(Gilbert pg. 44) by Cormac McCarthy The first level is physiological needs such as food and water. This is one of the most consistent conflicts between the man and the boy. In The Road, basic resources are extremely difficult to find, as seen when the man says, “We need to find something to eat. We have no choice." (McCarthy pg. 220) To survive, a huge emphasis is placed on their dependence on finding those basic needs. Nearly every decision the man and boy made was related to finding food or storing food for basic survival. The next level in Maslow's hierarchy of needs is safety. Security is a big concern in modern society, almost every aspect of life is determined by the level of security. In the post-apocalyptic world of The Road, safety is seen very little. The man and boy try to be as safe as possible, but in a world without social order this is practically impossible. Although they experienced very few instances of comfort in safety, they constantly made an effort to seek them