Class Readings: The Best of Edward Abbey, Havasu

    This week, we were tasked with reading many of Edward Abbey's writings, including Havasu. This journal entry discusses Abbey's 35-day journey in the Grand Canyon. His trip was full of highs and lows. There were moments when he was fighting for his life to stay alive, and other times he felt at peace and connected to Mother Nature.
    One thing I found interesting was his reasoning for wanting to go on this adventure alone. Personally, while I do find nature to be beautiful, I also feel fearful of it. I feel like it can get dangerous quickly if you are out by yourself, exploring near nighttime, or get lost on your path, so I always venture out with a friend. When speaking of why he did not mingle with the Native Americans near him, Abbey said, 
“I’m not sure that I care for the idea of strangers examining my daily habits and folkways, studying my language, inspecting my costume, questioning me about my religion, classifying my artifacts, investigating my sexual rites, and evaluating my chances for cultural survival. So I lived alone.”
When put that way, I can better understand why he went alone. I believe Abbey sought solace in this adventure and wanted to be alone with his thoughts to feel the healing power of nature. This can also be seen when he says,
“I generally prefer to go into places where no one else wants to go. I find that in contemplating the natural world my pleasure is greater if there are not too many others contemplating it with me, at the same time.”
When you are out with others in nature, sometimes the beauty of the outdoors can be stripped away. People can get busy ranting about their worldly problems, taking away from the natural sounds of the environment. One can more easily ignore the sensations from all of their senses during a hike if they have another human distracting them with other thoughts. Maybe Abbey has a point when traveling alone!
    Something else I found interesting was Abbey’s accounts of him crying multiple times on this trip. Each time, his cries were driven by frustration or desperation. However, he mentioned that he felt free to cry and that he didn’t have to be brave. This made me think about the social constructs humans put on one another. Young men are taught to be manly and to hide their insecure emotions. But when in nature, we are able to let go of some of those pressures and express ourselves fully without fear of judgment.

Comments

  1. williams.dan76September 12, 2023 at 10:44 AM

    Thanks for posting on the first Abbey readings, and particularly your comments on his preference for solitude. I think you're right that he fears the distractions of other people. But he might have stayed with the Havasupai natives had he been invited to stay, but he sensed their preference for isolation and feared disturbing them. I think he also preferred not to be encumbered with conventional cultural expectations, as you describe above. Great blog.

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