Using the Rhetorical Triangle to Explain the Purpose of "A Walk in The Woods"

1. "Briefly use the rhetorical triangle to explain the purpose of the book."

        At first, the main purpose of "A Walk in The Woods" was to walk the Appalachian Trail. Bill Bryson made it clear that this was the topic of his book. He told his story in a way that everyone in the audience who was reading could easily understand what was going on. At the same time, he balanced out the main subject with the events that happened along the way. Bryson met numerous characters during his adventure who added to his novel. He even had to change his original goal from time to time because he slowly realized just how huge a commitment walking the Appalachian Trail really is. Eventually, I came to conclude that the purpose of the book was not simply walking the Appalachian Trail, but gaining an understanding that the world is truly enormous, and full of sights that few people take the time to see. Bryson came to realize this and did not regret failing to walk the entire trail, but was glad that he could now see the world in an entirely different way than before. He could now look up at a mountain and appreciate the size and grandiosity of it all, rather than rush past quickly on his way to an event without actually acknowledging the significance of the structure.

2.  "How does the author elicit pathos?"

        Throughout the book, Bryson slowly develops a strong friendship with his friend, Kat. In the beginning, Bryson dreads having to spend months on end with a person like Kat. Kat is untidy, out of shape, not able to keep up, and he whines... A lot. Yet, as the story progresses, Kat and Bryson come to understand each other and they become good friends. This is a great example of how Bryson elicits pathos throughout his novel. He gains emotion and power through the friendships and relationships that connect the characters. Along the way, Bryson and Kat meet a great variety of people, some who they like, and some who they despise. Bryson also shows emotion in his writing when he talks about his doubts about their journey and the people he misses since he has been away from home for so long. In the end though, all of the loose ends are cleared up and Bryson returns home.

3.  "How does the author establish ethos?"

        The characters within "A Walk in the Woods" are developed extremely well. They each have unique personalities and behavior traits. Bryson establishes ethos through the people he writes about. He portrays Kat as a humorous middle aged man who has interesting habits and is thought of as quite odd until you get to know him. Once Bryson became good friends with Kat, the two of them stuck together throughout the journey, meeting more unique individuals along the way. For instance, at one point in the trail, Bryson and Kat meet a woman who is not the best company. They both become annoyed with her and hope that she will stop following them, since they are tired of listening to her chatting away about things that they really do not care about. Eventually the woman leaves them and Kat and Bryson can walk in peace again. Throughout the book, the audience learns to trust Bryson and his decisions, and the readers cannot help but grow fond of Kat's hilarious personality. Everyone in the book has a distinct sense of character, and Bryson added them all for a reason.

4. "How does the author employ logos?"

        Bryson did a great job of writing in a way that the reader can easily understand, so that they always know what exactly is going on. He employs logos throughout "A Walk in The Woods" by writing in a clear, distinct style and always focusing around the current part of the plot. Bryson organized the main ideas in a logical manner, which breaks down the context of the writing. In this way, the plot line feels complete and in a solid chronological order. Throughout his work, Bryson shows the reason behind his thoughts. He describes the emotions he has along the way as well as the decisions he must make in order to survive his journey. There are many struggles and hardships along the way, and at times it was very frustrating for him. It takes a whole lot of determination to go out and try something like hiking the Appalachian Trail because it is in no way an easy feat.  Bryson had to adjust his goal quite a bit, but he tried his best to accomplish anything he possibly could.