"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.
Hi, Theresa!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Bryson is a really fantastic writer or if the air conditioning is just too high in this room, but I got chills reading that passage from the last page. I haven't even read the story, yet I was struck by the blatant conclusions of the author. I'll have to put this on my list of books to read.
It may seem overplayed, but the idea of the importance of the journey vs. the destination is a very important one. Of course, goals are vital for anyone who wants to succeed, but a laborious journey without a successful end is much more valuable than a success without any labor put into it.
Great work and I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts this year!
-Hannah
Thanks, Hannah! Yeah, this was by far my favorite passage in the book. It was so thoughtful and reflective that I just had to write about it in my blog. I may not have like the entire book, but I really loved this part! (:
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