a walk in the woods short essay

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Appalachian Trail: A Journey of Humor, Challenges, and American Heroism

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Emotive Language and Trail Conditions

Humorous Writing Style

Chapter 9: adventures, history, and american heroism, non-verbal elements: sketch and humor, celebrating diversity and determination, the transformative power of nature, the camaraderie of the trail, environmental reflections, conclusion: a trail of challenges, triumphs, and reflections.

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A Walk in the Woods

• After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) returns to the U.S., where he decides the best way to connect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends, Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte).
• In this new comedy adventure, celebrated travel writer, Bill Bryson (Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife, Catherine (Dame Emma Thompson), and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail - two thousand two hundred miles of America's most unspoiled, spectacular and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find, though, is anything but, once he agrees to being accompanied by the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek - his long-lost and former friend Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte), a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer who, after a lifetime of relying on his charm and wits to keep one step ahead of the law - sees the trip as a way to sneak out of paying some debts and sneak into one last adventure before its too late. The trouble is, the two have a completely different definition of the word, "adventure". Now they're about to find out that when you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins. — Broad Green Pictures
• Author Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) is living the quiet life in New Hampshire with his wife Catherine (Dame Emma Thompson) and family. He decides to hike the two thousand two hundred mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Catherine insists he not go alone, so Bryson searches far and wide for someone to accompany him. Though not approached, old friend Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte) volunteers. However, Katz is unfit and seems like he may be a liability in Bryson's endeavors. Nevertheless, the two of them set off on an adventure of a lifetime. — grantss
• Lauded travel writer Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) returns to America after decades abroad with the intention of retiring. However, he's drawn in by the lure of the Appalachian Trail, of which he challenges himself to hike the entirety. He's joined on his journey by a long-lost friend, habitual criminal and line-stepper Katz (Nick Nolte), and the two embark on an unforgettable and challenging adventure.
• In the twilight of his life, New Hampshire based travel writer Bill Bryson (Robert Redford), who has travelled the world primarily outside the U.S. for work, literally stumbles upon the idea to hike the two thousand two hundred mile Appalachian Trail, despite only a small fraction of those that make the attempt, the majority being much younger, complete the entire length, which usually takes in the realm of five or six months. Most that know him consider the idea total folly, including his adult children and his loyal and faithful wife of forty years, Catherine (Dame Emma Thompson), who tries to talk him out of it. If he is determined to do it, she insists that he not do it alone. In Bill putting the feelers out, the only person who responds positively is Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte), who only heard about it through a mutual friend, as the two have not seen or talked to each other in forty years. They parted company way back then on less than good terms. In reuniting with Stephen, Bill can see that it will be a difficult physical journey since he's not in the best of shape. Beyond the physical issues and the natural hazards of the hike, they will have to overcome many other obstacles if they have any hope of completing the journey, including dealing with the misadventures they get into with other people they meet along the way. Arguably, the biggest obstacle may be dealing with each other, not only in having different motivations for making this trip, but in addressing the other's foibles which made them not keep in touch for forty years. — Huggo
• Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) is a successful author who after living in England for many years, comes back to live in New Hampshire, with his loving wife, Catherine (Emma Thompson) whom he met and married while living in England. After a TV interview, Bill goes with Catherine to a funeral. After talking to the widow and offering their condolences, Bill wants to leave, but Catherine tells him to go and talk with the others that are there. When they get home, Bill tells Catherine that he is going for a walk. On his walk, he comes across a sign that says "The Appalachian Trail." Later that night, Bill does some research on the trail, concluding that it is a 2,000+ mile trek from Georgia to Maine. When he tells Catherine about it, she voices her displeasure with the idea. But, she eventually relents when she tells Bill that she will let him go on the hike if he can find someone to go with him. After calling everyone he knows, he almost gives up since everyone that he called declines. Suddenly, he gets a phone call from his long-lost friend, Stephen (Nick Nolte) who offers to go with him on the hike. When Bill tells Catherine, she gets upset because she has heard stories about Stephen's philandering ways. Bill tells her that she agreed to let him go if he found someone, which he has. So she lets him go. Bill and his son go to an outdoor shop to buy supplies for the trip. The salesperson (Nick Offerman) entices Bill with some camping equipment, including an overpriced backpack and a tent. Bill and Catherine go to the airport to meet Stephen. Stephen, overweight and clearly out-of-shape, stumbles off the airplane. When he sees Bill, they hug, and he also hugs Catherine. That night, Stephen tells Bill's family stories about Bill with other women in his past. Bill, who was out of the room, comes in and is surprised that Stephen told them about that. Catherine asks Bill why he kept those stories a secret, to which he says that he forgot about it. Catherine tells Stephen that she wants to hear more of these stories. The next day, the two men head off to the start point of the trail. The first morning is clearly the most difficult. Bill starts off at a nice pace, but Stephen is very slow, so Bill has to adjust his pace. Other hikers pass them, including a boy scout group. They stop to get something to eat, which is when they are approached by Mary Ellen (Kristen Schaal), a loud, arrogant, know-it-all hiker who doesn't hike with others because she points out their techniques as being wrong and assumes that she is the only one who hikes "the correct way". She tags along with Bill and Stephen, constantly talking about them and even telling Bill that he got ripped off at the outdoor shop and that the salesperson must have seen him coming. That night, Bill goes over to Stephen's tent with a plan to ditch Mary Ellen. They agree to get up early and head out before she wakes up. In the morning, as they prepare to leave, Mary Ellen wakes up. She asks them if they are leaving, and they say they are. Bill asks if she wants them to wait for her. She says that she will catch up. When she goes back into her tent, Bill and Stephen take off down the trail. She begins to catch up to them, so they hide until she passes by, and then they continue. A little later, Bill and Stephen come across another hiker heading in the opposite direction. He tells them that a storm is coming and that they should prepare for it. Stephen looks up at the clouds and doesn't see any sign of an approaching storm. All of a sudden, they are hit by a snowstorm. They eventually make camp and are able to ride out the storm. They come to a motel with some cabins. When they ask for a cabin, the front desk attendant tells them that all that is left is a couple of bunks in the main room. They go and settle in their bunks. Stephen takes the top bunk while Bill takes the bottom. Bill lays down in his bunk and looks up and notices the boards cracking from Stephen's weight. Suddenly, Stephen crashes through and falls onto Bill. They continue on and eventually come to another town. They head to the local motel, where the proprietor, Jeannie (Mary Steenburgen) begins to develop feelings for Bill after they have a conversation. Bill decides not to do anything with Jeannie, due to him being married. The next morning, Bill and Stephen go to the local laundromat to do some laundry. Bill decides to go to K-Mart to get some supplies before they head out, but ends up falling into a mud pit after taking a shortcut to avoid crossing a busy highway to get to the store. Stephen develops an attraction to a woman who comes into the laundromat. They decide to meet at a fire station later that day. Bill comes back with his clothes all muddy and Stephen tells him the story of the woman at the laundromat. Stephen goes to meet the woman while Bill goes to have lunch at a restaurant. As he's having lunch, Stephen comes in and tells Bill that the woman is married and that her husband is looking for him (Stephen). So, they go back to the motel and prepare to get ready to get back on the trail. All of a sudden, they hear screeching tires. It is the woman's husband. He is knocking on all of the doors in the motel, trying to find Stephen. They are able to avoid the man by escaping out the window in the bathroom. They get back on the trail. On the path, they are chatting when they find themselves at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a beautiful landscape view. They choose to stop and end up having an enlightening conversation about Stephen's past as an alcoholic and his being sober for years. He shows Bill a bottle of bourbon that he has in his bag. He tells Bill that the bottle is a reminder that he can drink, but that he chooses not to. He has Bill open the bottle, which he does. Bill hands the bottle back to Stephen. Stephen smells the bourbon inside the bottle and then pours it out. Later that night, Bill hears some noises in the woods. He wakes Stephen up and asks him if he hears it. Stephen passes it off as being nothing. Bill shines a flashlight into the bushes and two grizzly bears come out and start smelling around. Stephen gets frightened, but Bill suggests that they have to stand up to the bears and then they will go away. With their tents, they are able to appear larger, make noises, and successfully frighten the two bears away. The next day, they continue on and pass a sign that says that this particular area is only for experienced hikers. They press on and end up accidentally falling down a part of a ravine onto a small section of a platform that overlooks the river below. They are trapped because they cannot climb back up the mountain and cannot climb down because of the river below. So after trying to make a makeshift rope with their clothes, they concede for the night. The next morning, they are noticed by two hikers that they encountered earlier in the trip, who rescue them. As they press on, they notice a map that highlights where they are in the trail. The map shows that they have only hiked about a third of the entire length of the trail, and they have already been hiking for months (they started in April, and it was already after June). It is not too long afterward that Bill asks Stephen if he wants to go home. Stephen says that he does. Bill accompanies Stephen to the bus station where they say their goodbyes. Bill heads home and hugs a grateful Catherine. Bill goes over to his study where Catherine has put all of his mail, including some postcards. The postcards are from Stephen, who wrote them on his bus trip home. The postcards comment on different key things during the trip, including the grizzly bear incident. On the final postcard, Stephen writes, "Hey Bill. What's next?" Bill opens up his laptop and begins writing his new book, entitled "A Walk In The Woods". THE END

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Student Essay: A Walk in the Woods

By Caleb Scott

The splendor of nature is not a cliche, but a reality that merits our attention..

When taking your dog on a usual walking route, you notice small details that seem new each time. However, you also grow so accustomed to your walk that you commit every twist and turn to memory, finding yourself, even without consciously doing so, making every step in the right direction, and eventually arriving safely at home.

My family and I have an excellent hiking trail that runs directly from our back gate, and, over time, we became acquainted with every tree, rock, and bush, even naming some. There is a certain dead oak, still imposing in stature, that we christened the Walking Tree, because its leafless limbs resemble appendages, waiting to ensnare oblivious passersby; we say that each night it moves slightly, almost imperceptibly, toward we know not what. We once traveled across town to another trail, where we observed what appeared to be his relatives. Perhaps he is creeping to a long-awaited reunion. Supposedly, our region is inhabited by deer and other such animals, but they are not interested in socializing with us humans. The only glimpse we have had of one was a deer walking on a nearby hill; he quickly took his leave. Nevertheless, the creatures we do have an opportunity to relish are no less spectacular: red-tailed hawks with their high-pitched screeches glide overhead, while Steller’s jays hop on the coarse dirt. Even the occasional owl will silently traverse the gaps between the treetops, leaving the viewer to marvel in its wake. These wondrous events occur on our very own simple trail, making it, in my view, one of the most beautiful places on earth.

This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks, Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight, Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic ... Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline

Our dog, a rather wooly Siberian Husky named Kodiak, is seemingly still absorbing this trail into his canine mind, stopping every few paces to examine a new bush or shrub, then bounding forward to his spot as the front, apparently thinking it his rightful position. If he notices us making ready for a trek, he becomes giddy with excitement—and on the rare occasion when my father heartlessly neglects to bring Kodiak on his morning walk, he is visibly hurt and annoyed, holding a grudge for the rest of the day. Although he delights in his escapades, he loathes his harness with every fiber of his being; sometimes a treat will coax him into it, but occasionally even that fails to lure him into the dreaded torture device. Once actually on a stroll, however, he utterly forgets the harness in his unadulterated and limitless joy. He pulls his walker along with him, creating doubt whether the human or the dog is being walked! This continues to the point of self-strangulation, as he wheezes and still strives to run faster. If we were to fashion a cart device he could pull, I believe he would wholeheartedly do so. In the hot California weather, his furry body heats up quickly, making him pant furiously during and sometime after a walk. Despite the suffering he must endure, he unfailingly presses on; to him, the comparatively minor discomforts are worth his undying objective.

Our trail transforms as you go farther and farther, first manifesting itself as a wildlife-filled pine forest, then a shrubbed desert, then, even farther, as a flowered, rocky mountain (at least in spring). It also changes depending on the season, for a creek runs in spring and early summer from the snow-melt. The dog, of course, loves splashing and rolling in it. He relishes lapping at the tiny waterfalls, sometimes nipping at them as if they were animals. As I write, it is late summer, and the stream is all but dried up. But I know that in the fall, the rains will go about their business and the river will trickle, both hearkening back to and foreshadowing its full glory. Still later, after winter, spring will thaw the snow from the distant peaks, and our little creek will burst forth once more. Between the two periods, something still more incredible occurs. You may have every nook and cranny of the trail memorized like the back of your hand, but when the snows come, the landscape metamorphoses. It becomes a dream land, with white powder coating the ground, bushes, and trees. You hardly remember what way is what, and if you tried, you might become lost in this strange world. Kodiak, like myself, sees this as the epitome of the sublime. Where once we were toiling in the arid heat, now we shield ourselves with coats, gloves, and snow pants. Kodiak’s coat, of course, is already perfectly suited to this new climate. And so, the cycle of seasons repeats, as the Creator ordained. But the pines remain unchanging. 

Even they will some day die—from a fire, perhaps, or mere decay. The very rocks and hills shall pass away, and make way for a world that shall be altogether more perfect and magnificent. But for now, as part of the one in which God has placed us, we, with the dog, open our gate into endless splendor.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Caleb Scott is a homeschooled senior from Pine Valley, CA. He is interested in a variety of subjects, including history, political science, and biochemistry, and is considering attending Colorado Christian University, The Master’s University, and Hillsdale College. Some of his hobbies are reading, writing, Krav Maga, and playing the upright bass and ukulele.

Every time the CLT is administered, the forty highest-scoring students are invited to contribute an essay to the Journal. Congratulations to Mr. Scott, and merry Christmas!

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A Walk in the Woods

Bill bryson, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

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A Walk in the Woods Short Essay - Answer Key

1. How long is the Appalachian Trail and in what states does it begin and end?

The AT is 2,100 miles long and runs from Georgia to Maine.

2. What are the benefits Bill Bryson believes he will get from hiking the Appalachian Trail?

Bryson will become fit, become reacquainted with America's natural beauty, and learn how to survive in the wilderness.

3. Describe the two things Bryson is shocked about when he goes to buy equipment for the hike.

Bryson is shocked by the expensive price of equipment and how everything he buys requires an additional piece of equipment.

4. Summarize what Bryson does when he brings all his camping equipment home.

Bryson brings it to the basement, sets up the tent, spreads out the sleeping bag, and crawls inside.

5. Summarize what Bryson reads about on winter nights before he sets out on the Appalachian Trail.

Bryson reads about bear attacks on hikers camping in the wilderness.

(read all 60 Short Essay Questions and Answers)

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A Walk in the Woods

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Chapter 1 summary.

Bryson explains that after moving from England back to the US and settling in a small New Hampshire town with his family, he soon discovers a walking path with a sign announcing that it’s part of the famed Appalachian Trail , a 2,100-mile trail running from Georgia to Maine along America’s eastern seaboard. Offering himself rationalizations like improving his fitness, reacquainting himself “with the scale and beauty of [his] native land after nearly twenty years of living abroad” (4), and the threat of global warming destroying forests, Bryson decides to try to hike the trail in its entirety. He then turns his attention to preparation and considers the many possible dangers, including threats from animals such as bears, wolves, and snakes; infections and diseases such as poison ivy or giardiasis; and even murder, considering that nine hikers had been murdered on the AT since 1974.

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