Page 166 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade6_Flipbook

aCTIvITy 2.16
continued
Literary Nonfiction
from Travels with Charley: In Search of America
by John Steinbeck
Chunk 1
I must confess to a laxness in the matter of National Parks. I haven’t visited many of them. Perhaps this is because they enclose the unique, the spectacular,
the astounding—the greatest waterfall, the deepest canyon, the highest cliff, the most stupendous works of man or nature. And I would rather see a good Brady photograph than Mount Rushmore. For it is my opinion that we enclose and celebrate the freaks of our nation and of our civilization. Yellowstone National Park is no more representative of America than is Disneyland.
This being my natural attitude, I don’t know what made me turn sharply south and cross a state line to take a look at Yellowstone. Perhaps it was a fear of my neighbors. I could hear them say, “You mean you were that near to Yellowstone and didn’t go? You must be crazy.” Again it might have been the American tendency in travel. One goes, not so much to see but to tell afterward. Whatever my purpose
in going to Yellowstone, I’m glad I went because I discovered something about Charley I might never have known.
Chunk 2
A pleasant-looking National Park man checked me in and then he said, “How about that dog? They aren’t permitted in except on leash.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because of the bears.”
“Sir,” I said, “this is a unique dog. He does not live by tooth or fang. He respects the right of cats to be cats although he doesn’t admire them. He turns his steps rather than disturb an earnest caterpillar. His greatest fear is that someone will point out a rabbit and suggest that he chase it. This is a dog of peace and tranquility. I suggest that the greatest danger to your bears will be pique at being ignored by Charley.”
The young man laughed. “I wasn’t so much worried about the bears,” he said. “But our bears have developed intolerance for dogs. One of them might demonstrate his prejudice with a clip on the chin, and then—no dog.”
“I’ll lock him in the back, sir. I promise you Charley will cause no ripple in the bear world, and as an old bear-looker, neither will I.”
“I just have to warn you,” he said. “I have no doubt your dog has the best of intentions. On the other hand, our bears have the worst. Don’t leave food about. Not only do they steal but they are critical of anyone who tries to reform them. In a word, don’t believe their sweet faces or you might get clobbered. And don’t let the dog wander. Bears don’t argue.”
Unit 2 • The Power to Change 139
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