Collection 3
Exiles, Castaways, and Strangers
I been a wanderin’
Early and late,
New York City
To the Golden Gate,
An’ it looks like
I’m never gonna cease
my wanderin’.
—American folk song
Where do I belong? What makes me feel at home? Writers have explored these questions by creating characters who have found their rightful homes or who are searching for answers to who they are and how they want to live. Perhaps you’ve felt a sense of peace with your life, or perhaps you’ve experienced uncertainty when you moved to a new neighborhood. If you’ve had experiences like these, you’ll understand the characters in this collection. Like most of us at one time or another, they are trying to find their way to a place of peace, happiness, and freedom. They are searching for “home.”
Writing Focus: Analyzing a Story
Writer’s Notebook
You’re backpacking alone for a week—high in the mountains or deep in a tropical forest. You won’t have TV, e-mail, or a phone. What kinds of stories would you take along to read? List some of your favorite stories and some that you’ve disliked. Save your lists for possible use in the Writer's Workshop for this collection.