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Henry Zheng
Mrs. Marcum
English and Injury 111
October 21, 2015
Bond
What does friendship mean to you in America today? Friendship in America can be
interpreted in many different ways because of diversities in this county today. You have people
coming from different cultures and races from all over the world. Different people approach
friendship in their own unique waystosharewithotherpeopleliketheirfriendsandfamilies.
TodaysAmericanfriendshipcanbedefinedascommongoals,caringforeachother,andhow
friendsshouldbebeneficialtooneanother.Inthenovel,AWalkintheWoodsbyBillBryson
friendshipisclearlyreflectedintherelationshipbetweenBrysonandKatz.
The definition of similarity is the state of having common characteristics. In order to start
a friendship, a bond has to be created between two or more people. In that bond, there are people
that share something in common and share similar personal characteristics. Not just common
characteristics like fast learner or excellent memory, but common goals they both want to
accomplish and pursue in their lifetime. It can also be different activities like sports or hobbies.
Richard Brookhiser a American Journalist, biographer, historian, and the senior editor at the
National Review his said in historian article, In The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis wrote that
friendship arises from shared interest and activity; lovers gaze at each other, friends look together
at a common goal (Brookhiser). He describes that friendships begin when two people share
their common interest together as one. Which they would share their similarities and differences

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during their time of the friendship. At the end, they would have found a common goal that they
agree on as friends. Most of the common goals should be positive towards each other, and it
should be beneficial for their relationship. In one of Aristotles three keys of traditional idea of
friendship was that they must share common commitment to the good (qtd. in Doyle and
Smith). Friendship should have positive and encouraging thought to their common values. For
example, some of the common values many people share are; graduating college, volunteering
together, and even looking together for better careers. It should not be anything that would harm
or ruined their friendship.
A friendship has been created between Bryson and Katz during their long hike along the
Appalachian Trail. However, during their hike on the AT, they were not on the same page in their
common goals. Brysons goal was to complete the entire AT and experience the wilderness that
AT has to offer him. He was not going to give up on his goal that easily. While Katz, only
admired little portions of nature from the AT. For the most part, he dreaded going through the
woods and found nature to be miserable. Bryson said, Occasionally, he would exclaim over a
view or regard with admiration some passing marvel of nature, but mostly to him hiking was a
tiring, dirty, pointless slog between distantly spaced comfort zones. I, meanwhile, was wholly,
mindlessly, very contentedly absorbed with the business of just pushing forward (Bryson 123).
This shows that Bryson did not mind the wilderness and just wanted to complete the AT step by
step. On the other note, Katz was not on the same page as Bryson. Katzs goal was to be with
Bryson, so he would not have to be alone back in Des Moines. Katz said to Bryson,Butreally,
youknow,whenyoudothatnightafternightitskindofhardtopersuadeyourselfyoure
leadingarichandthrillingexistence(Bryson370).Katzissaying,aftercontinuouslydoingthe
sameroutineeverydayinhislife,itwashardtothinkhisownlifewasthrillingorfun.Itismore

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difficultforKatztohangoutwithhiscoworkersthatdrinksafterworkbecauseKatzrecent
recoveryfrombeinganalcoholicmakeshimnotwanttobearoundalcohol.Thesearethecauses
ofKatzloneliness.ThisisthereasonwhyKatzwantedtotagalongwithBryson,sohecan
escapehisownloneliness.
Friendships are important because they are probably the only people besides your family
that would help you on your minor issues and sometimes major issues in your life. True friends
would not ask for anything in return but your love and kindness. They would hope you would
also do the same in return for them. They wont give up or forget about you through tough times
that may occur in their life. Daniel Akst argued in his passage, Friends do things for us that
hardly anybody else can, yet ask nothing more than friendship in return (though this can be a
steep price if we take friendship as seriously as we should). (Akst 2) This quote explains how
your true friends or close friends may know something that your family does not know like
certain secrets. This is the reason why friends maybe the only one that can support you in tight
situations and help you get out of it. Relationships and difficult school works are examples of
problems that one might face when going some tough times. Furthermore, Michele E. Doyle and
Mark K. Smith talk about it in this following quote, First, it brings to the foreground the unique
ways that friendships, defined here as long-term relation-ships of mutual affection and support,
have helped people deal with the struggles of daily life in a wide range of human societies.
(Doyle and Smith) Great friends are created from long- term relationship that improve and
become stronger over time. They become more intrigued and supported friends that would help
you when times are rough.
Bryson and Katz had many struggles through their hikes on the Appalachian Trail
because they were amateur hikers and they never hiked before. However, their friendship helps

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them fight through the struggles by caring and looking out for each other on the AT. At the
beginning of their hike, they were already looking out for each other. Bryson quoted, When that
happened, I would leave my pack and go back and find him, to see that he was all right, which
always pleased him. Sometimes he would be proudly bearing my stick, which I had left by a tree
when I had stopped to tie my laces or adjust my pack. (Bryson 71) Bryson had to go back to see
if Katz was aright and Katz would help Bryson pick up his hiking stick. This clearly shows that
they are helping each other out in their friendship. There is a relationship showing genuine care
between Bryson and Katz. The best part about it is that they both found it pleasing that they got
each others back. Bryson continued to say, We seemed to be looking out for each other. It was
very nice. I can put it no other way. (Bryson 71) Bryson felt that he had a connection with Katz
for once. After they look out for one another they realize it can be possible for them to get along
for the sake of their hike.
Friendship should be useful towards one another in a grateful and appreciative way.
When friends ask for many favors, they should always repay them back as return for respect.
They need to show thankfulness toward who was helping them. Friends should not get offended
when their friends refuse their favors because they also have a life of their own. In the article,
Just Friends, John J. Conley a philosopher notebook said, In the friendship of utility, we
exercise good-willed sociability as we engage others in pursuing our own interests. (Conley)
Great friends in a friendship of utility should be eager to help each other out in tough situations
without their friends begging for help. They should be well connected through their modern day
devices. People should support their own goals and help their friends goals too. It should not
come to a point where the usefulness of one another is the only connection they have between
their friendship. Doyle and Smith said, Suchpersonsdonotspendmuchtimetogether,because

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sometimestheydonotevenlikeoneanother,andthereforefeelnoneedofsuchanassociation
unlesstheyaremutuallyuseful.(DoyleandSmith)Truefriendsinrelationshipdospendalarge
amountoftimetogether,notthattheyaremutuallyusefulbuttheycareforoneanother.
From the start of Bryson and Katz journey on the Appalachian Trail, they had both used
each other to pursue their own goal. But it was not like they take advantage of each other. The
utility of the friendship was more beneficial for both of them from the start. Bryson asked Katz
to go with him on the hike, so he did not had to face wildness of the AT alone. Bryson was
grateful that Katz agreed to come along with him. Bryson quoted, Anyway, I didnt care. I
wasnt going to have to walk alone. (Bryson 29) Bryson did not care about the past record and
the reason Katz wanted to go with him on the AT, he was just thankful he did not have to go
alone. On the other hand, Katz use Bryson so he could tag along with him through the AT, so he
can escape from his loneliness back in Des Moines. When Katz got sober from his minor
drunkenness at the beginning of their Hundred Mile Wilderness hike, he talk about how he could
not hang out with his coworkers because all of them would hang out at the bar and drink. Since
Katz is reformed, he could not drink with them, so he ended up being alone with no one to hang
out with. Right around when Bryson offered anyone to tag along with him to hike the AT. Katz
saw this chance and took it so he would not be alone.
Friendship is not something that will happen over night. It would take long periods of
time and dedication in order to form a long lasting relationship. Just like how Bryson and Katzs
friendship did not happen over night. It took time and effort during their long hike on the AT to
form their friendship. Even though they argued and had a hard time, they did not give up because
they wanted to complete the AT. It is different for everyone else because some are from different
countries around the world. They might have different way of defining friendship. But all of

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them have three main components in their friendship; they have common goals, supporting one
another, and the utility of friendship. When friendship is established they will get love and
affection from each one other. It is important to maintain similar values and genuine care for one
another to prevent it from fading away. No matter who that person is, it will always take time and
strong belief in order for the friendship to work.

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WorkCited
Akst,Daniel.America:LandofLoners?.WilsonQuarterly34.3(2010):25.History
ReferenceCenter.Web.21Sept.2015.
Brookhiser,Richard.EmeritusFriendsNationalReview.65.5(2013):51.Academic
SearchComplete.Web.21Sept.2015.
Conley,S.J.,JohnJ.JustFriendsAmerica210.15(2014):32.AcademicSearch
Complete.Web.21Sept.2015.
Doyle,MicheleE.andMarkK.Smith.Friendshiptheory:somephilosophicaland
sociologicalthemes.Infed.YMCAGeorgeWilliamsCollege,2002.Web.Dateof
Access.
Hruschka,DanielJ.Introduction,Chapter1,and/orChapter2.Friendship:Development,
Ecology,andEvolutionofaRelationship.Berkley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2010.
eBookAcademicCollection(EBSCOhost).Web.21Sept.2015.

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