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The Road Videos 11 videos

The Road Part 1: The Introduction
9368 Views

Well, the world has ended, which is a total bummer. We didn’t even get a chance to sell our super valuable Beanie Baby collection. We hope you’...

The Road Part 2: The Setting
12205 Views

The Road is full of emptiness and nobody knows where they’re going. So make a note to self, Shmoopers: when the apocalypse hits, grab a GPS.

The Road Part 3: Words
8884 Views

Always read The Road with a dictionary at hand, because you’re going to need it. Seriously. We’re not known to be perfidious (though we do have...

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The Road Part 8: The Flare Pistol 6977 Views


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Description:

Forget fireworks, setting off a flare pistol is the only way to go when it comes celebrating. On a completely unrelated note, does anyone know why nobody comes to our Fourth of July celebrations? This year, we’re going to set off two flare pistols. Tell your friends.


Transcript

00:01

We speak student!

00:05

[ scream ]

00:06

The Road

00:06

The Flare Pistol

00:08

a la Shmoop

00:11

[ dog barks ]

00:12

What is the flare pistol?

00:13

What does it represent and why do the guys set it off?

00:17

The flare pistol they come across...

00:19

They get to the end of the road, it's terrible, it's bleak.

00:21

They're at the ocean. There's nothing there.

00:23

They see a boat. So they go on the boat

00:24

and there's some stuff on the boat.

00:25

It's kind of one other one of these, "Well maybe they're gonna be okay..."

00:29

And they find a flare pistol, which is basically one of these things that you

00:32

- set it off and it'd light up in the sky. - Happy New Year!

00:35

Exactly. And why are they setting it off?

00:37

They clearly do not think that someone is going to come save them.

00:42

They have been doing this for years.

00:44

It's pretty clear there's not

00:46

some helicopter riding around being like,

00:47

"Oh, great, we're gonna save you and bring you back

00:49

to the one safe haven in the world."

00:51

So if they were to set it off,

00:53

and think that someone was gonna see it,

00:55

probably the people who would see it would be

00:57

the bad guys. It would be cannibals going,

00:59

"Oh, hello. There's fresh meat."

01:01

So we can think the only reason they set it off

01:04

is as a celebration.

01:05

The father is trying to give his son something.

01:09

And all he can give him is this,

01:11

"Let's set off fireworks."

01:13

And it's kind of this really bleak

01:15

reminder that where we set off

01:17

July 4th fireworks and it's happy and exciting,

01:19

they're setting off these fireworks and it is just

01:21

so depressing. Because you know, if anything, it's gonna get them killed.

01:24

Yeah, and the futility of a flare.

01:26

It sort of goes off, it fades out,

01:28

- and nothing happens. - That's it.

01:29

- Yeah, and that's... - So, tree falls in the woods and no one sees it.

01:32

Eh.

01:32

And that's exactly what happens. Yep.

01:35

[ pen writing ]

01:37

What is the flare pistol?

01:39

Why are they setting it off and what does it symbolize?

01:42

What's the risk in setting off the flare pistol?

01:49

Adult supervision required for all flare pistol use.

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