Assignment 3 “Heroes of the Frontier”

We all know the differences between a mobile home and a solid home. One moves and one doesn’t. One is looked down upon and one is an impressive achievement and a staple of family life. Both show financial status but on different ends of the spectrum. These themes are prevalent in “Heroes of the Frontier.” and can be found at different times throughout the book. When Josie and her kids are at the bonfire with Sam, Doug, and the other children, she notices how the other families interact and how different her children are from the others. This shows her side of home, the mobile side. They’re all on the beach and eating food made over a campfire and not on a stove, microwave, or in an oven. These meals are fun to make and eat in these settings but not as a permanent way of living. After this bonfire the Sam takes Josie and their kids back to her house and Josie marvels at Sam’s house. The way Eggers describes the house through Josie’s eyes symbolizes Sam’s life. It’s described as “This was not some deep-country log cabin. This was a respectable and modern house, newly painted and sturdy and clean (Eggers 122).” Emphasis on the word sturdy. Since Sam has well raised children and comfortable home on top of the hill and a nice job she has a sense of security and solidarity in her life. Josie on the other hand just left her husband and moved her kids to Alaska because of this, and they are now living in a mobile home with a very ironic name. She lacks a sense of security or familiarity in her life which is symbolized by the mobility of their mobile home. Josie doesn’t know where to go next with her life. She can go in many different directions and make literal, but also figurative choices at the crossroads in her life. Once she figures out what she’s doing with her life she will gain a sense of solidarity and then probably upgrade from a mobile home to another stationary living space.