Dialectical Journal - Maggie Del Re by Maggie Del Re https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8 A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson en-us 2017-12-15 00:53:10 UTC 2026-01-08 08:42:02 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padletuploads.blob.core.windows.net/aws/80961422/f3ce7749a9d5e7071c220444b031fa3993493cf0/926da18fbe111c4acc55d6aeb6b6e75d.jpg Why I chose this book: 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363970 This is a book I have been meaning to read for a long time. It is a personal account from a man who hiked the Appalachian Trail: a chain of mountains spanning from Maine to Georgia. My dad recommended it to me because I love hiking and aspire to thru hike the Appalachian trail when I turn 18. I have done some short sections of the trail the past few summers, and hearing trail stories from other hikers what one of my favorite things about the experience, so it seemed like I would enjoy reading about someone's experiences. Additionally, I love humor and comedy, and Bryson's writing style is extremely witty and funny.]]> 2017-12-15 00:53:10 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363970 "Imagine, if you will, lying in the dark alone in a little tent, nothing but a few microns of trembling nylon between you and the chill night air, listening to a 400-pound bear moving around your campsite...you suddenly recall, a Snickers in the pouch. Bears adore Snickers, you've heard" (19). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363971 Here Bryson effectively draws the reader into his shoes by asking them to imagine themselves in an extremely scary situation. This appeals to pathos by building fear within the reader and helping them understand the challenges Bryson worries about facing as he is about to embark on this epic journey into the wilderness. As Bryson is one to do, he finishes the passage with a witty, satirical joke about Snickers, keeping the mood generally light and humorous despite the fear-inducing start to the passage.]]> 2017-12-15 00:53:10 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363971 Vocabulary: Svelter 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363972
"My body had taken on a noticeably svelter profile" (79).

Svelter - adjective. Slender or slim. 

She was worried that her friend wasn't eating enough because of her new svelter body.]]> 2017-12-15 00:53:10 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363972 Pages 1-30 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363973 December 14, 2017]]> 2017-12-15 00:53:10 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363973 Reading Schedule 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363974 Week #1: 12/15 
-Up to page 83

Week #2: 12/21
-Up to page 150

Week #3: 1/5
-Finish the book (394 pages)

]]> 2017-12-15 00:53:10 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216363974 Vocabulary: Beguiling 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216365140
"And here it was, quite unexpectedly, meandering in a dangerously beguiling fashion through the pleasant New England community in which I had just settled" (4).

Beguile - verb. To charm or enchant, sometimes in a deceptive way.

The beautiful woman beguiled the man into buying her the expensive necklace, only to flee from him after receiving the gift.]]> 2017-12-15 01:07:15 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216365140 Pages 30-60 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216366872 December, 14, 2017]]> 2017-12-15 01:31:38 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216366872 "To say MacKaye's life at this point was not going well would be to engage in careless understatement" (39). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216366935 Every now and again throughout the novel, Bryson strays from his own personal narrative to explain the context of his journey on a broaderlevel. This sentence is tucked into the beginning of a long, almost 6-page explanation of how the Appalachian trail was first established. However, even during these factual context passages, Bryson keeps the story interesting, readable, and personal with his strong writer's voice. Bryson is self-aware (calling his own words an understatement) and very tongue in cheek with his writing. While reading about the history of a hiking trail may not seem as exciting as as passage about a bear attack for example, Bryson's casual wit prevents the historical parts of the story from feeling stiff or boring, even when compared to the exciting nature of hiking the trail.]]> 2017-12-15 01:32:43 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216366935 Vocabulary: Rime 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216366947
"The inside of my tent was coated in a curious flaky rime, which I realized after a moment was all my nighttime snores, condensed and frozen to the fabric, as if into a scrapbook of my respiratory memories" (58).

Rime - noun. Frost formed on cold objects by the rapid freezing of water vapor in cloud or fog.

I grumbled as I got into my car and noticed a thick rime on the windshield. I turned on the defrosters and windshield wipers and waited for it to thaw.]]> 2017-12-15 01:32:50 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216366947 Pages 60-90 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216367000 December 14, 2017]]> 2017-12-15 01:33:21 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216367000 "I was beginning to appreciate that the central feature of life on the Appalachian Trail is deprivation, that the whole point of the experience is to remove yourself so thoroughly from the conveniences of everyday life that the most ordinary things...fill you with wonder and gratitude. It is an intoxicating experience to taste Coca-Cola as if for the first time and to be conveyed to the brink of orgasm by white bread" (78). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216367051 This quote is longer, but I found it very important, both in terms of content and as another example of Bryson's comedic approach to non-fiction writing. Content-wise, Bryson explicitly states his realization that a primary feature of hiking the AT (and consequently, of the book) is deprivation. By choosing such normal foods to become so excited over (Coca-Cola and white bread) Bryson is able to emphasize how even just five days in the woods can feel like such a long time away from normal civilization due to the extreme deprivation of things that most Americans generally take for granted. This causes readers to realize how lucky they are to have things they probably consider to be normal conveniences, such as access to food and showers - a lesson that many AT hikers express learning, after experiencing deprivation first-hand.
Bryson delivers this lesson in a light and humorous way. His ridiculous use of hyperbole (claiming to be driven to the brink of orgasm by white bread) makes this passage very funny for readers while delivering an important point about deprivation. Overall, the passage does a nice job showcasing Bryson's wit and humor, as well as his ability to draw conclusions from the experiences he had on his walk in the woods.]]> 2017-12-15 01:34:06 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/216367051 Pages 90-120 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627499 December 21, 2017]]> 2017-12-21 03:56:41 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627499 "It was like a window ledge on a skyscraper, no more than 14 or 16 inches wide, and crumbling in places, with a sharp drop on one side of perhaps eighty feet, and long, looming stretches of vertical granite on the other" (102). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627561 Bryson's language in this passage does an outstanding job to induce fear in readers. He uses the common fear of heights/falling to appeal to pathos and make readers realize how dangerous this mountain will be to climb. His use of simile helps readers understand what this cliff looks like, as more people are familiar with looking over a window ledge and skyscrapers than cliffs in the Rocky Mountains. The words "looming" "sharp" and "crumbling" paint a certain picture, demonstrating a solid use of diction. The passage as a whole provides an interesting description of the trail itself.]]> 2017-12-21 03:58:02 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627561 Vocabulary: Reconnoiter 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627588 "I decided to go out to reconnoiter" (109).

Reconnoiter - verb. To make a military observation (specifically of a region).

The soldier peered over the ledge to reconnoiter the terrain they would have to traverse the next day.]]> 2017-12-21 03:58:35 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627588 Pages 120-150 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627660 December 21, 2017]]> 2017-12-21 03:59:34 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627660 "His [Katz's] happiness, it turned out, was because he had killed seven mice and was feeling very proud...Some fur and a nubbin of something pink and pulpy still adhered to the bottom of his water bottle, I noticed when he raised it to his lips" (137). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627672 To most people, this image is just plain repulsive. The thought of beating mice to their bloody deaths and then putting the weapon you used mere inches from your mouth is not a particularly attractive hypothetical - yet Katz feels proud of his accomplishment and is not bothered - or is at least oblivious to - the fact that he is now drinking out of a rat-gut-covered water bottle. This anecdote shows how the trail tends to bring people so far from civilization, they deteriorate into such a messy state that they no longer care about grossness or personal hygiene, and instead focus on survival and continuing on the trail. This can tie back to the themes about extreme deprivation and how uncivilized and wild the Appalachian Trail truly is for thru-hikers.]]> 2017-12-21 03:59:59 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627672 Vocabulary: Austere 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627689
"Even by the austere standards of the Appalachian Trail, this was grim" (136). 

Austere - adjective. Having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic.

The prisoners grumbled at the cold, bare cell, anticipating the difficult austere months to come away from the comforts of his home and family. ]]> 2017-12-21 04:00:32 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/217627689 Pages 150-180 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752414 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 15:02:17 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752414 "Even an interstate highway, with its cloverleaf interchanges and parallel roadways, looked benign and thoughtful, like the illustrations you use to get in children's books in my boyhood" (177). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752715 Bryson's description of a highway from the top of a mountain in this passage makes an ordinary road sound incredible and mystical. This shows how from up high, after a long, hard hike, just about anything seems wonderful and new. His use of descriptive language and diction with words like "cloverleaf" paint a scenic picture in the reader's mind. The idea of parallel roads reminds readers of symmetry and beauty. The comparison to children's books makes the whole scene feel nostalgic, warm, and relatable, even to readers who have never hiked before. I find Bryson's decision to speak of a highway particularly interesting to me: typically busy roadways are associated with the bustle of everyday life and machinery. However, when so far removed, standing literally and figuratively above the chaos, the real world seems beautiful and relaxing. ]]> 2018-01-04 15:03:25 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752715 Vocabulary: Piedmont 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752817 "To the west and to the lazy piedmont to the east" (177).

Piedmont - noun. A gentle slope leading from the base of mountains to a region of flat land.

After hiking the jagged cliffs for several day, we were pleased to see some tamer piedmonts lay ahead.
]]> 2018-01-04 15:03:45 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752817 Pages 180-210 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752969 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 15:04:19 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218752969 "Then you come to a mad junction at Burger King and discover that the new six-lane road to Kmart is long, straight, very busy, and entirely without facilities for pedestrians" (186). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753236 Unlike the previous quote (on page 177), in this passage, Bryson finds himself dead in the center of the "real world", and consequently comes to the stark realization that things are not as serene as they seem on the trail. Having no car, Bryson takes on the task of walking one mile to a Kmart to buy insect repellent. However, the lack of sidewalks and other pedestrian accommodations makes it a difficult and dangerous journey - he arrives at the Kmart looking even more beaten up than several days on the trail left him. I believe Bryson includes this anecdote as a way to criticize American society for being so lazy and reliant on means of transportation other than walking. Even if someone wanted to walk somewhere instead of driving, with the society we live in, in many areas it would be impossible to do safely, and that is ridiculous.
The anecdote has an ironic, and humorous ending. After all of Bryson's struggles to get to the Kmart, turns out they don't stock insect repellent: the one item he came to get. ]]> 2018-01-04 15:05:13 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753236 Vocabulary: cossetted 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753317 "Motorists certainly had a more cossetted, looked-after existence than we did" (209).

Cosset - noun. To care for and protect in an overindulgent way.

The child did not know how to react to the lady yelling at him since his parents cossetted and coddled him at home.]]> 2018-01-04 15:05:30 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753317 Pages 210-240 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753454 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 15:06:00 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753454 "I hat to...try to persuade people to buy a book of mine even though it had nothing to do with effortless weight loss, running with the wolves, thriving in an age of anxiety, or the O.J. Simpson trial. (Even so, it sold over 60 copies)" (229). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753782 After their first section hiking the A.T, Bryson temporarily returns to his "normal life". In this passage, Bryson uses satire to criticize society's obsession with flashy trends and its general short attention span. Prefacing his list of hot topics with "even though" creates a sarcastic, mocking tone, reminiscent of juvenalian satire. However, he prevents the passage from coming off as too bitter or biting  with his light, vaguely self-depricating understatement: "it sold over 60 copies". This is funny because of how utterly unimpressive that number really is, yet Bryson presents it in a braggadocios way, bringing in elements of horation satire. The combination of juvenalian and horation satire are used to inspire the reader to reflect on whether they too are guilty of blindly following trends without coming off as too harsh or judgemental. ]]> 2018-01-04 15:06:31 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753782 Vocabulary: rakish 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753865 "It was very agreeable - almost rakish - to have options" (209).

Rakish - adjective. Having a dashing, jaunty, or slightly disreputable quality or appearance.

While Kim Kardashian is conventionally attractive, I find her to be a bit rakish and untrustworthy because of the way she presents herself.]]> 2018-01-04 15:06:33 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218753865 Pages 240-270 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754225 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 15:07:30 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754225 "Oh, and it has to be the very worst maps produced for hikers anywhere..maps is really too strong of a word for them...comically useless, heartbreakingly useless, dangerously useless" (248). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754358 Here Bryson uses a hyperbole to describe his genuine frustration in a humorous way. By exaggerating the uselessness of the maps, Bryson turns a dangerous and scary situation into a light funny one. Even though the thought of getting lost in the woods without practical maps is terrifying, by focusing on the horrible nature of the maps and not the horrible nature of the situation as a whole, readers are led to find the the passage comical and interesting. Furthermore, the hyperbole emphasizes the importance of good maps, and how bad maps can be utterly devastating when you're on the trail. ]]> 2018-01-04 15:08:00 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754358 Vocabulary: Anthracite 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754402 "I was entering the strange, half-forgotten world of Pennsylvania's anthracite region" (255).

Anthracite - noun. Coal of a hard variety that contains relatively pure carbon and burns with little flame and smoke

We burned the anthracite in order to stay warm without creating smoke and consequently being detected.]]> 2018-01-04 15:08:13 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754402 Pages 270-300 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754475 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 15:08:30 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754475 "Chicken John was famous. I was quite excited. Some people on the trail take on an almost mythic status because of their idiosyncrasies" (294) 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754641 I was excited to see Bryson allude to the phenomenon because with my limited experience on trail, I have found trail legends to be a very real and very exciting thing. 
I enjoyed how Bryson described Chicken John almost as a celebrity. He was giddy to meet this man, simply because people had talked about his fancy hiking equipment. The passage shows the warped social norms and silly things people get excited over when deprived of conventional entertainment and celebrity gossip. ]]> 2018-01-04 15:09:10 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754641 Vocabulary: Indubitably 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754650 "Mountain lions (which indubitably are not extinct) had recently taken to stalking and killing hikers and joggers in the California woods" (290).

Indubitably - adverb. Undoubtedly.

She indubitably has a crush on you because you are the only one she gave a valentine to!]]> 2018-01-04 15:09:13 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218754650 Pages 300-330 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775449 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 16:15:24 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775449 "All this is of some significance to me partly because I live in Hanover but mostly, I believe, because I live in the late twentieth century. Luckily I have a good imagination...I imagined not a lively mini-expressway but a country lane shaded with trees...and I felt much better" (311). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775566 Here Bryson reflects on changes in his own town of Hanover. The government is destroying nature and old town relics, such as a beautiful antique bridge, for more practical concrete structures and roadways. This passage stuck out to me as a change in tone from most of the rest of the novel. It swaps the bitter but hilarious satire for an oddly nostalgic and idealistic moment. Instead of criticizing the towns changes, Bryson acknowledges that he is living in a world that doesn't really exist anymore in the late twentieth century. Though he longs for a slower, more natural time, he accepts the fact that the world he lives in won't allow that, yet takes comfort in the fact that he can always visit that quieter world in his head. I found it strangely wholesome and heartwarming to picture this type of utter acceptance and ability to maintain your own values and happiness while the world around you is changing. There is something almost child-like and wonderful about it. The contrast in tone made me really drawn to this passage.]]> 2018-01-04 16:15:47 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775566 Vocabulary: Krummholz 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775620 "We emerged from a zone of krummholz" (319).

Krummholz - noun. Stunted windblown trees growing near the tree line on mountains.

It is important to avoid stepping on the little krummholz because the lack of dirt towards the top of mountains prevents them from growing deep roots, and consequently, they are easy to kick up and kill.]]> 2018-01-04 16:15:57 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775620 Pages 330-360 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775747 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 16:16:18 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775747 "I hate having to close my eyes for a surprise, always have, but I did it" (339). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775871 From the beginning of the story, Katz and Bryson have had a somewhat rocky relationship full of mutual annoyance with each other. But at the end of the day, the two characters care a lot about each other and would do pretty much anything to help each other out. From Bryson helping Katz escape the wrath of Belluhah's husband, to Katz adorably offering to go back and find Bryson's hiking stick after he forgot it at some point on the trail, they always come together after an argument. To me, this quote represents their relationship in one simple sentence. Bryson hates having to close his eyes, and is annoyed that Katz would even ask him to do something so stupid and silly, however her does it for his friend. ]]> 2018-01-04 16:16:39 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775871 Vocabulary: Venerability 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775911 "Once again, I offer you the Appalachian Trail as a symbol of venerability" (337).

Venerable - adjective. Viewed with a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character.

As a prominent figure during the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Junior was a venerable and respectable man.]]> 2018-01-04 16:16:47 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218775911 Pages 360-394 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218776054 January 4, 2018]]> 2018-01-04 16:17:11 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218776054 "We didn't walk 2,200 miles, it's true, but here's the thing: we tried...I don't care what anybody says. We hiked the Appalachian trail" (394). 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218776125 The last passage of the book. A satisfying ending about victory and sacrifice. Despite never completing the trail in its entirety, Bryson and Katz put an insane amount of time and energy into the trail, and they were able to feel proud of that. A final, and important theme: it doesn't matter what the outcome it or what other people think - as long as you are happy with the work your have done, and you can look back and feel accomplished, then that is what matters. As cheesy as it may be, this theme is extremely important in all aspects of life, but especially for potential thru-hikers, since the AT can be an incredibly dangerous place, and if you are too prideful to take a break or turn back when you should, the results could be catastrophic. Therefore, although Bryson never thru-hiked the AT himself, I still found the book to be a useful tool when considering hiking myself, and would recommend it to other potential thru-hikers.]]> 2018-01-04 16:17:28 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218776125 Vocabulary: Undulant 19delrem https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218776140 "As far as the eye could see...lonely, undulant mountains" (366).

Undulant - adjective. Having a rising and falling motion or appearance like that of waves.

The water was still, however the movement of the light on its surface gave it a beautiful undulant appearance. ]]> 2018-01-04 16:17:31 UTC https://padlet.com/19delrem/l9416zxna6n8/wish/218776140