![]() Steinbeck uses Charley to connect with strangers, allowing him to learn more about Americans who would not have spoken with him otherwise. Steinbeck notes that while people might feel apprehensive about talking to a person they have just met, they would feel perfectly comfortable petting a dog. While Steinbeck wanted company on his journey, he also knew that Charley would serve as a diplomat between himself and strangers, calling Charley a "mind-reading dog" (10). ![]() His decision to take Charley was partially for his own benefit, and partially for Charley. He wanted to earn the title of American author, not have it bestowed upon him simply because he happened to live in the United States and was "an American writer, writing about America" (5). Steinbeck felt that much of his knowledge was regional, specific only to major cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. After self reflection, he reports, "I did not know my own country" (5). ![]() He states that his main objective in taking his cross-country trip is to reconnect with America. In Part One of Travels with Charley, Steinbeck outlines the purpose of his journey. ![]()
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