Analysis Of A Field Guide To Getting Lost

Loosing and Finding Oneself: A textual analysis of Rebecca Skolnit “A field guide to getting lost” A field guide to getting lost’ is a book written by author Rebecca where she talks about life and all of the events large and small that can change how a person views the world. Through the words on the page the reader gains an idea of how Solnit thinks about the world and how her past has shaped her. Solnit is a wanderer who is always curious about what lies beyond the next horizon. The theme of wandering, and of the eternal quest runs throughout the first story and Solnit makes it clear that curiosity is the main factor that has shaped her outlook on life. Journeys of discovery are important in helping humanity discover themselves and it is this self discovery that Solnit focuses on in her stories. One of the more interesting passages in the first story is when she states “leave the door open for the unknown, the door into the dark. That’s where the most important things come from, where you yourself come from, and where you will go” (Solnit 4). This quote seems to be highlighting Solnit’s beliefs surrounding curiosity. She is essentially saying that asking questions and having curiosity about the world helps people to set goals and to determine what they want from life. By asking questions, by going where no one else does one can discover one’s own

That journey means that every day is a new change or a new transformation of who she is, and where she is going. She also highlights the idea throughout the text that the journey is one that everyone must take in order to discover themselves. Thus, the essay or story is about self discovery at its most basic. Understanding this allows the reader to see the importance of curiosity, of asking questions, and of heading into the unknown without questioning the journey