The theme of this essay is that self discipline encourages self improvement. He proves this many times. Such as when he says, “what fabulous and undeveloped mines are to be found in nature, friendship, and oneself! … Later, forgetting that this habit was adopted under duress, he will be astonished to find so many resources within himself.” (Trudeau 1). In this part, he continues the metaphor of the entire passage, using the canoe expedition as a metaphor for experiences in life. If we translate this metaphor in to what it represents, he is saying that although the road to discovering amazing qualities you have, or remedying your negative ones is rough and hard to travel, the end result of that self discipline is significant self improvement. You will be a much better person after the hardship than you would have been if you took the easy road or put a weak effort in to growing personally during the …show more content…
Another example is when he states, “I know a man whose school could never teach him patriotism, but who acquired that virtue when he felt it in his bones the vastness of his land, and the greatness of those who founded it.” (Trudeau