Twilight philosophy
(no category for The Straight Story)
For Alvin Straight, the long road from western Iowa to Wisconsin was, like in all road movies, an exercise in personal growth and understanding. But, a major difference between this road story and the others in the genre, is that our protagonist, Alvin, is near the end of his life and because of this, he has the ability to put things in perspective in a way that all the other travelers we have encountered could not do.
Alvin had a very full life -- grew up working hard on a farm, fought in WWII, developed a drinking problem, married with a large family (half of whom didn't make it), learned patience and compassion in raising his developmentally delayed daughter (who had her children removed by the state unjustly because of someone else's mistake), etc. He had many experiences that could have (and probably would have) made most men quite bitter (and maybe he was in his younger days), but whatever bitterness that may have existed was quite tempered by the time we are introduced to Alvin. Because he has lived so long and seen so much, Alvin developed the ability to put things in their proper perspective and to let go -- the hardships are not what is important in life, but the connections that we make with other people, and one's family is the most important connection of all.
It is this philosophy that spurs Alvin on the road -- since family is the most important thing, he must travel (on his own terms) to repair the relationship with his estranged brother (with whom he was so close growing up). He takes to the open roads of Iowa. Along the way, Alvin meets many different characters to whom he listens empathetically and usually imparts a little bit of his wisdom. People seem to not be afraid to approach Alvin -- he's a kind, eccentric old man on a lawn mower who walks with two canes -- how dangerous could this man be? And after talking to Alvin, the lives of those he has touched are changed forever.
As he listens to their stories, Alvin is reminded of his own experiences and how far he has come (and has yet to go) in his own journey. Thus, by listening and sharing his family-centric philosophy, Alvin is finding commonality in possessing similar regrets, and shedding his guilt for his past mistakes by imparting a little bit of his wisdom, and both parties grow as a result. Thus, this tale is not just about his journey, but about how he is touched by and how he touches other people's lives. And that is what separates this tale from all others we have seen (in this class, at least), is how Alvin's twilight philosophical perspective on the road positively changes both Alvin and those around him.