blue highways
by william least heat-moon
In 1978, William Least Heat-Moon had separated from his wife and lost his job as a teacher, and decided to create a different life for himself. He outfitted a van with only necessary living supplies such as a map and a stove, and he traveled across the country, going from small town to small town, without much of a plan. He wanted to find himself, and he wanted to do so through experiencing the beauty that the world had to offer. He embraced an ascetic lifestyle, living off of the bare necessities of life. He travels upwards of 13,000 miles, meeting all different types of characters, such as a teenage runaway and a maple syrup farmer. William Least Heat-Moon had simply gotten tired of the over complicated life that he had before and wanted to embrace a new lifestyle of simplicity and meaning, and Blue Highways chronicles that journey.
William Least Heat-Moon and his journeys defined the modern American Dream, even if it was not the American Dream at the time. The country is an endless expanse of wonder and beauty, and many people do not allow themselves to experience it. Heat-Moon finds the perfect way to experience the roots of the country and its magnificence, while being able to learn about some of the most unique people that the country has to offer. He left behind the excess in his life and just travels without a plan. By traveling from small town to small town, he got a guided tour of the United States that was better than any other guided tour given in history. He only cared that he had enough money to keep himself from starving, and the rest of his experience worked its way into his life on his own. He discovered the entire spectrum of the country, meeting prostitutes and teenage runaways, being able to learn the individual stories of every unique person he met along the way. He didn’t care about his past life at home because the one he was living then was the only thing that was important. He was able to experience a dream personal to him without anything getting in the way. Blue Highways demonstrates the modern American Dream because Heat-Moon is able to leave behind the excess in his life to discover his true meaning and the meaning of living, and was able to do so by also meeting unique people who were striving to attain the same happiness that he was.
The writings of William Least Heat-Moon and the important aspects of life that he mentions have been demonstrated in other works since, such as Enrique's Journey.
William Least Heat-Moon and his journeys defined the modern American Dream, even if it was not the American Dream at the time. The country is an endless expanse of wonder and beauty, and many people do not allow themselves to experience it. Heat-Moon finds the perfect way to experience the roots of the country and its magnificence, while being able to learn about some of the most unique people that the country has to offer. He left behind the excess in his life and just travels without a plan. By traveling from small town to small town, he got a guided tour of the United States that was better than any other guided tour given in history. He only cared that he had enough money to keep himself from starving, and the rest of his experience worked its way into his life on his own. He discovered the entire spectrum of the country, meeting prostitutes and teenage runaways, being able to learn the individual stories of every unique person he met along the way. He didn’t care about his past life at home because the one he was living then was the only thing that was important. He was able to experience a dream personal to him without anything getting in the way. Blue Highways demonstrates the modern American Dream because Heat-Moon is able to leave behind the excess in his life to discover his true meaning and the meaning of living, and was able to do so by also meeting unique people who were striving to attain the same happiness that he was.
The writings of William Least Heat-Moon and the important aspects of life that he mentions have been demonstrated in other works since, such as Enrique's Journey.