“I always wondered about the people who do that. I know the trail is up there,” she said, waving her hand westward, “but I’ve never been on it.” She came closer and for a moment I thought she’d try to give me a hug, but she only patted my arm. “You’re not alone, are you?” When I nodded, she laughed and put a hand to her chest. “And what on earth does your mother have to say about that?” ~ meeting Christine, page 147 of Wild by Cheryl Strayed
The catalyst for Strayed’s eventual PCT hike is her struggle with mother’s unexpected death.
The discovery that her mother is going to die, which happens more quickly and more awfully than anyone in the family could have imagined, takes place early in the book.
Strayed becomes a motherless daughter, to coin the title of Hope Edelman’s landmark 1995 book.
What does it mean to be motherless?
How does it feel to be motherless?
How is the concept of being motherless explored in the book?
Does motherlessness play a role in your life? Does it play a role in all of our lives?
Is mothering important or not important to each of us and to our collective future?
In what ways does this story restore a sense of mothering for Strayed and for the reader?
