Straight Story
Alvin Straight is not trying to leave behind his family, friends, or town. He decided to embark on a journey to rediscover his relationship with his brother. By taking a journey through Midwestern states, he encounters many people that contribute to his realization of mistakes and hardships that he has suffered throughout his life. When Alvin meets the young woman who is running away from home, his advice to her is actually a memory that serves to help both the young woman and Alvin to realize the importance of family and causes both characters to reflect on their family situations. Alvin, through his interactions with others, begins a self-reflection that becomes the mobilizing force behind his journey. As he realizes the lessons from his life by sharing his experiences with others, Alvin becomes connected to his past and prepared to become the man that could have resulted from his experiences. The rural road is an essential part of Alvin's journey, because he is not leaving his element, or habitat. Alvin is reflecting on his life in a rural area, not attempting to change his life and travel to an urban area. Only through the land that he grew up and learned lessons in could he continue to reflect on those lessons and become the person that his life had prepared him to be.