Walden On Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom

Read a synopsis of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and then compare Thoreau’s perspective and Ken’s. How accurately does Walden on Wheels represent Thoreau’s views? Using evidence from the text, compare and contrast Ken and Thoreau’s beliefs.

Ken and Josh both lamented that their degrees in the humanities, such as English and History, were useless. Why did Ken call these degrees “useless” in his “Career World” characterization? How did both Ken and Josh find greater meaning in their degrees outside of “Career World”?

On Ken’s first expedition in Alaska, he hiked for hours up Blue Cloud in the Brooks Range. The journey was momentous in changing his perception of himself and his life. Choose three details that are specifically relevant to Ken’s revelation, and explain how they influenced Ken’s perspective.

Jack Reakoff and Bob Wells appear in similar contexts in the book: Jack lived off the land in Wiseman, while Bob organized the voyageurs. How did these two men differ? Using evidence from the text, compare these characters through the lens of Ken’s values.

Ken’s experiences in Mississippi significantly differed from those in Alaska: He dealt with more people, had different tasks, and took on new responsibilities. How did Ken feel about each of these places? How does the fact that Ken only wanted to return to Alaska impact the reading of his other jobs and journeys?

The issues of race, sex, and class in the book are often implicit rather than explicit. Choose one of these issues and find evidence in the text to examine Ken’s perspective on it.

Ken acknowledges periodically that not everyone can live the lifestyle he describes throughout the book. What is special about Ken that enabled him to live a transient lifestyle with few conveniences? Why might some people be unsafe or unable to follow in Ken’s footsteps?

One of Ken’s biggest digressions from Thoreau’s transcendentalism is the need for socialization. Why was Ken unable to maintain friendships while living in his van? How does this struggle provide insight into the lives of those who live in their vehicles out of necessity? How does socialization impact Ken’s understanding of “vandwelling” lifestyles in decades past?