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Dominic Adame
Mrs. Marcum
ENG 111 FJT78
October 4, 2015
Friendship: What does it mean?
Friendship in modern day America is often treated and treasured by all. However, many
people seem to ask what makes a friendship as we know it? Many authors have managed to
voice their insights and write several papers on this subject with each one bringing a new type of
outlook to the topic in general, and each opinion just continually adding to the collective
thoughts on the subject. However, I believe that there are some basic things needed for a
friendship to be able to spread. The different criteria that I seem to think are needed having each
person sharing common interests, being there for when that friend needs them most, and finally
accepting that person for who they are. These different opinions on the basis of friendships can
be explored deeper in the friendship of Bill Bryson and Stephen Katz in the book A Walk in the
Woods.
When it comes to determining friendship we often try to look for things that each friend
can find common ground on. Whether it is enjoying the same sport or T.V. show or even just
agreeing on a certain topic or opinion. Sharing and having common interests often give us a
starting point in any type of friendship that we often try to seek. However, many great
philosophers and writers have written their opinions and insights on the topic of friendship and
Aristotle has become one of the most famous of them all by explaining the different kinds of

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friendship. He gives explanation into a friendship based on utility and speaks of how with the
disappearance of ground for friendship, the friendship also breaks up.(qtd. inDoyle and Smith)
So essentially without common ground the friendship could break apart. In fact, many others
have concurrently agreed with this statement and go on to explain this situation more. For
example, in the article Just Friends by John J. Conley, he goes to explain that In the friendship
of utility we, we exercise good-willed sociability as we engage others in pursuing our own
interests (Conley, 2). Lastly in the article Emeritus Friends, written by Richard Brookhiser,
Brookhiser goes to explain that friendships do seem to stem from shared interests. The exact
quote is as follows, In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis wrote that friendship arises from shared
interest and activity.(Brookhiser, 6)
In the book, A Walk in the Woods, Bryson and Katz seem to show that they each are exact
polar opposites of each other in almost any way possible. When Bryson goes on to explain a
small bit of his friends history as well as what Katz is tending to be doing now. He tells how,
after our summer in Europe, Katz had gone back to Des Moines and had become, in effect,
Iowas drug culture.(Bryson, 31) This lifestyle eventually leads him to spending eighteen
months in a minimum security prison. He also tends to be lazy as well as uncaring towards
different situations. An excellent example of this being at the start where Katz says that they
should stay another night at the hotel, What? Are you kidding? I was completely taken aback
by this. Why? Because its warm in there and its cold out there.(Bryson, 49) Meanwhile
Brysons attitude, as stated before, is a much more serious one. He tends to think very cautiously
towards a situation and takes several moments in their journey very seriously. One instance of
this is when they are camping in Shenandoah National Park, and there is an animal in their
campsite. Katz, one hand, doesnt seem to be very alarmed by this but Bryson, on the other, is

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freaking out, he even asks Katz How can you be so calm? What do you want me to do?
Youre Hysterical enough for the both of us.(Bryson, 204) Along with these feelings he has a
tendency to be very frustrated by how Katz would tend to lag along behind and not really care
about continuing on the trail as he would rather take time to relax and watch T.V. If this happens
to be the case then many people should be able to make a pretty good argument that they arent a
very good pair for friends as they dont seem to have common interests at first glance. However,
while they would tend to probably not have much common interest, they do have some common
ground. Common ground doesnt simply have to be limited to having similar likes, interests and
personalities, but they have a tendency to stem from past experiences or history. The first of their
common ground is that both Katz and Bryson grew up together in Des Moines. This leads to
their first common interest for their friendship as they lived in the same city. The second basis for
their friendship would be the both of them being old friends from school. I have a tendency to
understand that school friends can be in a very long relationship and manage to keep contact for
years and Katz and Bryson have seemed to do just that, as Katz was a travel companion of
Brysons. Bryson even mentions it when he reminds the audience, Those of you- the six of youwho have read Neither Here nor There will recall Katz as my traveling companion around
Europe in that tale of youthful adventure.(Bryson, 28), and they even managed to keep in touch
over the years. Their keeping in contanct with each other leads me to my third and final piece of
evidence for their friendship. They both chose to hike the Appalachian Trail. I noted that in my
last paper Katz tended to have led an unhealthy life style and that I believed one of Katz
reasons for hiking the trail was to renew himself physically. Bryson as well brings up that this
hike would shed some unwanted pounds that he currently had. I believe that once more this is

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Katz motivation to willingly join up and walk the trail with Bryson as well as reforming the
friendship they have.
In any friendship it is easy to say that showing loyalty towards one another is a very
important factor when having a friendship with another person. As such, being there for one
another is a very important thing to have in a friendship as it helps each end of the relationship to
mold and take shape so that it may grow into a stronger relationship. However, if there proves to
be an absence of this trait, then there may be a chance that the friendship itself could crumble
away. Richard Brookshire has talked slightly on the subject in his article, Emeritus Friends, by
explaining how this is a cause. He mentions, Friendship becomes emeritus when it is all but
over.(Brookhiser, 2) He goes on with this by that the friendship in this case by noting that if
there had never been a friendship in the first place, there would be no detectable relationship
whatsoever.(Brookshire, 2) Another author, John J. Conley, has described that in authentic
friendship we should not see each other as objects or symbols of love, but merely for our own
sakes as rational but fragile creatures in need of encouragement.(Conley, 6) This last part just
explains that we need to be there for each other and encourage each other when we need it.
Finally, one other set of authors, Michael E. Doyle and Mark K. Smith, say in their article on the
subject of friendship, Friendship theory: some philosophical and sociological themes, the
various insights and quotes of Aristotles views on friendships as well as others to find different
defining themes of friendships. They state in their article that when it comes to friendship it
involves a high level of development and expression of altruistic emotions of sympathy,
concern and care a deep caring for and identification with the good of another from whom one
clearly knows oneself to be clearly other.(Doyle and Smith, 9) This of course is the final say
that friendships have a deep meaning when one is there for the other when they need them.

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Some instances in A Walk in the Woods, of course, shows that Bryson and Katz, even if
they can annoy and frustrate each other, are there for one another through thick and thin and
perhaps will always be there for one another in the future. One very excellent example I could
find is in chapter 20. In the previous chapter, we find out, that during the small amount of time
that Bryson and Katz spent away from the trail that when Katz went back to Des Moines, he
started to drink again, even after never drinking again after going to AA meetings. Bryson even
expresses his anger towards Katz about this by saying, Youve been drinking again already,
havent you?...I was furious, livid-more furious than I had been in years. I couldnt believe he
was drinking again.(Bryson, 362-363) In the following chapter, they start talking about it
together as Katz explains his reasons for drinking again; But I love to drink. I cant help it. I
mean, I love it, Bryson.(Bryson, 371) Bryson lets Katz continue about it but you can plainly see
that Bryson cares enough to be extremely concerned for Katz personal health as he is drinking,
and only a REAL friend would care for one like that. However, you can also see that Bryson is
also understanding towards Katz case on why he has started once more. You could see that
Bryson understood that Katz was starting to feel empty even if he was doing well by abstaining
from alcohol, but he still wishes for his friend to remain healthy as well as in control of his urges
to drink. Only a true friend would care about the other in this way. However, Katz also looks out
for his friend in a similar way, even though throughout the novel it often shows that Katz doesnt
seem to care about anything and seems to not take any kind of situation seriously. Katz does care
for his friend in seemingly small ways by looking out for him. Some examples include Katz
making sure his friend doesnt lose his walking stick while on the trail, Ill get it for you, he
said without hesitation and started to drop his pack.(Bryson, 223) He also seems to try to calm
Bryson down in a situation that seems potentially dangerous. It would seem the reason he was

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calm during the encounter with the animals in their campsite would be to try and have Bryson
calm down. Katz even helps his friend when he lost his step in a river and falls, I crept on, and
in an instant later I tumbled in, tooKatz sloshed to my assistance, firmly grabbed my shirt, and
thrust me back into a world of light and noise and set me on my feet. He was surprisingly strong.
Thank you, I gasped. Dont mention it.(Bryson, 352) Generally both men do tend to get on
each others nerves and are at odds with each other with prime decisions, but they also seem to
have a real and caring relationship where each mans got each others back.
A following criterion that has an importance on the basis of friendship is the acceptance
of one for who they are be it their flaws, opinions, or simply their interests and likes. The
importance of acceptance simply makes the friendship become a lifelong relationship as both
friends understand and care for one another throughout their entire lives. As Brookhiser once
stated in his article Emeritus Friends, Friends dont meet across a crowded room, but we find
each other after being thrown together.(Brookhiser, 6), this means that they each find solace
with each other. Meanwhile, in Doyle and Smiths Article Friendship theory: some philosophical
and sociological themes, they commonly quote Aristotles point towards this area of friendship
once more. Aristotle once again makes it a fact that acceptance in a friendship makes a friendship
based on goodness, which he points out to be the rarest kind, And it is those who desire the
good of their friends for the friends sake.because each loves the other for what he is, and not
for any incidental quality.(Doyle and Smith, Exhibit 1)John Conley once again brings to the
table the point of acceptance by adding that In authentic friendship, the rarest kindWe come
to love each other for his or her own sake.(Conley, 2), thereby meaning that we mean to love
our friends for who we truly are be it they are too overbearing or just right for us.

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Acceptance seems to be driven by both parties so that they may be able to get along with
one another. Acceptance, as I have said above, is the accepting of ones faults so that both people
may feel welcome in the relationship. As I thought both Katz and Bryson both have showed an
acceptance of both of their own flaws and faults that they appear to have. Katz has shown
throughout the book that he has come to accept Brysons tendency to be quite serious towards a
given situation where Katz himself is lighthearted. He showed this by going by Brysons
seriousness to continue on the trail at given points where it would seem like both should simply
give up and just stop walking that day. Bryson, although, has come to accept what one would
probably say is not that bad of a flaw but can tend to be a bit of a problem given a certain
situation. Bryson at times gets frustrated with Katz light hearted nature, especially when it
comes to his laziness in hiking. One other good example towards this how frustrated he gets was
during a night on the trail when Bryson hears and sees two animals outside their tents, with Katz
being completely indifferent towards Brysons concern towards the situation. However, Bryson
seems to understand that Katz just has a carefree attitude towards things, as such hes accepted
Katz past as well as his struggle with alcohol that he is currently having now. Now both men
have come to understand one another in a truly great and empathetic relationship with one
another.
Friendship is an important factor in our day to day lives as well as throughout our entire
lives. We find solace in friendship and hope to make more meaningful relationships with others
out in our world. We often need to just find the things that make a friendship though in an effort
to make it work for both people. It is through these important aspects of friendship that I believe
are very important in every single friendship. As such we should keep these in mind when we
make new friendships so that we can keep these relationships alive throughout all of our lives.

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Friendship leaves us with important relationships that keep developing for all of us in our lives
and only keep growing when we make more friendships throughout. As such we are responsible
to keep growing and meeting new people, and in turn make friendships with them only to add
more and keep growing.

Works Cited
Doyle, Michael, and Mark Smith. "Friendship Theory: Some Philosophical and Sociological
Themes." Infedorg. 9 May 2013. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
Conley, John. "Just Friends." America Magazine. 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
Brookhiser, Richard. "Emeritus Friends." National Review Online. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.