A Week in the Woods

Although Mark comes from a wealthy family, the true definition of wealth comes to mean something quite different for him as he slowly discovers the outdoor delights that New Hampshire has to offer and comes to truly appreciate and value the interpersonal connections that he has. Mark feels richest when he is alone in the wilderness, making the most of his own time, and when he is enjoying the company of his family. He doesn’t consider the family’s financial wealth to be important, and actually enjoys the simplistic survivalist lifestyle of being outdoors. For most of his life, Mark’s days have been relentlessly scheduled, and he has been unable to make his own decisions about where he lives or what he does. Living in Whitson provides him with a newfound sense of autonomy, especially when he discovers the value of time and spending it as he pleases. As the narrative states, “[He] had discovered how much this time was worth. This time was valuable. […] This time was like a bank account, loaded with days and hours and minutes, all his. […] And for the first time in his life, Mark felt rich” (64-65). Mark’s character therefore contains a paradox, because he is rich in terms of money but prefers the wealth that only the land and personal independence can provide.

Something that Mark and Mr. Maxwell have in common is their belief that knowledge and experience are the true valuable commodities in life. Mr. Maxwell lives a modest lifestyle in a log cabin, providing for himself through the land as much as possible. The rich resources of his surroundings give him what he needs, as well as peace of mind. Mark admires this lifestyle and tries to adopt it, spending as much time outdoors and living off the riches of the land as much as he can. Mark is also intelligent, and once he decides to give Hardy Elementary a chance, he is eager to learn whatever Mr. Maxwell is teaching. Mark loves to perform research, try new things, and learn by doing. Mark also feels a deep sense of fulfillment when he shares his accomplishments with his parents, particularly his father, and feels most at home when his mother is around. Thus, Mark counteracts the stereotype of the entitled rich child, and this fact is eventually what teaches Mr. Maxwell that he should not judge people based on their wealth.

Living outdoors requires a person to confront many different fears: fears of being alone, fears of not surviving, fears of encountering a predator, and all of the other, more personal fears that start to surface when a person spends time alone. Mark moves from a large house in a New York suburb to what may as well be “a different planet” (14) when he comes to New Hampshire. The landscape is expansive and unforgiving, and the ground stays cold well into April. Rather than shying away from the challenge, however, Mark chooses to embrace it, and in doing so, he experiences monumental changes in his identity and life philosophy.

At the beginning of the novel, Mark has fears of being alone, fears of attachment to new places, and a fear of the dark. When he decides to spend the night in the barn alone, Mark confronts all of these fears. He finds that in doing so, he becomes totally comfortable with the wilderness, almost one with it. It becomes something to explore, like an endless adventure, rather than something to fear. During the night, Mark challenges himself to spend time in the pitch black, to read scary stories by Jack London, and to consider what it might be like to freeze to death.

Later, when he goes camping with Leon, he feels a deep sense of peace with his surroundings. The narrative states, “He felt completely surrounded by nature, but it didn’t feel dangerous or frightening to him. It was simply unknown” (92). These nights allow Mark to reflect, and he decides to be better toward his peers and teachers, leading him to make friends and overcome his fear of attachment. When Mark goes camping with his class, he makes a foolish but bold decision to hike up the mountain alone; as a result, he gets lost and has all night to consider and conquer his fears of being alone, of being lost, and of confronting Mr. Maxwell. When he is finally found by his teacher, it turns out that Mark doesn’t need to confront Mr. Maxwell at all; instead, Mr. Maxwell has realized his wrongs. He admires Mark’s resourcefulness and kindness, and watches in admiration as Mark does everything needed to him them both alive. Between Mark’s arrival in New Hampshire and the week-long camping trip, he sheds his fear of engaging with his peers and teachers and conquers his fears of the dark and of solitude. In the end, he has become an independent boy who confidently survives the elements and actively resolves the conflicts he has with others.

Mark’s life is filled with male role models who each carry their own unique definition of manhood and what it means to grow up to “be a man.” Mr. Maxwell prides himself on taking charge, leading a group, surviving the wilderness, and protecting the environment. He also values knowledge and experience. Leon encourages Mark’s independence and provides him with many of the outdoor survival skills he needs, as well as being a constant and reassuring male presence in the boy’s life. Mark’s father, although often absent, believes in building Mark up to be a strong, capable, and independent man—and Mark is already well on his way to achieving this goal.

Mark is quickly approaching adolescence and wants to prove to himself that he can conquer his fears, become fully independent, and survive whatever comes his way. His method to test himself is to immerse himself in the New Hampshire wilderness, as he insists on spending all of his free time exploring on his own. This newfound interest allows him to gain the confidence to head to the next chapter of his life. All the survival experiences that Mark gains during his time at Fawcett Place and during the camping trip come together to give Mark his very own definition of manhood. It is a combination of the people around him and his own values, and it is most clearly demonstrated when Mark helps Mr. Maxwell on the mountainside. Mark survives the mountain alone for the most part, remaining calm and brave. He uses all his survival skills while also showing profound understanding and forgiveness toward Mr. Maxwell.

Throughout most of the time that Mr. Maxwell mistreats him, Mark keeps his dignity intact. Mark also refrains from getting Jason in trouble for the knife, and this decision demonstrates his loyalty, an aspect that Mr. Maxwell later acknowledges. When Mark goes home and calls his father, telling him all about surviving on the mountainside and helping Mr. Maxwell, Mark’s father expresses a new pride in his son. As the narrative states, “His dad had said those words to him before, probably dozens of times. But as Mark heard them this time, the words sounded different, and they felt different. Everything felt different” (190). It is clear that Mark’s father is also proud to see his son growing up and becoming a man.