Question Nine: Would You Read Another Book by the Author? (This is my final blog)

        "A Walk in the Woods" was a very interesting book. If I came across another novel by Bill Bryson, I would most likely read it. Bryson's writing style is very easy to follow and he makes some very good points along the way. I also love books that are written in first person. It makes the story so much more real, as if it is happening right outside your door. Bill Bryson seems like the kind of person who loves to try new things, therefore, I believe that his other books are probably full of other adventures he took throughout his lifetime. He writes in a way that you want to keep reading no matter what because you do not have a clue what will happen next. Bryson's writing is also full of humor and the characters are developed so well that you grow very close to them throughout the book. I have a feeling that the other novels by this author are written in the same style, which is why I would love to read another one. I am glad that I chose to read "A Walk in the Woods" this summer. Even though I may not have liked the ending as much as I had hoped, I still gained valuable knowledge from the text. I read a very well written book, and I hope that I will read more books like this in the future.

Question Three: The Most Important Passage in the Text (WARNING: Spoilers)

        The most important passage in "A Walk in the Woods" was without a doubt the last page of the book. It is there that Bill Bryson states,

"I learned to pitch a tent and sleep beneath the stars. For a brief, proud period I was slender and fit. I gained a profound respect for wilderness and nature and the benign dark power of woods. I understand now, in a way I never did before, the colossal scale of the world. I found patience and fortitude that I didn't know I had. I discovered an America that millions of people scarcely know exists. I made a friend. I came home. Best of all, these days when I see a mountain, I look at it slowly and appraisingly, with a narrow, confident gaze and eyes of chipped granite. We didn't walk 2,200 miles, it's true, but here's the thing: we tried. So Katz was right after all, and I don't care what anybody says. We hiked the Appalachian Trail" (Bryson 274).

       The reason this passage is so important is because it shows that even though the characters did not end their journey the way they thought they would, they still learned many facts and important life lessons. Even though I was disappointed that the author was not able to hike all of the trail like he said he would, I felt that this last page of text was able to convince the readers that the moral of the story was not about the amazing distance of the trail, but rather that people learn from their experiences. The author and his friend Katz picked up loads of new knowledge about the woods, hiking, and even how to deal with certain kinds of people along the way. If they had never attempted to hike the Appalachian Trail, they never would have learned these things. When Bryson and Katz set out to hike the trail, they did not realize just how difficult and tiring the journey would be. Therefore, once they realized just how long it would take to get to the end of the trail, they had to make some big adjustments to their plan. Although they did not accomplish their original goal, they still tried their best, and that's really all you can do.

Question Four: Parts that Distract from the Work's Overall Effectiveness

        I finished "A Walk in the Woods" a few days ago and realize now that it was not as good as I thought it was. I loved the beginning and part of the middle, but after that I just got bored. As the book nears the ending, the author (Bill Bryson) progressively adds more and more facts and stories. This would not be a bad thing, but Bryson elaborates on these details so much that you occasionally wonder when he is going to get back on topic with the actual story. In the first half of the story, these extra things all make sense with the context and are just long enough for the story to keep flowing smoothly. Later on however, I found myself spacing out at these sections because they became so long and frequent that it was extremely hard for me to maintain a good attention span.Still, if you look past all of that, the story was pretty good. I do admit I was disappointed that the plot was a bit different from what I had expected (SPOILER: The author did not hike the entire Appalachian Trail), but I still enjoyed the story. I am very easily distracted, which may be the reason why it was so hard for me to sit through all of the long "extra" parts. I am only one person, so others may like "A Walk in the Woods" much more than me. Besides, most of the novel was perfectly fine and I had fun reading it!

Question Five: Dominant Themes

        Throughout "A Walk in the Woods", there are many interesting themes. I have noticed that three of these themes remain consistent throughout the entire book. The most important theme is most likely time and distance. The entire book explains how time-consuming and difficult a trip like the Appalachian Trail really is. The author reflects on the fact that after a while, you stop focusing on how many miles you walked, and instead on how many breaths you took that day. He also writes that maps of the Appalachian Trail are extremely frustrating because every kilometer you walk is usually only about a centimeter on the map. Another dominant theme within the book is humor. As I have read, I have observed that many events in the book are actually pretty funny. All of the characters are developed in a way that you start to understand what the individuals are thinking. There are also many risks and decisions within the novel. The characters must take many different factors into account as they walk. They need to keep an eye out for bad weather and dangerous animals, as well as think ahead in order to make sure that when they camp, they will be on flat ground. There are times in the book when the characters must make quick decisions that could even mean life or death. All of these themes are essential to this story and I will continue to observe them as I read.

Question Two: My Visceral Reaction to the Text

        My visceral reaction to the writing in "A Walk in the Woods" was not what I expected. I normally do not like reading nonfiction books, so I was expecting something similar to the writing in a travel guide. However, just by reading the first paragraph, I could tell that I was going to like this writing style. At first, I was surprised by how much I liked the first few pages. Then, as I continued reading, I realized that this is just the way that Bill Bryson (the author) writes. He uses a lot of different descriptions and expands on all of the different elements. I am impressed by the way he organized all of the different points in the story. It is organized in a way that everything makes sense and was put in the perfect spot. I love this unique writing style and look forward to reading the rest of the book!

Question One: The Significance of the Title

        Just by observing the title, one can conclude that the story is centered around wildlife and nature. The significance of the title, "A Walk in the Woods" is that it explains the whole plot of the book in quite a simple term. Normally, when people hear the phrase, "a walk in the woods", they picture a short walk through a forest trail as an afternoon or early morning activity. Still, books tend to have deeper meanings hidden behind the title. That is exactly the case for this novel. As I have read, I have discovered that this book is so much more than just an hour long walk through the woods. Instead, it is a painstakingly long journey through the Appalachian Trail. "A Walk in the Woods" is a perfect title, since it uses four words to simplify all of the hardships that can arise due to this enormous trail. The author saw the Appalachian Trail as a unique walk in the woods that would be a great challenge to overcome. So, he decided to walk it, and that was the start to an adventure he would never forget.