Analysis Of Terra Incognit Into The Maze By Edward Abbey

In chapter seventeen, “Terra Incognita: Into the Maze”, of Desert Solitaire, written by Edward Abbey, Bob Waterman arrives in Moab with one hundred and fifty feet of nylon rope. Abbey and Bob are determined to go on an adventure to the Maze, a labyrinth of canyons but first ask a man named Bundy for directions. Waterman and Abbey follow directions provided to them and are thrilled to have been able to make it to the Maze without any problems. They explore the Maze and head back soon before a big storm strikes the area. Before leaving the site, they document their visits in a book at the Bureau of Land Management building, then drive back home. In chapter eighteen, “Bedrock and Paradox”, the tourists leave the park and Abbey prepares his belongings to go back home to New York. Abbey discloses he is irritated of being in desert. He is saddened by the thought of leaving the desert behind, but delighted because he is finally going home. His plane to Denver is cancelled; therefore, Bob Ferris drives him to the train station in Thompson, where he is going to get on the train to Denver. In the end, Abbey questions whether every detail about the desert will ever be the same again when he returns.

Analysis of the text

For example, he does this by explaining that a man named Bundy knows the way to the Maze in, “There’s only one man in Moab who claims to have been there, a garage mechanic named Bundy…” (Abbey 250). Abbey later adds, “We follow his directions carefully and they turn out to be as correct as they are precise,” (Abbey 251). This text relates the theme of Sustainability and Justice because Bundy was able to give directions to Waterman and Abbey because he knew some environmental history about the trail to the Maze. In addition, he was aware of everything Abbey and Waterman had to do and what challenges they would face. Due to his precise directions, Abbey and Waterman were able to successfully visit the