Every Trip is a Quest

     Every book has a story in it. I find that the most intriguing books are those that are unexpected and spontaneous. Different events occur throughout each novel and as the events connect we begin to see a story come together. At some point we are able to understand how each unexpected event connects with one another. As soon as we understand why the events that are happening are happening, we soon recognize the quest that the character has been on. The first chapter in "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" describes the idea of the quest that our characters must take.
     Thomas C. Foster explains that the reason for a quest is always for self knowledge. Now, at first this didn't make sense to me considering there are some very different novels out there with very different story lines. So how could Amir from "The Kite Runner" have the same quest for self knowledge as George and Lennie from "Of Mice and Men"? On the edge of both of these stories they seem completely different. George and Lennie hope for land and search for jobs that will help them succeed with that dream, whereas Amir is simply living his life with his father and eventually tries to adopt his old friend's son. They seem completely different. If we look closely enough, however, we realize all three characters are dealing with friendship. Amir's friend, Hassan, has passed away and his son needs someone to live with, while George ends up killing Lennie out of mercy. Although these situations are quite different, we realize that underneath the surface both Amir and George are helping a friend, and they have both accepted what needs to be done. This acceptance is part of the self knowledge that Foster has spoken of. Even though every story is different, we see the resemblance in the quest for self knowledge.
     Another main point that I understood from this chapter was how the original quest is not usually the same as the final quest. Things change throughout the novel and different events occur that change the final quest. Take Kite Runner for example; Amir is working up towards the Kite contest but as it ends he starts a quest to make Hassan get kicked out of the house. Later he wishes to be married and once he is married he goes to find Hassan's son after he learns that Hassan and his wife have passed away leaving their son an orphan. The whole story was not about the one kite contest. The story progressed and Amir's final quest was to help Sohrab, Hassan's son, get to America and live happily with Amir and his wife. What is great about Amir helping Sohrab escape an abusive orphanage is that Amir once witnessed Hassan being abused and did nothing about it. This is when we realize that Amir's overall quest was to learn how to handle knowing of abuse and taking action to help, rather than sit back and watch it happen. Amir has gained self knowledge by the end of the novel.