The book A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson has a variety of characteristics that make it a good story. One reason it is a good story is the interesting plot. A Walk in the Woods is a memoir about an overweight, out-of-shape American man (the author, Bill Bryson) who ambitiously aspires to hike the Appalachian Trail- more than 2,000 miles of untamed, dangerous wilderness. His also overweight and out-of-shape friend Stephen joins him on this daunting journey. They meet dozens of new and interesting people along their proposed trip from Georgia to Maine. Although they learn much about these fellow travelers, Bill and Stephen learn more about themselves and the downfalls of modern society than they could have imagined.
In tandem with the plot, the variety of conflicts and the characters’ reactions to them make A Walk in the Woods a good story. The first time the narrator acknowledges the main conflict of the characters being unprepared to take on the trail is on page 50. Bill and Stephen are just beginning the trail and Bill says, “It was hell. First days on hiking trips always are. I was hopelessly out of shape–hopelessly. The pack weighed too much. Way too much. I had never encountered anything so hard, for which I was so ill prepared. Every step was a struggle.” Bill shows here the raw sense of being overwhelmed he felt that first day on the trail. He is reconsidering his impulsive, uneducated decision to start the trail as soon as possible without preparing himself mentally or physically. This conflict of man versus nature continues to appear throughout the story, such as on page 143 when Bill and Stephen have just endured four days and nights of miserable, pouring rain: “We were soaked and filthy, desperately needed a laundrette, clean, dry clothes, a square meal, and a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. It was time to go to Gatlinburg.” Bill and Stephen have been on the trail for weeks now, away from the comforts they have been used to for years. They have changed, even from this short time on the trail, and now see the sheer bad looks of modern shopping malls and housing developments. They have a new appreciation for the natural harmony of the woods and everything that exists in them.
Another characteristic of stories found in A Walk in the Woods is character development. This characteristic is a major factor in the book’s plot with Bill and Stephen finding a deep, previously unknown appreciation and respect for everything in the wilderness and the few people who work to preserve it. With these feelings come growing disgust at Americans’ wasteful attitudes, their tendency to always want something new, and the majority’s disregard for nature. These feeling show in Bill’s personal reflections on page 149 when he says, “Nothing in America [lasts long]. If a product or enterprise doesn’t constantly reinvent itself, it is superseded, cast aside, abandoned without sentiment in favor of something bigger, newer, and, alas, nearly always uglier.” With this statement Bill puts in negative terms many Americans’ search for wealth and success by always innovating and looking for the next big thing. He deems it unnecessary and comparing it to wiping beauty off the map to be replaced by bigger, uglier developments for something that is simply used to repeat the process, that something being money. The combination of plot, conflict, and character development in A Walk in the Woods make it a good story.
John tries to convince me this is a good book because it has an interesting plot, a variety of conflicts, and great character development. He gives a clear and focused description of the book that gives the necessary background information but doesn’t go into to much detail. His examples of conflict also give a good sense of the different challenges that Bill and Stephen will face throughout the book. I also agree with him on his last point that this book has great character development. He clearly shows that not only does Bill and Stephen friendships grow, their appreciation for the environment and the people around them grows as well. I think the weakest part of his argument is his explanation of character development, but it is not bad. The strongest part is definitely the variety of conflicts section. I am convinced it is a good book.
ReplyDeleteJohn tries to convince me this is a good book because it has an interesting plot, a variety of conflicts, and great character development. He gives a clear and focused description of the book that gives the necessary background information but doesn’t go into to much detail. His examples of conflict also give a good sense of the different challenges that Bill and Stephen will face throughout the book. I also agree with him on his last point that this book has great character development. He clearly shows that not only does Bill and Stephen friendships grow, their appreciation for the environment and the people around them grows as well. I think the weakest part of his argument is his explanation of character development, but it is not bad. The strongest part is definitely the variety of conflicts section. I am convinced it is a good book.
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