A Walk in the Woods free essay sample

I thought there was something very honest, very human, in his sarcasm† (Jenna Baker, MST Publishing, 2011). Kirkus Review said, â€Å"†¦Bryson is a talented portraitist of place. He did his natural-history homework, which is to say he knows a jack-o-lantern mushroom from a hellbender salamander from a purple warty back mussel, and can also write seriously about the devastation of chestnut blight† (2004). Almost every review of this novel shows Bryson’s incredible duality of sarcasm and truth within the book. The humor he uses is a very bright sarcasm that includes with circumstantial evidence and intelligence. Method of Development: Because this book is an autobiography, the characters were all completely real and developed from Bill Bryson’s memories of the actual events that occurred in his story. As Bryson’s trek progresses, so does his sense of self. Bryson is transformed from a soft middle-ager to a serious hiker. Along the long Appalachian Trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine, Bill Bryson encounters several people (characters) along the way. We will write a custom essay sample on A Walk in the Woods or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page An old school-friend of Bryson’s, Stephen Katz, joins Bryson for the trip. An out-of-shape and abrasive companion, Katz is also known for traveling with the author through Europe when they were in their early 20s, as documented in Bryson’s earlier book, Neither Here Nor There. Although Katz complains constantly and is often insufferable on the trail, his well-timed sarcastic commentary is often comedic gold. At other times he proves to be a sincere and loyal friend to Bryson. The first person the pair meet on the trail is Mary Ellen, an obnoxious Floridian who attaches herself to Bryson and Katz. After a few days, Bryson and Katz ditch her by hiking to a road and hitchhiking into town. The pair then meet â€Å"Chicken John† later on the trail, a man famous on the Appalachian Trail for his tendency to get lost, sometimes walking in the wrong direction for days at a time. Bryson is delighted to meet him on one of his day hikes near Dalton, where Chicken John reveals that his name is really Bernard. Analysis of Devices: Diction: Bryson does not use complex diction in this novel, because he wants to really make it understandable and relatable to almost anyone that picks the book up to read it. Although there may be some larger vocabulary words present in the writing, most of the words are smaller and more concise, used in everyday conversation like â€Å"remove†, â€Å"grinds†, â€Å"circumstances†, â€Å"depression†, and â€Å"frequently†. Some things key to the book are â€Å"denim-blue lakes†, â€Å"heavy green forests†, â€Å"compression straps†, etc. Bryson is very descriptive in his diction and syntax, which makes the writing very realistic for the reader. Point of View and Structure: In order for a reader to become interested in a novel, there must be a narrative hook portrayed by the author. Bryson begins the book with a flashback, quite nostalgic, about how he viewed the woods in his childhood backyard. The reader is ultimately hooked by this thought of wonder and unexplored territory to the narrator. This book becomes a narrative told from the point of Bill Bryson, because he is retelling the story, through chronological flashbacks, of what happened on his adventures on the Appalachian Trail. The set up of the book with informative facts at the beginning of most chapters and story form for the rest of the book adds to the interesting structure of a narrative to the reader. The readers generally prefer structure mainly because they are not thrown off from their train of thought while reading, if the book is well structured. As Aristotle once concluded, there are three different appeals that an author must touch on to grab his audience’s attention: ethos, pathos, and logos. To concur with the narration aspect of literary technique the narrator must establish common ground, and show that he is credible and good-natured to the reader, and only then can he begin with the narrative. Narrative structure is a key factor in this book to help Bryson get his overall purpose and message across to the reader(s). Tone: In this book, Bill Bryson uses four different tones in his writing: informative, pragmatic, humorous, and reflective. The informative tone is especially apparent in the beginning of every chapter, where there are multitudes of facts presented. For example, when Bryson provides us with the story of Earl V. Shaffer, â€Å"†¦who was the first man to walk the Appalachian Trail from end to end in a single summer† (Bryson, 38). Bryson shows us that he is very credible through demonstrating his knowledge on life in the woods and nature. The pragmatic or practical tone is apparent when Bryson is describing the improvisations and adaptations that he had to accommodate to when he experienced sudden changes in the woods. For example, during the snowstorm, they camped in a shelter with no front side and during the rainstorm they slept in their tents outdoors. All the compromises that Bryson had to make because of sudden changes contribute to his pragmatic tone whilst telling the story. Another main tone that Bryson uses is a humorous tone. All throughout the book, Bryson and Katz are cracking jokes to keep themselves alert and entertained in the woods. Also, the people they meet along the trail and highways are humorous people, such as Darren and Donna in the car, Mary Ellen, and the Boy Scout troop. Lastly, I believe that there is a reflective tone seen in the book. Once Bryson and Katz go their separate ways at Front Royal, the book takes on a reflective tone through Bryson’s eyes regarding life on the trail without Katz by his side. Four Influential Points in the Author’s Life: 1. Dropping out of college: Bill Bryson was educated at Drake University but dropped out in 1972, deciding to instead backpack around Europe for four months. He returned to Europe the following year with a high school friend, Stephen Katz, who later ended up hiking the Appalachian Trail with Bill. Some of his experiences from this trip are relived as flashbacks in Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe, which documents a similar journey Bryson made twenty years later. 2. Move to the UK: Bryson decided to stay in England after landing a job working in a psychiatric hospital—the now defunct Holloway Sanatorium in Virginia Water, Surrey. He met a nurse there named Cynthia, whom he married, and they moved to the USA in 1975 so Bryson could complete his college degree. In 1977, they settled in the UK, where they remained until 1995. Living in North Yorkshire and mainly working as a journalist, Bryson eventually became chief copy editor of the business section of The Times, and then deputy national news editor of the business section of The Independent. 3. Chancellor Appointment: In 2005, Bryson was appointed Chancellor of Durham University, succeeding the late Sir Peter Ustinov, and has been particularly active with student activities, even appearing in a Durham student film (the sequel to The Assassinator) and promoting litter picks in the city. He had praised Durham as a perfect little city in Notes from a Small Island. He has also been awarded honorary degrees by numerous universities, including Bournemouth University and in April 2002 the Open University. 4. President: In May 2007, he became the President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England. His first area focus in this role was the establishment of an anti-littering campaign across England. He discussed the future of the countryside with Richard Mabey, Sue Clifford, Nicholas Crane and Richard Girling at CPREs Volunteer Conference in November 2007. Significant Quote with Explanation: â€Å"The American woods have been unnerving people for 300 years. The inestimably priggish and tiresome Henry David Thoreau thought nature was splendid, splendid indeed, so long as he could stroll to town for cakes and barley wine, but when he experienced real wilderness, on a visit to Katahdin in 1846, he was unnerved to the core. This wasnt the tame world of overgrown orchards and sun-dappled paths that passed for wilderness in suburban Concord, Massachusetts† (Bryson, 25). This quote from the book demonstrates foreshadowing. Through Henry David Thoreau, Bryson essentially describes himself. Thoreau thought â€Å"nature was splendid† until â€Å"he was unnerved to the core† when he truthfully and actually experienced it for himself. Bryson went through the same process and was equally shaken by his discovery. I like the way Bryson worded this quote. Instead of actually coming out and directly saying that he himself was shaken by his discovery of the harsh nature of the outdoors, he indirectly implied it through another source. Critique: As I read, what really won me over was not the actual events, but Brysons writing style. Much of the book uses such a conversational tone that the inclusion of history and factual information doesnt disrupt the narrative structure much. His humor manages to shine through at just the right moment. A lot of reviewers felt the author was a jerk who mocks many of the people and situations he encounters, but I thought there was something very honest, very human, in his sarcasm. A lot of his thoughts and actions werent exactly admirable, but I cant say that I wouldnt have done the same thing in certain situations while under such stress. I am definitely guilty of having the same dry humor he exhibits. Maybe this is why I felt more of a connection. There is a lot more to the story than what Ive written about here, but I dont want to give much away. I think you know if this is a type of work youll be interested in reading, and I want to make sure that people are able to go in as fresh as possible. I didnt know anything about this book when I started, and that only added to the enjoyment. A Walk in the Woods was definitely a good introduction to Brysons work. While I dont think I will ever take on such an extreme endeavor in my lifetime, I have definitely regained an interest in day hiking. I dont have the time, stamina, or perseverance to hike something as enormous as the Appalachian Trail, but I do enjoy nature and being outdoors. Hopefully, I can start planning more trips to the trails now that spring has arrived, and the weather has improved. I would recommend reading this book if you are looking for a way to learn more about one of natures splendid creations in a down-to-earth, honest travel memoir format.