The Lost Continent as an Epic

Lost Continent as an Epic

What makes a story an epic? In the book, The Lost Continent written by Bill Bryson, Bill travels across the continent of North America starting in his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa. Bill Bryson explores each region of the North American continent from north to south and east to west. While traveling Bill Bryson is in search of a perfect small town. The Lost Continent is a journey traveling across North America with Bill Bryson as the hero and New England as the underworld and Bryson is trying to find his perfect small town to make his story a true epic.

Bill Bryson takes on his journey while traveling across North America to find his perfect small town that preserves, restores, rich, and white. Bill Bryson was in search of a perfect small town which he thought he could find somewhere in North America. Bill Bryson states, “I did not know such perfection existed in America” (Bryson 78). During Bill Bryson’s journey, he does not know perfection exist in America until his search for a perfect small town. Bill Bryson thought he found the perfect small town in Georgia, in the city of Savannah. Bryson comments, “Savannah was the most becoming American city I had ever seen, but it thumped into second place soon after my arrival in Charleston” (83). While Bryson is on his journey he visits Savannah, and he thinks it is his perfect small town until he reaches Charleston and this changes his mind, and now he thinks that Charleston, South Carolina is the closes town to his perfect small town. Bill Bryson wants the perfect small town that preserves, restores, and is rich. Bill Bryson expresses, “The quintessential American small town, a picturesque and timeless

community where every structure houses a genius” (182). This American small town expresses the characteristics that restores and have the richest of the rich, which Bill Bryson wants his perfect small town to have. The perfect small town for Bryson also preserves, restores, and is rich, while on his journey Bryson comes across Detroit the city of Dearborn that possess all three qualities. On Bryson’s journey, he is in search of the perfect small town that preserves, restores, rich, and white.

While Bill Bryson is on his journey, he also encounters the underworld of New England. Bill Bryson compares New England to the underworld. Bryson states, “I caught a glimpse of the sea ѕ a gray plane, cold and bleak” (157.) New England is cold and bleak just as the characteristics of hell. Bryson makes New England seem to be a replica of hell. Bryson says, “… the towns I passed through were just messy and drear, and the countryside was wooded and unmemorable” (157). The weather messy and drear reminds Bill Bryson of hell, and it was an unmemorable experience just as the experience of hell. New England becomes the underworld during Bill Bryson’s journey. Bryson comments, “… but already the land had the cold and lifeless fell of winter” (158). New England is also cold and lifeless the way hell is known. New England also resembles hell through its appearance. Bill Bryson states, “Everything from the ground to the sky was dull, cadaverous gray” (158). New England is dull and cadaverous gray just as the appearance of hell.

Bill Bryson is the hero while taking his journey across the continent of North America. Bill Bryson makes himself out to be the hero. Bill Bryson states, “I climbed onto a picnic table and could instantly see for miles across the waving field” (212). Bill Bryson gives himself hero abilities by being able to see for miles away. Bryson gives himself hero abilities by being the last person to be captured if the North American continent is invaded. Bill Bryson expresses, “If America were invaded, I would be the last person to be captured” (212). Bryson makes himself seem superior to the rest of the world when he states that he would be the last one captured if the North American continent was invaded. Bill Bryson feels guilt