, which can diminish their authenticity.
The idea presented indicates that remembering involves a certain violence against the past, as the truth may become obscured. Each recollection carries weight and consequences, whether we realize it or not, prompting a cautionary approach to how we preserve and share our memories.