The Road

The impending tears near the end of the book were washed away by the (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ at the very end of the book: is the message that the father led the boy astray? Went on a book-long journey down a road in a misguided attempt to reach salvation, when salvation was always to their rear? How long was ski parka following the duo? Throughout the entire book-journey?