Organisms differ in their anatomical structures, environments, habits and qualities. But a common characteristic of all living organisms is the desire to survive. Survival is necessary for the continuation of any species and, of course, necessary for life. “Survival of the fittest” is a theory introduced by Charles Darwin, but many American novels have shown that being the “fittest” is not the only component of survival. In novels such as The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, a very important factor involved in survival is the bonds between people. William Glasser, an American psychiatrist who developed reality therapy and choice theory, said that “we are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.” But the two novels create a bridge between survival and "love and belonging," expressing the extent to which family and friendship inspire the need to survive, as well as the actions and emotions that follow as one struggles to live. The Road focuses on the bond between a father and his son. Throughout the novel the father states that taking care of his son “is my job.” Examples of this occur after the father and son encounter the "bad guys" for the first time and when the father washes "a dead man's brains out of his [the son's] hair" (McCarthy 63). The father survives mainly for the sake of his son. She puts herself second and dedicates herself entirely to the safety and well-being of her child. When living with meager amounts of food and water, the father ensures that the child receives a sufficient amount, even if it means he has to give up his share. The father wraps his son in blankets and clothes during the cold nights to make s...... middle of paper ...... first definition, the characters no longer live. They are already dead and have no chance to enjoy fun moments. But this last definition still gives them life. Although the characters are still alive and breathing, some barely do so and some of them succumb to death by the end of the novel. But before succumbing, the characters are driven, by their relationships with family and friends, to resist death. It is proven that love dominates life and the degree to which someone will want to live. But when you lose love, you lose your will. In cases of survival, as well as other cases of lost love in relationships, memories of the past emerge and people feel angry, guilty and alone. To live is to love. Works Cited McCarthy, Cormac. The road. New York: Vintage, 2006. Print.Bradbury, Ray. The illustrated man. Toronto: Bantam, 1982. Print.