his family away from society. Homer could not tolerate society so he rejects it and tries to live apart from it. This causes him pain and bitterness because he may have close connections with his land, but it distances him from close connections with human beings, “One thing I’ve learned is that ya never know what’s gonna happen to ya in this old life. Everything can change, just like that” (Jenkins 78). Of course, life’s only constant is change, but, instead of finding a way to share connection with the land and people, Homer has rejected people.
In A Walk Across America, we also see Jenkins run into many different types of people in possession of quite disparate perspectives. His discovery of America is the discovery of how close people are to one another as human beings, despite their very different perceptions and outlooks on life. However, Jenkins does not just view these observations from afar, by his willingness to “find” America, he finds his own connection with other Americans. His own perceptions and views change as he develops his connections with others, unlike Homer’s bitter rejection of them. His ability to keep an open mind gives
...