Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck

Book title : Travels With Charley
Author : John Steinbeck
Publisher : Viking Press
Date published   : 1962           Number of pages: 275
Genre (write one) :  non-fiction                    Book Code           : STE/PBI/ NV/0994

It was a non-fiction novel told the story of its writer, John Steinbeck. He was the standout character of the story. In 1960, when John Steinbeck was 58 years old, ill with the heart disease which was to kill him eight years later, he decided to embark on a road trip around the United States in a fitted-out pick-up truck, accompanied by his standard French poodle, Charley. Steinbeck’s plan was to re-connect with the America which had informed his fiction and to assess how much it had changed over the years.
The story I like most from this novel is when Steinbeck was at the Canadian border in Niagara Falls. He decided not to cut across southern Ontario to get to Detroit faster, as he planned, because Charley didn't have the proper inoculations to get back in the USA. After his encounter with American border officials, he discussed his dislike of the government. He said the government makes a person feel small because it doesn't matter what you say, if it's not on paper and certified by an official, the government doesn't care. As he traveled on, he described how wherever he went people's attitudes and beliefs changed. All states differ by how people may talk to one another or treat other people. This part is really interesting. It teaches me that sometimes the government is too cruel to its citizens.
There is part of the story that is confusing me. It was when Steinbeck’s wife allowed him to make the trip; his heart condition meant he could have died at any time. With such condition he could still travelled around America in 32 states without complaining his disease. The story just told that he was ever sick in his trip but it doesn’t mean anything to his health and his trip. It’s unbelievable. He was alone with his dog along the trip without any one takes care of him but why his journey sounds run so smoothly?
The part I dislike most from the story is when he was in Texas. He talked at length about the Lone Star State and its citizens and culture. This part is full of narrative text and seems no conversation at all. It was so boring to read.
The novel reminds me of my own country Indonesia. Since the main issue of this novel is “How America and American like today?” I become wonder how about Indonesia. I am sure that Indonesia and Indonesian today are different from Indonesia yesterday. The way people acts, the technology which has advanced so quickly as to give Indonesians more and more instant gratification are the change that cannot be denied.
If I had an opportunity to change the story, I would like to add one more character Steibeck met in the story. I would present a young boy who has same thinking as him, a young boy who cares about his country, America, a young boy who pay attention that America and American are changing. I would make him as a companion for Steinbeck and Charlie to contemplate America. Because when I was reading the novel Steinbeck seems to be the only character in the story. No other important but him.
The largest issue told in the story is about American’s look like. A 1960 road trip around the United States made by Steinbeck, in the company of his French standard poodle, Charley. Steinbeck wrote that he was moved by a desire to see his country on a personal level, since he made his living writing about it. He wrote of having many questions going into his journey, the main one being, "What are Americans like today?" However, he found that he had concerns about much of the "new America" he witnessed.
The lesson I got from this novel is how well we treat our country, how far we know it, and how far we love it. The travel made by Steinbeck was really inspiring. He found many things which make him think American and America have changed. But still he loves it. He was thinking of it, and cares about it.