Bicycle Love Reflection

Goodspeed's travels displayed the encompassing theme of positivity despite challenges and perserverance. Although she was discouraged by her parents and strangers and was constantly being asked about her safety and feelings about her travels alone, she continued her trip to France and face the challenges head-on. Near the end of her trip, she felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and "felt forever changed." Goodspeed's use of dialogue, both in English and French, helped convey the feelings that she experienced and the difficulty navigating France. Her sigh of relief when she encountered someone who spoke English shows that she perservered through the issues in communication. In addition, the comparison at the end between the traveller's "pilgramage" and her own journey greatly added to the meaning of the story. Marilyn's response that the trip has "been everything" further emphasized the theme that it is acceptable and positive for trips to have challenges.