told him that “If you want to leave, go right ahead, but first you sure as shootin’ ought to give this country a chance! Its the greatest damn place that ever happened to this whole world and if you don’t believe me, try it.” (Stu 16) Peter didn’t full heartedly agree, yet he still became motivated to see what was so “great” about this nation. As the book progressed, Peter began to show more and more of his positive feelings.
Peter often called Cooper his “forever friend” several times throughout the story. Cooper treated the journey as an adventure as he ran around in any weather, chased and hunted the wildlife, and enjoyed the snacks that Peter gives him. Peter appreciated Cooper’s company yet also was constantly worrying about his well being throughout the book. So when Cooper was hit by a truck, he was devastated and even in denial. “I knew it was Cooper under those wheels. He could survive even if his body had taken the entire weight of the truck. He was forever. Nothing could hurt him” (Jenkins 205)
Peter lived in Greenwich, New York and then headed to Alfred, New York for college for a change of peace and for freedom. “I looked forward to, and attending was as inevitable being born, owning my own car, or dying” (Jenkins 8) He had a good young adult life, as he attended Woodstock in ‘69 and met his first wife at the college. After the failure of his marriage, and the stress of the America’s problems, Peter becomes set on leaving the United States.
Both the Vietnam and Cold wars were going on as Peter was headed out on his trip. He did not like war and what was going on, even stating “Everyone knew that anyone even thinking of the army was a capitalist pig warmonger, at least” (Jenkins 8) This quote shows how Peter and most of the people at the time felt. There also was industry booming, decaying the environment and making Peter feel furious. He even calls the environmental problems a nightmare when he said “Then the nightmare would end in a band when the Russians dropped an atomic bomb” (Jenkins 14)
Peter had grown up in Greenwich, leading him to believe that every other city in America would be exactly like Greenwich; including their incomes and social standards.
Soon after, Peter’s stereotypes and sheltered ideals were proven wrong, as he mentioned “In West Virginia I expected to find hillbillies rocking their lives away on the front porches of leaning shacks, so I was taken off guard to see White Sulphur Springs.This town was a classic in-the-middle-of-nowhere place, but there sat a multimillion-dollar resort with all the class of any grand hotel in Paris or New York.” (Jenkins 49) Peter, upon meeting, thought Mary Elizabeth would be inhospitable and be rude towards him. He was proven wrong as she offered to let him stay for as long as he needed. “I believe in God. And I think he sent you here ta test aw faith. So, from now on, if you want to, you can stay with us” (Mary Elizabeth 121) Barbara and Peter needed to see a sign to stay together, yet Peter was wary and wasn’t sure if he would even see a sign. Yet they do see a sign that shows they can remain together. Peters incorrect ideas about the rest of the United States came from his high class living standard growing up as a child. Once he goes out and experiences these areas in person, he learns he was wrong about what he originally and his journey became a learning experience for him.
At first people often thought Peter was being completely absurd when he would state that he is walking across america. Later on, …show more content…
as Peter gained popularity, people consider him “that hippie walking across america” , a yankee, or even a liar. Even in the first chapter of the book, Peter is considered, by complete strangers, that he is crazy. In one town in North Carolina, a rumour spread that Peter was a drug pusher, attempting to corrupt the children in the town. (Jenkins 106)
Before Peter began his journey, back when he was in college at the time, he criticized America as a whole; from the Vietnam war, drug and alcohol usage,to the racism prevalent in the south. “And Communism? Whatever that was, it couldn’t be any worse than the capitalist pig warmongers who ran this country.” (Jenkins 14). Later, when he comes to the final decision of travelling across America, he challenges himself by training and getting himself, and Cooper, in shape. When Peter and Cooper hike through the forests, that are plentiful during his journey, Peter would be distressed about hunters shooting at either him or his companion, and also of the other creatures that might lurk through the dark trees that could possible attack either of them.
Stu, an old friend from Peter’s college years, aided in convincing Peter to go on his trek through America, giving Peter the advice of “If you want to leave [America], go right ahead, but first you sure as shootin’ ought to give this country a chance! Its the greatest damn place that ever happened to this whole world and if you don’t believe me, try it.” (Stu 16) Homer Davenport offered to help Peter settle down up in the mountains, stating that “ya never know what's gonna happen to ya in this old life.” (Homer 72), The Oliver family, which gave him shelter and provided for him generously, and had him witness more religious side of life. Barbara helped him discover his faith and ultimately became his match.
Personally, I thought the writing in the book was a bit rough at times, yet, overall it added a certain charm to the narrative. I enjoyed the part with Homer Davenport as his character was unique and interesting to me. I liked how Homer started as an eccentric elderly man living, secluded, in the mountains and later became a valuable friend of Peter’s that helped Peter on his journey with his advice.
This book shows the evolution of Peter’s thoughts after being able to see the beauty of America for what it is instead of just hearing the grim events going on at the time.
At the time this book was written, America was currently involved in the Cold war and the Vietnam war, which Peter disagrees with strongly. “And Communism? Whatever that was, it couldn't be worse than the capitalist pig warmongers who ran this country” (Jenkins 14) As Peter goes on his journey, he sees America’s true beauty of its land and the diversity of the people who live there. This book can be used as a sort of comparison point of then and now. Currently, America has its arms full with problems ranging from large debt and the pollution and other environmental decay going on and a slew of other problems. Peter’s solution to dealing with these stresses is to head out and connect with nature yet, as time goes on, that will be less and less likely. This book helps compare then and now and raises the questions of how will The United States be in the future, and how much larger the differences between the time period in the book and
then.
Peter’s journey is fueled by his curiosity and wishes to learn of the diversity of the country he lives in to help form his opinions on the nation he lives in. The people me meets during the span of his trip all have different lives and can be the kindest friends to the most bitter of acquaintances. He formed strong bonds with the people and families he came across but some he met had no intentions of being nice. In Robbinsville, North Carolina, Peter was basically thrown out of town with the rumours. “My life history was circulated, and before the weekend was out it was known around town that I was a drug pusher aiming to corrupt their children.” Peter had also met Homer, who despite his looks, was one of the most welcoming people he met along the way. The African American family gave Peter shelter and provided him with food. This book helps exemplify that friendship can be created from the most unlikely of places.
I was left with multiple questions by the end of this book. What was it like for Peter to see his family again, and how they wouldn’t see Cooper alongside him? I also wish to hear if Peter ever came back to meet Homer, the black family, or even Cooper’s grave site. I also want to know how Peter Jenkins journey to the west coast was like because of his want for adventure and thrill as he stated “I had started out with a feeling of burning dullness and desperation. Now I was filled with a thrill and expectation of a new discovery.”