October 4, 2015 - 11:08
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When I began reading “Wild,” by Cheryl Strayed, I found myself extremely critical. I was shocked by Strayed’s reasoning for hiking the PCT and treating family and friends in the detached and sometimes disrespectful ways that she did. As I continued reading I began appreciating the frequent flashbacks which allowed her past to unfold in a methodical yet unpredictable fashion. The pain and confusion Stayed experiences became an almost tangible thing in my heart. Many, most in fact, of her experiences were not ones I am familiar with, however her incorporation of personal thoughts and emotional outbursts brought me to a level of emotional understanding: compassion. At times I still felt her actions were irrational, but I could understand what had led up to her irrationality. Overall, the first three parts of this novel have been painful to read, but too riveting to give up on.
Strayed, Cheryl. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Print. 1-176.